Journal of Marketing Management

Brand Activism at a Crossroads: New Theoretical and Empirical Horizons in Marketing and Society

Brand activism has rapidly evolved from a novel strategy into a mainstream corporate practice, attracting growing scholarly attention across disciplines. While it takes on various forms - such as corporate activism (McKean & King, 2024), CEO activism (Barros et al., 2025), corporate sociopolitical activism (Pomerance & Zifla, 2025), and corporate social advocacy (Lee & Chung, 2023) - these expressions share a common feature: the deliberate entry of companies and top executives into the political sphere (Korschun, 2021). This engagement typically involves public positioning and/or tangible actions on “controversial, contested, or polarising socio-political issues” (Vredenburg et al., 2020, p. 446). In recent years, brand activism has come to play a crucial role in shaping public discourse, influencing consumer culture, and redefining the boundaries of brand management (Andersen & Johansen, 2024).

Brands have positioned themselves as prominent players in sociopolitical activism, lending their voices to movements such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and Pride. Many have gone further, speaking out on civil rights, endorsing or criticising political candidates, and taking public stands on global conflicts (Tsougkou et al., 2025). Their social media channels have become platforms for engaging with some of our time’s most contentious and politically charged issues - from abortion and LGBTQIA+ rights to gun control, climate change, and racial justice (Batista et al., 2022). These messages are often delivered in emotive, occasionally provocative, tones designed to shape public opinion, ignite debate, and foster prosocial engagement among audiences (Appels et al., 2024).

Much of the literature has explored perceived authenticity in brand activism (e.g., Bulmer et al., 2024; Mirzaei et al., 2022; Vredenburg et al., 2020), the influence of political ideology (e.g., Pomerance & Zifla, 2025), moral framing (e.g., Sibai et al., 2021), and the types of activist efforts (e.g., Ahmad et al., 2022). However, while considerable attention has been paid to corporate strategies and outcomes, far less has been devoted to its social and transformative impacts (Wannow et al., 2024).

In parallel, scholars have begun to examine activism across a broader set of actors and contexts, including non-profit organisations (Lee et al., 2024), universities (Cammarota et al., 2024), CEOs (Barros et al., 2025), consumers (Kozinets & Seraj-Aksit; 2024), and influencers (D’Arco et al., 2025). The phenomenon has also been studied within B2B markets (Kapitan et al., 2022), the luxury sector (Khalifa & Osburg, 2025), and from a global perspective (Shukla et al., 2025), illustrating both the depth and breadth of research in this area.

Recent publications continue to reflect the academic community’s sustained interest in brand activism. However, on an empirical level, new directions and emerging manifestations of the phenomenon appear to be unfolding faster than researchers can capture or critically analyse them. This substantive gap highlights a critical limitation: a growing disconnection between certain strands of literature and the evolving complexity of real-world practices, which impairs our ability to fully grasp, interpret, and anticipate the shifting dynamics and implications of brand activism today.

The rise of populism, escalating geopolitical conflicts, and increasing societal polarisation appear to have reshaped the trajectory of brand activism (see Malik et al., 2025). Since late 2024 and into early 2025, several major U.S. corporations have withdrawn from their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as noted in recent studies (Sands & Ferraro, 2025; Whitler, 2024). At the same time, many brands have scaled back their activist public visibility, muting their social media presence and removing sociopolitical content (Malik et al., 2025), while others have undergone internal restructuring, including leadership changes. A notable example is Ben & Jerry’s, whose long-time CEO, renowned for socio-political advocacy, was recently replaced by parent company Unilever (Bayford, 2025; da Silva, 2025; Khan, 2025).

Consequently, with the convergence of political, ecological, and humanitarian emergencies, the role of business in advancing social good is again under scrutiny (Anisimova et al., 2025). The present-day empirical landscape appears different from a few years ago, prompting scholars to ask: Where have the activist brands gone? Have we reached a saturation point of brand activism, or are we witnessing a transformation? And if so, what has changed in brand activism today? Are brands engaging more with concrete actions rather than public declarations? Are there more long-term and strategic visions rather than short-term virtue signalling? Additionally, in this volatile environment, a crucial question arises: can new forms of brand activism challenge the dominant paradigms in literature and meaningfully contribute to societal change?

