Pecking into Popular Culture

Yes! Yes, we do have the power to control corporations. Nike’s sweatshop controversy is the perfect example of this. Graham Knight and Josh Greenberg’s article, Promotionalism and Subpolitics goes into great detail to explain why and how Nike was under so much pressure by the public to adjust the working conditions of its contract factories.

Knight and Greenberg state that “Nike is the principal target of antisweatshop activism because of its symbolic as well as economic prominence”. Consumers view Nike as a company which creates quality products and is built on positive social values such as athleticism and fitness, social and environmental responsibility, and patriotism. The consumers become deeply emotionally involved with this brand and therefore, have expectations for the company ethics and its social responsibility.

Because Nike is, as Knight and Greenberg state, a “buyer-driven commodity chain,” they are “dependent on publicity” as well as, “vulnerable to counter publicity”. Therefore, Nike needs the public to continue viewing them as a company which creates quality products and is built on positive social values, in order for the company to be successful.

When it was brought to the attention of the public that the conditions of Nike’s contract factories were below par, Nike was bombarded with negative attention and forced to improve their working conditions.

The consumers have the power to make Nike improve the working conditions of their factories because corporations like Nike need to be in the public eye to be successful and when in the public eye they must work by certain standards, which the consumers set, in order to maintain a positive image and continue to be profitable.