Prior to Fri. Feb. 28, 2025, reports of an economic boycott were heard as whispers across various social media platforms such as Instagram. Repost after story repost, users shared a flyer explaining that it was highly suggested not to purchase from large corporations such as Amazon or buy gas on Friday. If you needed to purchase something, buying from small, local businesses was encouraged. This was in protest to what individuals call “corporate greed,” a term used to describe companies that disregard the care for their employees and customers in order to maximize profits. While such a simple act may seem useless, the implications behind such measures indicate something much bigger.
According to USA Today, Similarweb, a digital marketing company, analyzed the markets and found a 6% decrease in web traffic across 100 e-commerce sites. However, a six percent decrease is not unheard of. Data was collected and compared to previous years where the majority found natural economic fluctuations. But a six percent decrease in one day, in comparison to the average four percent decrease on Feb. 28 last year, is not something to overlook. While there was not a great economic impact, it is a start to something bigger. More movements have begun to emerge amidst anguish over corporate decisions.
On Mar. 5, a 40-day Target boycott began to protest Target’s end to its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives including an act working to expand black representation by 20%, according to CNN. The movement was organized by Reverend Jamal Bryant and began on the first day of Lent. According to AP News, Bryant began the movement to demonstrate the monetary power of Black Americans and describes the movement as an act of spiritual resistance. So how can we as Americans, proud or not, bring our country together to unite in the face of discrimination?
On average, successful protests and boycotts only work short-term and rarely change corporate actions in the long term. This reality infuriates a lot of people and understandably so. I have seen numerous amounts of people advocate for theft and destruction, but that is not the solution. Peaceful protests are effective 53% of the time, versus violent acts which are only effective 26% of the time according to an article by Peter T. Coleman. But it’s important to keep in mind that while there may not be immediate impacts on revenue, brand reputations can be influenced. So keep protesting, continue to call out brands and companies, speak out on social media, and most importantly, come together. Movements are more effective when you don’t stand alone. Don’t be scared to hit ’em where it hurts. (passively not literally).