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Businesses need consumers to survive. When we unite, we can force unethical companies to clean up their act. Support ethical brands. Boycott those that profit at the planet’s expense. Together, we can demand better for our future. So… who’s ready to make some noise?
According to Erica Chenoweth's research, boycotts, as a form of nonviolent protest, are twice as likely to succeed as violent actions, with those involving 3.5% of the population typically resulting in significant political or social change.
So, next time someone says “boycotts don’t matter,” hit them with the stats. Power is in OUR hands.
Purchasing power refers to consumers’ (and individual’s) ability to influence companies by choosing where to spend or not spend their money.
Vivienne Westwood Climate Revolution for Lush collaboration, source
1. MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT (1955)
SPARK: When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Alabama, she lit a fire that burned for 381 days.
Black residents of Montgomery walked, carpooled, and stayed OFF the buses.
IMPACT: The Supreme Court ruling that banned segregation on buses marked a historic victory, bringing national attention to racial segregation and was a key moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
LESSON: One act of defiance + collective action = Supreme Court ruling that changed history.
Rosa Parks seated toward the front of the bus, Montgomery, Alabama, 1956. Underwood Archives/Getty Images, source
2. THE ANTI-FUR CAMPAIGN+BOYCOTT (1980s-)
SPARK: In the 1980s, PETA’s “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign, featuring celebrities and supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, used shock value to protest new fur in fashion.
IMPACT: The campaign generated massive media attention, pressuring brands like Gucci and Chanel to say bye-bye to fur. It helped to shift public attitudes toward more ethical fashion.
LESSON: Public figures with platforms have the power to influence change, if they choose to. And if used in the right context, shock value does help prove a point.
Supermodels Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and others in PETA's iconic "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur", Image Courtesy of PETA, source
3. BDS MOVEMENT (2005-)
SPARK: The BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) movement, launched in 2005, challenges Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, it calls for boycotting Israeli goods, divesting from companies supporting Israeli policies, and imposing sanctions.
IMPACT: BDS has gained global support, pressuring Israel through economic actions and raising awareness of Palestinian rights. It has sparked debates on human rights and nonviolent resistance. Here is the report from December 11th 2024 on the BDS Impact https://bdsmovement.net/BDS-Impacts-Second-Half-2024
LESSON: Every coin you spend is a vote for the world you want to see.
1️⃣ Know Your Sh*t: Research. Why are you boycotting? Who are you supporting instead?
2️⃣ Spread the Word: Use your platform. But remember, nobody likes a preachy friend.
3️⃣ Stick With It: Change takes time. Commit to the cause and watch the dominoes fall.
Photo by Jamie Wdziekonski of Australian youth activists protesting the climate crisis, source
Credit Unknown
STATS THAT SLAP
- Companies can experience significant declines in sales during boycotts, as seen during the 2023 Bud Light boycott, where Anheuser-Busch InBev's sales dropped by 29.5%.
- In 2020, 61% of consumers said they’d boycott fashion brands with unethical or unsustainable practices.
- Nike's 1990s backlash over labor practices led to widespread boycotts, causing a
In her 2009 Havana Biennial performance, Tania Bruguera offered a temporary platform for free speech, inviting audience members to speak uncensored for one minute before being escorted offstage by actors in military uniforms. A white dove, referencing Fidel Castro’s first speech in 1959, symbolized the weight of revolution. Credit: Tania Bruguera, source
Credit unknown
We as consumers hold the power, and it’s time we recognize that together, we can create change. So, support ethical brands, and boycott fast fashion and/or any business that does anything less than love, care and respect the planet and future generations.
Let’s collectively raise our standards and demand better from the businesses we give money to.
Lygia Pape’s 1968 piece Divisor (Divider) — a work that stands as a moving symbol of connection and resilience. The participants became a living collective, with each head emerging from a shared white sheet, blending individuality with unity. Credit Unknown, source
SOURCES:
History, A&E Television Networks. "Montgomery Bus Boycott." History.com. December 8, 2009. Link.
The History Channel. Montgomery Bus Boycott. YouTube. Link.
National Park Service. Montgomery Bus Boycott. YouTube. Link.
Harvard Business Review. "Lessons from the Bud Light Boycott, One Year Later." 2024. Link.
McKinsey & Company. The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating Uncertainty. 2020. Link.
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS). About BDS. Link.
How Nike Solved Its Sweatshop Problem. Business Insider, 2013. Link.
Newspapers.com. Montgomery Bus Boycott Coverage.Link.
Gassam, Janice. "Do Boycotts Actually Work? Examining the Use of Boycotts to Drive Social Change." Forbes, 2023. Link.
BBC Future. "It Only Takes 3.5% of People to Change the World." 2019. Link.
BUSINESSES CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT PAYING CUSTOMERS.
