Ben & Jerry’s controversial tweet decimates Unilever’s market cap. The ice cream giant’s audacious Independence Day message branding the US as built on ‘stolen Indigenous land’ and demanding the return of Mount Rushmore to the Lakota tribe sparked outrage. Investors didn’t take it lightly, with Unilever’s market cap plummeting by an estimated $2.5 billion. This isn’t the first time Ben & Jerry’s stirred controversy, as their progressive activism has targeted Israel, police funding, and more. The clash between their outspoken views and consumer sensitivities serves as a cautionary tale for companies embracing woke capitalism. As corporations intertwine ideology with branding, the backlash faced by Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s highlights the economic consequences of flagrant unpatriotism. Balance is key to avoid losing more than just market cap.
