LAB42 TOPLINE REPORT —- THE POLARIZATION OF BRANDS

Polarization & Shopping Behavior (Lab42, June 2024)

What’s the report about?
Lab42 surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults between May 13 and May 23, 2024. It explores how political polarization influences how people shop and respond to brands taking public stances.

Key Insights

Who are Americans politically?

• Roughly 30% identify as Liberal, 30% as Conservative, and around 40% as Moderate.

• Demographically:

  • Liberals: tend to be younger, female, minorities, more educated, and located in the West or Northeast.

  • Moderates: also younger and often minority, but with lower educational attainment.

  • Conservatives: older, male, white, and with less formal education.

What issues do consumers accept or reject from brands?

• Broadly supported: Charity, volunteering, gender equality, DEI, race-related efforts.

• Generally not supported: Political or religious stances, contributions, or discussions. These tend to hurt brand favorability.Lab42 Research

• Within advertising, most people respond well to diverse casting and themes—but support drops for LGBTQ+ content, religious language, and BLM themes, especially among conservatives.

Do consumers want brands to take stands?

• On political issues, only about half approve—and approval strongly depends on ideology.

  • Very Liberal: ~79% support it

  • Very Conservative: only ~30–35% support it

• On social issues, broader support across the board—though much stronger among liberals and moderates, far weaker with conservatives

How much does polarization impact shopping?

• About one-third of consumers stopped buying from brands that took a stand, rising higher among very liberals and very conservatives.

• If a brand takes a position opposite to a consumer’s views, the effect is sharper:

  • Many reduce purchases, boycott, or switch to competitors—especially those at the ideological extremes.

"Hot Button" vs. "Apple Pie" Brands

• Hot Button Brands (those that take public stands):

  • Often lose users overall (~‑0.34%) due to polarization.

  • Gains or losses depend on whether the brand’s stance aligns with consumer ideology.

• Apple Pie Brands (neutral stances):

  • Tend to gain users (~+1.39%), regardless of consumer political leaning.

• Examples:

  • Liberal-leaning hot button brands: Target, Bud Light, Disney, Nike

  • Conservative-leaning hot button brands: Chick‑Fil‑A, Hobby Lobby

  • Neutral brands: Amazon, Costco, Microsoft, Toyota, Miller Lite, Hershey’s