You don’t need to tell me to tell you we live in politically and socially divisive times.
Some might say this is the most divided our nation has ever been. But as a reasonably astute student of history, I can point to periods in our past that were even more fraught than present day. I mean, we fought a civil war. And the Vietnam War ripped a hole in our societal fabric that wound up reshaping our collective perspective.
What is clear about the current acrimony, however, is how far afield the opposing poles have swung. And despite these far-flung opposites representing only small minorities, they’re somehow wielding more power and influence than ever. Meanwhile, the center, where most American reside, seems to have collapsed.

Now, I’m not here to preach about politics or social justice.

But that said, the ongoing saga of former NFL player Colin Kaepernick presents an interesting marketing case study…
While playing quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick chose to “take a knee” during the National Anthem in protest against what he perceives as systemic racism in our society, specifically the seemingly high number of police offices shooting (mostly black, largely unarmed) minorities.
His protest, however, was unexpectedly perceived by some as an act opposing patriotism and disrespecting our Military Veterans.
And some interesting things have happened as a result…
Papa John’s, the national fast food pizza chain, decided to stop airing their TV commercials during NFL games, claiming the connection the NFL and disrespect for our Military Veterans were hurting their sales.
In the wake of this move, however, Papa John’s CEO, John Schnatter, resigned (after apparently being caught on tape using racial slurs). And the company’s already slipping market share tumbled even further.
Conversely, Nike, one of the world’s top athletic shoe and apparel maker, not to mention an organization that holds endorsement contracts with countless professional athletes, many of whom are black, launched an ad campaign featuring Kaepernick that in effect lauds his decision to protest.
The campaign, featuring the tagline: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” was initially met with highly vocal backlash. Merchandise sales, and ultimately the company’s stock price, however, have surged since the campaign’s launch.
This is seemingly a definite indicator that most American’s at the very least support Kaepernick’s right to freedom of speech.

So, What Does This Mean for Your Business?

Now, I’m not suggesting you should take stand on political or social issues. Such concerns may not be the least bit relevant to your business. But it’s worth contemplating, as there may come a time when your politics and social outlook do matter to your business.
A recent market study showed the majority of consumers cared about the stance CEOs of large corporations take on social and political issues. Extrapolating, this seems to indicate people prefer to do business with companies that align with their personal ideology. Thus your ideology likely matters to your prospects and clients, too.
And you can also look at the situation from the perspective of identifying and targeting your ideal client. In a business context, political and social opinions may not matter. Then again, if you’re in a position to pick and choose the clients you work with (which is marketing’s ultimate goal), what sort of clients would you prefer to take on?

Has Ideology Ever Impacted Your Business?

Do you have any examples of political or social issues that have impacted your business? If so, please swing by my Google+ page and share. I’d love to hear your insights!