A Balancing Act: Should Brands Take a Stand?

One side effect of the ever-growing political polarization – most evident in the U.S. – is the fact that brands face a balancing act when it comes to addressing political or social issues. “Speak up or shut up” is the question it all comes down to, and ultimately, brands risk alienating customers either way. If a company/brand decides to speak out on an issue, be it free speech, LGBTQ rights or anything else, it risks upsetting the one half of its customers that don’t agree with its standpoint. On the other hand, if a brand is silent on an issue that is important to many of its customers, it faces backlash for NOT taking a public stand. And then there’s a third dimension: political pressure. This year, many companies in the U.S. scaled back or canceled their campaigns for Pride Month, fearing retribution from the Trump administration.

A recent survey from Statista reveals just how difficult it is for marketers to find the right balance between speaking out and staying quiet. While 43 percent of U.S. adults think that brands should take a public stand on political issues, 41 percent of respondents disagree with this, making it impossible to make the “right” choice. The survey also shows that brands do have something to gain from speaking out, with 47 percent of respondents saying they consider a brand’s values before making a purchase and 51 percent saying they are more loyal to brands that share the same values and political views. There is also risk, however, as 48 percent of respondents stated that they would boycott brands that publicly support values and issues they disagree with.

In the end, authenticity is a big factor in determining whether a brand should take a stand on a particular issue. Consumer smell virtue signaling from a mile away and thus brands should only support causes they truly belief in and that align with the brand’s stated values and goals. Take Apple for example: the company has advocated for diversity and LGBTQ+ rights long before pride campaigns were part of any marketing playbook and the fact that the company continued to do so in 2025 illustrates its conviction and commitment to the issue where other companies fell conspicuously silent in the face of pushback.