In the face of this rapidly changing context, while offering valuable insights, existing literature struggles to capture the evolving dynamics of brand activism. Many studies still rely on well-established theoretical frameworks that may no longer be adequate for interpreting the complexities of the current landscape. As Guha and Korschun (2024) noted, activist brands often decide whether, when, and how to take a stand by observing and mirroring their closest competitors. Could this exact mechanism now drive disengagement with sociopolitical issues?

Given these recent shifts, there is a pressing need to open new directions for research on brand activism. This moment demands not only a deeper understanding of how the phenomenon is evolving across diverse cultural, geographic, and sectoral contexts, but also providing actionable insights to support organisations navigating increasingly complex and polarised environments. Emerging technologies, growing attention to the Global South, and the rise of new social, political and cultural sensibilities may offer fresh analytical lenses through which brand activism can be critically re-examined and conceptually reimagined.

This Special Issue aims to spark a critical and practice-informed dialogue on the current state of brand activism - exploring whether, how, and why it is changing; uncovering new forces shaping its trajectory; and rethinking the role brands can and should play in contemporary society.

We invite contributions that challenge and extend current thinking, including new theoretical frameworks, conceptual innovations, interpretive approaches, and robust empirical studies. Submissions may employ qualitative or quantitative methods, as long as they critically engage with present realities and contribute to a richer understanding of the phenomenon. Our goal is to build a body of knowledge that is both theoretically insightful and practically relevant - capable of keeping pace with the speed, complexity, and volatility of today’s socio-political landscape.

Suggested topic areas (indicative, not exhaustive):

• Changes in Brand Activism Strategies – Is brand activism taking a new form? Are we witnessing the rise of less visible, more strategic, or quieter modes of activism? How do activist brands act in the current landscape?
• Emerging Brand Activist Contexts – How, and to what extent, does brand activism manifest across different political, cultural, and geographical contexts? Particular attention is invited to the Global South and emerging markets, where civil liberties, media pluralism, or legal protections for civil rights may be limited or contested.
• Institutional Actors as Activist Agents – What happens when universities, public institutions, public figures, or cultural organisations engage in activist practices? How do these actors influence public discourse, shape political debate, or redefine the boundaries of market responsibility?
• The Transformative Effect of Brand Activism – Can marketing-driven activism lead to lasting social change, or is it ultimately limited to symbolic gestures and market-oriented performance goals?
• International and Transnational Dimensions of Activism – How does activism unfold across national borders, global supply chains, and international institutions? What new conditions arise when brand activism is framed as a systemic, transnational commitment?
• Backlash, Culture War, and Polarisation – How brand activism is affected when social and institutional risks emerge, corporate activism provokes ideological resistance, public fatigue, or consumer boycotts? How has the context of rising populism affected the conditions for brand activism?
• Consumer Activism and Spaces of Expression – Has consumer activism changed? If so, how do activist consumers influence brand strategies, communication, and positioning? How do new forms of digital and/or offline spaces affect how consumer activists express their demands, critiques, or support? Are there changes in the relationships between brands and consumer activists?
• Authenticity and Consumer Activism - How can we critically differentiate between authentic brand activism and opportunistic appropriation of activist discourse? Have consumers’ understandings of authentic brand activism changed amid current shifts in the sociocultural context?
• Artificial Intelligence and Activist Contents – How is artificial intelligence transforming the creation, personalisation, and dissemination of activist messages? What ethical, moral, and authenticity-related concerns arise when activism is mediated by machine-created content?
• Shifting Channels of Activist Communication – To what extent has sociopolitical pressure prompted a shift in activist communication from open, accessible platforms - such as social media - to more niche, closed (not public) or offline spaces? What are the implications of this relocation of activism visibility and audience engagement regarding brand activism practices and social impact?
• Activism and the Depoliticisation of Society – What are the potential connections between brand activism and the depoliticisation of society? Does brand activism foster genuine political engagement and collective mobilisation, or does it risk causing activism fatigue, depoliticising conflict and reinforcing dominant ideologies? How can we critically assess the boundaries between symbolic engagement and meaningful transformation?
• Measuring Systemic Impact – How can we assess the broader societal effects of brand activism beyond corporate performance indicators or consumer responses? What critical or participatory methodologies are needed to evaluate systemic change?

The full Call for Papers including references can be found at the JMM blog site: https://www.jmmnews.com/brand-activism/