Jonathan Isaac, an NBA forward with the Orlando Magic, gained notoriety for his decision not to participate in protests against police brutality during a summer marked by widespread activism against racial injustice. As a Black athlete, he abstained from kneeling during the national anthem, in contrast to many of his fellow NBA players, when the league resumed its activities in a COVID-19 “bubble” setting in Orlando, Florida, in July 2020. This act catapulted him into the role of a conservative political activist.
In 2022, Isaac delivered a speech at a rally of Christian nationalists and anti-vaccine advocates and authored a book explaining his reasons for not joining the protest. This year, he launched Unitus, an apparel company centered on the principles of “faith, family, and freedom.”
In an interview, Isaac stated, “I wanted my values to be represented in the marketplace, especially when it came to sports and leisure wear.”
Traditionally, most companies sought to avoid political controversies to prevent alienating potential customers. However, in today’s United States, almost everything seems to have a political dimension, even choices about where to purchase everyday items like socks and leggings.
Recent instances of backlash against companies like Anheuser-Busch and Target highlight this trend. Anheuser-Busch faced criticism from the right due to a transgender influencer’s promotion of Bud Light, while Target received backlash for its Pride Month displays.
Unitus is among a growing number of companies, spanning various industries from clothing retail to pet care, attempting to appeal to consumers who feel disconnected from what they perceive as corporate America’s promotion of a progressive, liberal agenda. Unitus is featured on PublicSq., an online marketplace dedicated to promoting businesses it considers “pro-life,” “pro-family,” and “pro-freedom.” PublicSq. started in July 2022 and now hosts over 65,000 small businesses, experiencing a surge in participation following controversies involving Bud Light and Target.
PublicSq. offers a counterbalance to corporations with more progressive stances, as mentioned by Michael Seifert, the founder and CEO of PublicSq. Large companies have faced heightened scrutiny since Donald Trump’s election in 2016 concerning their values, including responses to policies like Trump’s immigration ban and political donations by corporate entities or their leaders.
As a result, numerous corporations publicly declared their support for diversity and inclusion. For example, Nike collaborated on an advertising campaign with former NFL player Colin Kaepernick in 2018, who initiated the movement of athletes kneeling to protest police brutality against Black Americans. Following George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, many companies pledged financial support and issued statements of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2022, corporate resistance emerged against proposed legislation in Florida perceived as anti-LGBTQ+.
According to Tracy Rank-Christman, a marketing professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, this shift in corporate alignment has led to the alienation of consumers with more conservative viewpoints. She explained that some consumers have boycotted or criticized brands that engage in behaviors contrary to their values.
This backlash phenomenon isn’t entirely new. Research by Rank-Christman and other scholars indicates that consumers with “stigmatized identities” often collectively respond to companies they perceive as attacking their identity. Examples include Chick-fil-A, which faced criticism from the left for supporting conservative causes.
However, these conservative views align well with PublicSq.’s core principles, where businesses commit to supporting “the greatness of this nation,” safeguarding “the family unit” and the “sanctity of life,” and recognizing the significance of small businesses in the economy.
For many businesses, joining PublicSq. is a way to reach consumers who share their values. Kevin Jones, the manager of Tiny Dog, an e-commerce pet supply business, recounted how he refrained from expanding his business after being questioned about his stance on the “woke agenda.” This experience led him to join PublicSq. and market pet products to like-minded individuals. While Tiny Dog’s website doesn’t display political or social messaging, it does not cater to “alternative lifestyles.”
Companies like Unitus don’t mind turning away liberal or less politically aligned consumers. They prioritize aligning with their values over maximizing profit in the short run. According to CB Bhattacharya, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, these companies target a niche market and focus on their core values rather than the bottom line. They essentially say, “We don’t even care about the blues,” in this reds-versus-blues landscape.
However, the long-term sustainability of these companies is a complex consideration. They may be vulnerable to shifts in political sentiment, as well as economic factors like supply chain disruptions. Bhattacharya’s research suggests that prominent boycotts of companies like Chick-fil-A and Starbucks in 2012 didn’t harm those companies. In fact, sales increased due to support from consumers who shared their stances.
Issues driving consumers to seek alternatives can lose political relevance, forcing companies that emphasized these issues to adapt. If LGBTQ+ rights become more accepted across the country, conservative companies may need to revise their strategies.
Additionally, some conservative issues, such as not buying goods from China, collide with economic realities. While PublicSq. encourages businesses to manufacture their products in the United States or source them domestically, manufacturing in China remains necessary for some.
Jonathan Isaac and Unitus hope to lead in producing high-quality apparel that represents core values under what they see as an assault by mainstream corporations. Isaac stated that Unitus encourages people to proudly express their values while wearing stylish, high-quality clothing.