Conservative group launches ad campaign against 'woke capitalism,' targeting CEOs by name

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A conservative group is launching an advertising campaign Tuesday designed to push back against what it sees as "woke capitalism," spending more than $1 million on ads targeting the CEOs of Coca-Cola, American Airlines and Nike.

The ads are sharply critical of the CEOs on a range of issues ranging from childhood obesity to allegations of forced labor in China. Organizers say the campaign, which is being mounted by the conservative group Consumers' Research, is designed to change the thinking in corporate boards around the economic and political costs of getting involved in flashpoint issues such as voting rights.

"Increasingly we're seeing companies taking their eye off the ball," said William Hild, executive director Consumers' Research. "Our focus is always on the consumer. And that's what it should be for these companies as well, but increasingly we're seeing them work to curry favor with woke politicians, rather than focusing on serving their consumers."

The dark money group says it will not disclose who is financing the campaign, saying it respects donors' privacy. Consumers' Research says it will run the ads on CNBC, Fox Business and local stations in the cities where the companies are headquartered. There will also be an online component to the campaign.

Conservative group launches ad campaign against 'woke capitalism,' targeting CEOs by name

 

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Conservative Consumers’ Group Pounces On ‘Woke’ Corporations Like Nike and Coca-Cola



“America Airlines shrunk legroom for passengers and laid off thousands of employees during the COVID pandemic while receiving billions in taxpayer bailouts. Coca-Cola and Nike have both been exploiting foreign, potentially forced, labor in China while American workers suffer,” Executive Director of Consumers’ Research Will Hild said in a statement. “It is time these corporate giants were called to task. We are giving consumers a voice. These companies should be putting their energy and focus on serving their customers not woke politicians.”

“As Lt. Governor of Texas, I am stunned that American Airlines would put out a statement saying ‘we are strongly opposed to this bill’ [Senate Bill 7] just minutes after their government relations representative called my office and admitted that neither he nor the American Airlines CEO had actually read the legislation,” Patrick said in his own statement. “We heard these same outcries claiming voter suppression in 2011 when Texas passed the photo voter ID bill. In fact, just the opposite occurred. Voter turnout in Texas soared from 7,993,851 in 2012 to 11,144,040 in 2020, a 39 percent increase. Gubernatorial election voter turnout has increased by 76 percent since photo voter ID was passed.”


The Consumers’ Research ad slammed Parker’s take on Texas’ voter integrity law, which requires an ID to fly.

“Why is CEO Doug Parker trying to appease the radical left?” the ad asked.

According to the ad, Parker is trying to “distract” from the company’s various issues, like his “$10 million salary” despite receiving “$5.8 billion in taxpayer bailouts” and more than 19,000 job cuts.

 

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