Thoughts

As seen in recent rollbacks by companies like Google, Target, and Goldman Sachs, it's unfortunately rare to find DEI and sustainability commitments truly embedded into the structure of a business. Instead, they're often treated as marketing strategies—efforts to generate goodwill rather than substantive changes to how these businesses operate.

Is your brand's social media presence at odds with its values? This question has become increasingly complicated for purpose-driven organizations as the controversies related to major social media channels grow. In this post, I explore the ethical dilemma facing purpose-driven brands using Meta platforms, and I go over strategies for aligning your brand's marketing with its.

In 2023, Target rolled out its annual Pride Month collection, filled with LGBTQ-themed merchandise to celebrate and support the community. But when faced with conservative backlash, the retailer scaled back its efforts—leading consumers to call out its actions as performative allyship. So, what can brands learn from this misstep as we navigate 2025?