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Brands need to stop telling people to go vote

No one is looking to major brands for election-day advice

Patrick Kulp

on November 8, 2016

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Who doesn't look to their favorite brand of sweatshirt for election day reminders?

That's what the gaggle of brands preaching to you online to get out and vote seem to think their relationship to your life is like.

Brands work hard to pretend to be your friends on social media. They'll respond to your tweets. They'll like your Instagram post. They've also made it their place to latch onto whatever timely news or memes you and the rest of the world are talking about, now.

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But it's gone peak during this election, as so, so many brands have perfected the art of appearing to say something important without actually saying anything at all, as they all tell you to go vote. Don't buy the message.

If it seems like they're performing a simple, altruistic public service—They didn't even mention their product!, you think—well, that's the idea. These kinds of plays are designed to convince you that they have a point of view outside of, for instance, "People should buy our shoes."

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They're hoping you'll come to think of them as a friend they can trust, who shares your values (like how great voting is) rather than a corporate monolith—an idea that makes marketers salivate.

But is there really any safer, more anodyne message to spread on election day than encouraging voters? If brands really believed in something, they'd actually, you know, endorse a candidate. Or take a side on an important issue (and in fact, some have.)

Instead, they shamelessly insert themselves as Americans are trying to focus on a serious choice that's exposed the deep, deep divisions in our country. Their encouragement is patronizing and self-serving. In short: Brands don't actually care if you vote. Brands care about you thinking they care that you vote. And that's exactly why you shouldn't care at all.

Here's just a sampling of all the brands who are playing civil servant on Tuesday:

Away Luggage

IZOD

The sweatshirt company was one of the most prominent brands trying to get in on the action with a bid for redemption for everyone's favorite disgraced undecided voter.

J. Crew

Give 'em credit: At least J. Crew was shameless enough to try to get you to buy something out of it.

Crocs

Casper

Old Navy

Pepsi

JetBlue Airways

Homes.com

Everlane.com

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Tinder

Chuck E. Cheese's

Topics Elections

Patrick Kulp

Patrick Kulp is a Business Reporter at Mashable. Patrick covers digital advertising, online retail and the future of work. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in political science and economics, he previously worked at the Pacific Coast Business Times.