Brands navigate political tightrope amidst heightened culture war risks

In the midst of escalating culture wars, brands seem more careful than ever to avoid political pitfalls and anything that could be considered a PR crisis. But it’s a monumental task: The lines are increasingly blurring between culture and politics.

Marketing messages are taking longer to craft as they wait for approval from corporate comms teams. And allowlists and blocklists — including some to avoid raising ire from the Trump administration — are getting longer and campaigns are taking a “softer” approach, according to two brand strategists Digiday spoke with for this story.

“The way I see it is: The one who talks first loses at this point,” said Rachael Kay Albers, creative director and brand strategist at RKA Ink, a branding and marketing agency. “Nobody wants to draw attention to themselves.” And perhaps for good reason.

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