As the ripples spread around the web, it’s clear the western world is none too pleased with Russia’s timing. Coming out against gay rights just prior to the Winter Games to be held in Sochi is not sitting well. It’s all fine to circulate petitions demanding that the games be moved to another city but with inertia as it is, that’s simply not going to happen.
What might work, is speaking with our wallets.
Boycott is not a word I take lightly — like diets, boycotts are difficult to stick to (unless you are already not using the service or product) — but in this case, there are some big corporations with big umbrellas putting up BIG BUCKS.
Those ten logos represent an astonishing number of products: Coca-Cola has 38 brands in Canada; Dow lists pages and pages of brands, many of which are used in agriculture and industrial processes that make things we use every day; GE is similarly integrated; and P&G features 50 Canadian brands — several of which we regularly buy.
I’m happy to leave Panasonic and Samsung off my tech shopping list. Omega watches? Who still buys those? I can avoid Coca-Cola products and McDonalds but Visa, I’ll admit, will be a challenge (hey, MasterCard, guess who just got lucky?)
If we really want this, though, we have to be consistent. Contact the consumer representatives for these companies and explain that your money will be going elsewhere. Share your letters and any responses on social media. Talk to family and friends. But most importantly, DON’T BUY THEIR PRODUCTS. If you have any other choice, vote with your wallet.
Awesome!