2017-05-25
Getting Political with Business
Today I found out about an initiative from Ben & Jerry's, the ice cream company, to promote marriage equality in Australia. They set up a marketing campaign where you're not allowed to buy two scoops of the same flavour until same-sex marriage is made legal.
It's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but they're also hitting some serious notes by encouraging people to contact their government representatives to request actual political action. Not everyone seems to be a big fan, but it got me thinking about what a business should (or should not) do with its platform or reach.
With my business, modmore, I've always tried to avoid political issues.
Of course I have personal opinions on Trump, LGBT rights, diversity in tech, religions, Brexit, and all sorts of other topics. I'd love to discuss those topics, on personal title, in the future.
But I've always tried to avoid forcing my own political/social thoughts onto modmore, so modmore as an entity wouldn't "pick a side" on certain topics.
Ideas that I might consider common sense (such as the same-sex marriage Ben & Jerry's is promoting), are literally illegal in some countries. And things that are considered common sense elsewhere might not match my worldview either.
Those differences are a given, and I've never seen it as a responsibility for modmore to take its platform and reach to encourage my view of the world, or how it should be, on customers.
People come to modmore for the excellent MODX extras and support, not a lecture about same-sex marriage.
Then, just a few weeks ago, we had a sale at modmore where people who spent over €50 received a free pack of Stroopwafels with their order. Stroopwafels are typical Dutch cookies, and part of that sale was to share a Dutch tradition, King's Day, with the world.
The sale promoted the Dutch heritage of modmore. It didn't judge countries that do not celebrate King's Day, nor did it lobby for Stroopwafels to be produced worldwide. But it did take something that is common sense in the Netherlands, and shared that with the world in a promotion.
Reflecting on it while writing this post, I may have diverged from my original stance with the sale. King's Day and stroopwafels are not really a controversial topic, but couldn't one say that promoting same sex marriage is also just promoting the Dutch heritage? After all, the Dutch were the first to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001. It's part of the Dutch history, and a great achievement for the LGBT community, definitely worthy of celebration.
So now I'm wondering, is there really a difference between shipping customers stroopwafels to celebrate King's Day, and rainbow-coloured hats on Gay Pride?
Perhaps it is my responsibility as business owner to do more to encourage equality, diversity, and other good things to make the world a slightly better place for everyone. That I can live freely in my country, irrespective of my sexuality or (lack of) beliefs, is a great privilege that deserves to be shared and promoted.
Saying and doing nothing is also a political statement, so maybe it's time for modmore to take a more active stance on certain topics that I care about.
What is your take on this? Should businesses use the reach they may have to influence politics or social opinions? Is that perhaps even their responsibility? Or should they just stick to their core business and leave politics out of it?