Our allegiance to companies is worth more than we think

In a capitalist country, money is everything. As such, a very powerful tool that we have in expressing our beliefs is what we choose to do with our money. When you support a brand, it’s not just about using their products because you like them, it is funding their ideas and what they stand for. It seems like anywhere that you look, a new company is using their millions to finance atrocities. The power that we give these very companies, and the results of this power, should fuel us to be more selective with what we fund.  

Last Wednesday, one half of the famous founding duo behind Ben & Jerry’s, Ben Cohen, announced his resignation as owner of the famous ice cream company. Cohen stated that, while he still appreciates his brand, he cannot in good conscience support his company being owned by Unilever who has repeatedly silenced their mission. Unilever went back on an agreement that the co-founders had, which refused to sell their ice cream in the occupied Palestinian territories. Most people know the ice cream company for their iconic flavors, however their activism is also widely known. The company has released flavors like “Change the Whirled”, “Empowermint” and “Resist” with different groups in mind and proceeds going towards supporting them and giving them a voice. Although some comments under Cohen’s post complained about letting “ice cream just be ice cream” and that his resignation is “too woke,” this shows how much higher of a standard we as consumers should hold our companies to. If he can back down from his own company, why can’t we do the far easier act of just not buying what they put out?

Ben & Jerry’s has not been the only corporation to show its true colors. Several brands have come out to blindly follow the current administration, for fear of what would happen if they did not. Revelations about a brand’s beliefs will isolate people who follow a company just because and those who pay attention. The fallout of ABC’s decision to cancel  “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” due to his comments about Charlie Kirk reveal what happens when your followers pay attention. Following the suspension of Kimmel, several people announced they would be canceling their Disney+ subscriptions and Disney trips as well as boycotting ABC. ABC’s parent company, Disney, reportedly lost billions of dollars along with their stock decreasing by 0.67% following backlash. The people who chose to use their money as a means of speaking up made a real impact, and now the Jimmy Kimmel show has returned. Disney was taken aback by the power of American people who could hit where it hurts them most, their pockets. 

Companies with a sole focus of money will alter what they believe and who they support as long as they keep their customers. If more people were picky about what and who they are willing to financially support, corporations might not be so quick to bow down to the government. This means that with boycotting, we as consumers can hold businesses accountable for their ignorant choices. The power of taking a stand comes in numbers. One person stopping their support does not do much but with a flood of people removing their support, a company can be severely impacted. We need to realize that the simple decision to stop paying that subscription or choosing to not buy from a restaurant is one of the biggest challenges to big businesses.  

The best form of protest comes in refusing to support these companies that stand for nothing and fall for everything. We should all take a scoop out of Ben & Jerry’s pint and not follow a company who no longer aligns with our morals.