In a recent conversation with Bob Knorpp on his BeanCast podcast, Bob opened by sharing the latest study from YouGov, which explored how political polarization is influencing brand perception in the U.S. According to the survey, only 29% of brands have bipartisan appeal, with most brands leaning either conservative or liberal. From there, our conversation quickly took off, examining the implications for brands navigating this hyper-polarized marketplace.
Farrah Bostic, a researcher by training, began the discussion with a critique, noting that much of the data reinforces what we already know. “A lot of these brands are essentially regionally sorted,” she said, emphasizing that geography and economic factors, rather than pure political ideology, often shape consumer preferences. She added, “We didn’t need a study to tell us that MSNBC is more liberal and Fox News is more conservative.” However, the YouGov study is the first attempt I’ve seen to quantify the impact of political polarization on the broader brand landscape.
Brands face increasing pressure from consumers, employees, and activists to take a stand on social and political issues, but most brands should resist this urge. When a brand chooses a side, it alienates a significant portion of the market. In today’s polarized environment, the safest and smartest move for most brands is to stick to what they do best—offering a great product or service.
Consumers shouldn’t easily label a brand as either liberal or conservative. The more a company leans into one side, the more it risks fracturing its audience.
Saul Colt shared a perfect example of this in the case of Sticker Mule’s CEO, Anthony Constantino. Constantino sent a mass email endorsing Donald Trump, offering discounts on Trump-related merchandise. The backlash was swift and severe. “They lost 10% of their business overnight,” Saul said, illustrating how quickly things can go wrong when brands or their leadership inject political beliefs into their messaging. The Sticker Mule incident is a cautionary tale of how political affiliations can backfire.
Ultimately, staying politically neutral is a better strategy for mass-market brands. The marketplace is already divided, and the role of a brand should be to unite customers around a shared value: the value of the product or service. Don’t let political ideologies detract from your brand’s and business’s success.
As seen in Forbes