To Change the Law, Defy the Law: Hijacking the Cause and Co-Opting Its Advocate

Abstract

Corporations are becoming increasingly active in the political landscape, with some claiming to support social causes aimed at influencing the regulatory agenda. Beyond the effects of such activities on consumers, the effects on the original advocates of a cause are unknown. Therefore, this research examines how the advocates of a cause respond to corporate approaches that integrate marketing and political activities. The present study analyzes the Marché Interdit campaign that French retailer Carrefour carried out in 2017–18 (promoting the farmer seeds liberalization cause) by examining the position of the initial advocate of the cause: Réseau Semences Paysannes. The findings reveal that such marketing activities resemble co-optation of the initial advocate of the cause and hijacking of the cause they advocate for. The case study also highlights the different tactics put into play by the initial advocate to resist co-optation and hijacking. The article concludes with the implications for organizations whose causes are being co-opted and for those seeking to promote a prosocial outcome.

Mouvements de consommateurs activistes : entre cadrage des fondateurs et auto-organisation des membres

“…Plus largement, avec l'accroissement des approches dites d'activisme de marque (Vredenburg et al, 2020), nos résultats peuvent éclairer les entreprises sur l'organisation et l'orchestration d'un mouvement auquel elles désirent associer leur marque. Ceci permettrait d'éviter le type d'erreur fait, par exemple, par Carrefour dans la cooptation du réseau Semences Paysannes qui n'a pas pris en compte le rôle des fondateurs/leaders du réseau dans l'orchestration incitante du mouvement (Cova, 2020). En essayant de manière surplombante d'attribuer un sens différent au mouvement et en lançant une pétition, Carrefour s'est trouvé en complet décalage avec les fondateurs/leaders du mouvement et s'est aliéné une grande partie de la communauté.…”

Activist consumer movements: Founder framings versus member self-organisation

“…More broadly, given the growing number of so-called brand activism approaches (Vredenburg et al, 2020), the findings from the present study can educate companies regarding the organisation and orchestration of any movements with which they might want to associate their brands. This could help to avoid the sort of mistake committed, for instance, by Carrefour when it co-opted the Semences Paysannes French Farmers’ Seed network but forgot to account for the role that the network’s founders/leaders were playing by orchestrating their movement along incentivising lines (Cova, 2020). In pursuing an overarching approach where it tried to force the movement to accept a new sense of meaning (in part by organising its own petitions), Carrefour found itself completely out of sync with the movement’s founders/leaders and alienated much of the community.…”

Marketing’s Role in Understanding Political Activity

“…In 2016, Apple came under direct pressure under the Obama administration to violate their own consumer privacy promises and release a key feature of its iPhone product—encrypted messaging—to assist the FBI during a high-profile investigation (Pramuk 2016). In addition, there is evidence that political entities can call on citizen stakeholders to act on their behalf to influence the behaviors of companies (see also Cova 2020). During his term, President Donald Trump has encouraged his followers to boycott more than 20 companies, including AT&T, Macy’s, Nordstrom, 3 M, and the New York Times (Koenig and Miller 2020; Peterson 2019).…”

“…For example, if enough citizen stakeholders express displeasure with status quo policy, it may lead to government officials making more frequent mention of the issue in speeches of other public forums. Likewise, by engaging in activism, corporations can contribute to changes in legislation or regulation (Cova 2020). In certain cases, activism may put enough pressure on political actors that they become convinced, or forced, to be more transparent and accountable.…”

“…Cova (2020) presents a fascinating case in which multinational supermarket chain Carrefour introduced political messages into its marketing mix, ostensibly to loosen restrictions on commercial sales of seeds from smaller local growers in France. In the campaign, Carrefour sold unregulated vegetables grown from these seeds with the label “Marché Interdit” (prohibited goods).…”