Major brands like Harley Davidson, Lowe’s, John Deere and, most recently, Molson Coors, continue to take a step back from diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In general, brands doing so is a shortsighted move that may hurt the brand in the long term as inclusion is necessary for growth, according to industry analysts.
The companies have been removing diversity quotas, required training efforts and DE&I executive roles as well as cutting ties with organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group. The shift follows boycotts against “woke” marketing efforts as well as pressure from a right wing activist investor, Robby Starbuck. The push for companies to walk away from DE&I comes amid softer consumer spending and earnings, which has made it easier for companies to do an about face in the name of the bottomline, according to industry analysts, who say the move is often coming from brands that were starting to dip their toe into DE&I efforts in recent years.
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The original post is at Marketing Archives – Digiday
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