In this moderated panel session, branding experts Dr. Suneal Bedi (Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics at Indiana University), Dr. Shailendra Jain (Professor of Marketing at University of Washington Seattle) and Dr. Shalini Jain (Associate Professor of Management at University of Washington Tacoma) will discuss the emergence of brand activism, in which firms adopt strong social or political stances. The panel will explore a range of factors—including contextual factors, brand dimensions, and consumer characteristics—that collectively shape whether consumers are likely to support or resist brands’ efforts to “take a stand” on hot-button and divisive issues, especially in an election year.

This event is a collaboration between the Department of Marketing and the Center for Business Ethics at Seattle University's Albers School of Business and Economics.