Activism, not sex, is the newest, hottest sales tactic

As people continue to wake up and become interested (and entangled) in politics, so, too, do their tastes change.  Companies that used to use sex and bling to sell a product have now focused on achieving a political message to acquire followers.

No good deed goes unnoticed in the business world, as companies like Lyft, Uber, Starbucks and Airbnb have gone out of their way to make sure their constituents know about their charity.

Shortly after Trump's immigration ban was signed, Lyft’s CEO Logan Green tweeted that the company was donating $1m to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).  Starbucks CEO wrote an open letter to staff committing to hiring 10,000 refugees and Airbnb’s Brian Chesky tweeted that it was providing free accommodation to anyone not allowed in the US.

Companies that used to use fluff are now getting serious.  Not only are they able to get a political agenda across, but they sell more tickets (or whatever it is they're trying to sell).

In 2010, Pepsi launched the Pepsi Refresh Initiative – $20m worth of grants awarded to individuals and non-profits for ideas with a positive impact on their community.  They ran the program instead of a Superbowl ad, though the charity may have come before its time.  Pepsi sales sunk as a result of the campaign (and the excessive sugar in the drink).

Companies of all sorts continue to catch on and step into the new world, where your actions have immediate and direct impact on those around you in a big way.  Charities have immediate response from consumers and it's become plain as day.