As if what happened to Bud Light and Target wasn’t ample enough warning, it seems that some brands didn’t get the memo — and shouldn’t be shocked they’re paying a price.
On Independence Day, the Vermont-based ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s called on the United States to return “stolen indigenous land.”
“The United States was founded on stolen indigenous land,” the company tweeted. “This Fourth of July, let’s commit to returning it.”
This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it. Learn more and take action now: pic.twitter.com/a6qp7LXUAE
— Ben & Jerry’s (@benandjerrys) July 4, 2023
A similar message was posted on the company’s website.
Ah, the Fourth of July. Who doesn’t love a good parade, some tasty barbecue, and a stirring fireworks display? The only problem with all that, though, is that it can distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth: The US was founded on stolen Indigenous land.
This year, let’s commit to returning it.
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Here’s why we need to start with Mount Rushmore.
In what is unlikely to be a coincidence, Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, has lost $4.29 billion in market cap since before the tweet was sent. On Monday, the company’s market cap was $133.5 billion, as of Thursday, it is $129.2 billion.
It’s still early, but if the trend continues, parent company Unilever stands to lose a lot more. Target has shed $13.9 billion in market value, and Anheuser-Busch has lost nearly $25 billion to date. While Anheuser-Busch has tried desperately to reconcile with its alienated customers, Brian Cornell, the CEO of Target, recently expressed that he thinks going woke has been good for the company.
For our VIPs: When Boycotts Actually Work
Ben & Jerry’s is no stranger to radical left-wing politics. In recent years, the brand and its founders have expressed support for defunding the police, radical climate policies, Democrat election takeovers, and generally accusing Republicans of being evil and racist. What makes the success of this new boycott particularly interesting is that Ben & Jerry’s has already been the subject of past protests.
Also for our VIPs: Why the Bud Light Backlash Is Never Going Away
In 2021, the company faced calls for a boycott after it announced that it would no longer sell its products in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, claiming it was “inconsistent” with its values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream “to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).” The company suffered severe consequences for aligning itself with an anti-Semitic movement and the subsequent boycott hurt franchisees, who lost millions in annual revenue. Unilever initially refused to rescind its boycott of Israel but eventually relented nearly a year later.
