Fed Up Energy League - Boycotts don't work?

Are Boycotts seriously a threat to Companies?

D. Kirk Davidson is an assistant professor of marketing in the Dept. of Business and Economics, Mount Saint Mary's College, Emmitsburg, Maryland and is also a major business consultant and writer.

In one of his published articles "ten tips for target boycott companies" two of the tips include:

1) "DON'T ignore any boycott threat. No matter how small the group, no matter how seemingly insignificant the issue, don't assume your company is immune from harm. It is true that many boycott organizations disappear from sight rather quickly, and the short-lived threat they posed becomes a bad dream. It is also true, however, that boycotts can take on the aspects of a cancerous growth in the body. They can be snuffed out temporarily and go into remission, only to reappear perhaps in another part of the country or affecting another market."

2) "DON'T be afraid to admit to making a mistake. Sometimes a boycott will be threatened or called because of actions taken by a company, and the firm realizes subsequently that those actions were in fact a mistake. Then the company is in a bind: Should it stick to its chosen course and appear resolute, or should it switch to a more carefully considered direction and risk appearing weak and uncertain? The best answer for the long run: Switch to the "right" course as early as possible."

From conscientious consuming^{tm 1}:

Why Boycotts Work

The collective actions of consumers have had power and influence over the behavior of companies for many years. By preferring certain products and avoiding others, the choices that consumers make affect the actions of companies.

In recent years, consumers are beginning to expect more than just good products from companies. They are expecting companies to be good citizens. Consumers expect the conduct and actions of companies to reflect the behavioral norms shared by the majority of consumers.

When a company's conduct and actions are unacceptable to consumers, conscientious consumers can use their influence as consumers to change the company's behavior.

The bottom line is that companies survive on consumer dollars. The power consumers have is their dollars and the influence they exert comes from their consumer choices. If a company realizes that their conduct or actions are costing them dollars in sales or profits, they will change them.

Consumers can create change if they work together in large numbers

When numerous like-minded conscientious consumers join a cause, work together and convince others, companies can be forced to change their behavior. When united, thousands of personal boycotts have the power of an organized boycott. And organized boycotts have changed the conduct and actions of companies.

When companies are confronted with the negative publicity and lost sales created by large numbers of personal boycotts, they will be highly motivated to change their actions.

Conscientious consuming^tm: is a web site resource for people who believe in conscientious consuming—whatever their conscience.

National Boycott News, a Seattle publication that tracks

worldwide boycotts and researches the history behind them, notes that "boycotts themselves have changed. They used to take between five to ten years to succeed, but now "many" succeed in two years".

We have been "in business" now for just over one year ..... we're about half way there.

Now, can Boycotts be effective? If they're organized and committed ..... YES! So, join us and let's see what happens.

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