Consumers’ Research, an educational nonprofit, is calling out companies for focusing on “woke” politics instead of customers.
The story: The nonprofit group launched a $1 million ad campaign targeting Nike, Coca-Cola, and American Airlines for what it describes as their practice of putting politics before consumers. The ads take the companies to task on various issues, ranging from childhood obesity to allegations of forced labor in China.
They also call out American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey, and Nike CEO John Donohoe by name.
“America Airlines shrunk legroom for passengers and laid off thousands of employees during the COVID pandemic while receiving billions in taxpayer bailouts. Coca-Cola and Nike have both been exploiting foreign, potentially forced, labor in China while American workers suffer,” Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild said in a Tuesday statement, according to Fox Business.
“It is time these corporate giants were called to task. We are giving consumers a voice. These companies should be putting their energy and focus on serving their customers, not woke politicians,” he added.
The Nike ad slams the company for being “constantly political,” arguing that it’s trying to divert attention away from allegations that it uses forced labor in China.
“Religious minorities were ripped from their families, sterilized, sold to factories. Nike made shoes in those same areas … Rather than hiring Americans, Nike chose China,” the ad proclaims. “Stop exploring foreign labor. Serve your customers.”
The video also features a short clip of former NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s appearance in one Nike ad.
The American Airlines ad highlights the company’s dismal rating in operational performances and criticizes it for reducing legroom during the pandemic. It further points out that American Airlines asks passengers for IDs but does not support Texas ID law.
“Why is CEO Doug Parker trying to appease the radical left? To distract from billions in taxpayer bailouts, from his 10-million-dollar payday, from American’s record layoffs,” the ad says.
The Coca-Cola ad accuses the company of “getting political,” citing its CEO’s criticism of Georgia’s voting law, and “worsening the obesity epidemic” by poisoning American youth with its products.
“Why? To distracts from years of dismal sales, terrible 2020 results” and allegations of using forced labor in China, the ad says. It also points to reports that Coca-Cola paid for “phony science” to downplay the harm its products cause.
“Stop poisoning our children, serve your customers,” the ad concludes.
