Friday, August 9, 2019

Have you canceled your Soul Cycle membership yet?


Today Stephen Ross is raising millions of dollars to fund Trump's hate mongering.  That doesn't work for me.  Apparently it doesn't work for lots of other people too.  So we are doing the only thing we can do - letting our money speak for us and boycotting all the companies that Stephen Ross is involved with.

In response Ross has said he has been friends with Trump for 40 years.  Not helping.  So then his company - Related Cos. - blocked access online to its list of brands.  How silly.  Here's the list in case you want to join the protest. (Biron, 2019)


Since I don't go Miami Dolphins games or spin at Soul Cycle I will contend myself with deleting Hudson Yards from my Instagram.  Because I refuse to fund hate.  It's really that simple

It's disingenuous of Equinox to suggest that since they don't have anything to do with the event they shouldn't be held responsible.  Unfortunately the money that people pay them is going to support the event.  Do they not get that?  Or do they think that we don't?

Edelman's Earned Brand 2018 report revealed that 64% of consumers around the world now buy on belief.  That's an increase of 17% versus the previous year.  Wow.  (2018)

In my last blog, I explained why - the proliferation of similar products has allowed shared values to emerge as a differentiator.


And boycotts do work. 

Last month after eight artists threatened to withdraw from the Whitney Biennial, Warren Kanders - supplier of the tear gas used on migrants at the border protests - stepped down from the board.   (Pogrebin & Harris, 2019)

And, I was delighted to read that fashion designer Prabal Gurung is no longer considering Hudson Yards as a venue for his show. (Fung & Beaton, 2019)

Peaceful protests and boycotts ended the Vietnam War.  Now it's time to use that power to get this country back on the right track.  Stop the hate.  End the violence. 

And, Chrissy Teigen says you can come work out with her. ;-) https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/1159192308077563904


Biron, B. (2019, August 9) 34 companies funded by Stephen Ross, the Equinox and Soul Cycle owner facing controversy due to ties with Trump.  insider.com.  Retrieved August 9, 2019, from

(2018, October 2) Earned Brand 2018. edelman.com.  Retrieved August 8, 2019, from https://www.edelman.com/earned-brand

Pogrebin, R. & Harris, E.Warren (2019, July 25)  Kanders Quits Whitney Board After Tear Gas Protests.  nytimes.com.  Retrieved August 9, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/arts/whitney-warren-kanders-resigns.html

Fung, E. & Beaton, A. (2019, August 8) Stephen Ross's Planned Trump Fundraiser Draws Calls For Boycotts.  wsj.com.  Retrieved August 9, 2019, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/stephen-rosss-planned-trump-fundraiser-draws-calls-for-boycotts-11565221093

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