Brands Are Taking a Stand Against President Trump's Immigration Ban

Leaders of major brands like Nike, Starbucks and Kickstarter, among others, have released statements opposing President Donald Trump's executive order, which temporarily bars people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. After the executive order was signed on Friday, individuals across the nation were detained by Customs and Borders Protection officers. Some of the detainees were put on planes and sent out of the country, while others were detained for hours, and some are still waiting to be released, as implementation of the order caused chaos. After the news broke, thousands protested the order, heading to airports like New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and Boston's Logan Airport. On Saturday evening, a federal judge in New York blocked part of the order, ruling that individuals already in the U.S. from the seven Muslim-majority countries could not be removed. On Sunday, Starbucks's CEO Howard Schultz announced the company's commitment to hire 10,000 refugees. "We are living in an unprecedented time, one in which we are witness to the conscience of our country, and the promise of the American Dream, being called into question," wrote Schultz. "These uncertain times call for different measures and communication tools than we have used in the past." He added: "There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognized as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. And we will start this effort here in the U.S. by making the initial focus of our hiring efforts on those individuals who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel in the various countries where our military has asked for such support." Backlash for Starbucks's support of refugees has already led to an online campaign against the brand. Meanwhile, on Sunday Nike CEO Mark Parker sent a memo to employees condemning the order, writing that the company "celebrates diversity" and that, under the order, the company's "values are being threatened." [kickout id="1"] "This is a policy we don't support," wrote Parker. "Nike stands together against bigotry and any form of discrimination. ... Now, more than ever, let's stand up for our values and remain open and inclusive as a brand and as a company. We are at our best when we recognize the value of our diverse community." Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein also sent an internal memo to employees, according to the Wall Street Journal, writing, "This is not a policy we support." Another major bank CEO, Morgan Stanley's James Gorman, wrote to employees that the bank "value[s] the contribution of all our employees from all over the world" and that, "continuing to draw talent from across the globe is a key element of Morgan Stanley’s culture." Ford Motor Company chairman Bill Ford Jr. and CEO Mark Fields told Reuters that, "We do not support this policy or any other that goes against our values as a company." Allergan chairman and CEO Brent Saunders tweeted on Sunday morning that, "[Allergan] is strong and bold [because] of diversity. Oppose any policy that puts limitations on our ability to attract the best [and] diverse talent." Kickstarter's co-founder and CEO Yancey Strickler also tweeted on Sunday morning that, "Kickstarter opposes the #MuslimBan. We stand for inclusion, diversity, and our common humanity. #NoBan" Apple's CEO Tim Cook sent the company's employees an email, writing that, "I’ve heard from many of you who are deeply concerned about the executive order issued yesterday restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. I share your concerns. It is not a policy we support." Many other tech leaders, like Lyft and Airbnb, as well as Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, spoke out this weekend against Trump's executive order. Lyft competitor Uber, on the other hand, has faced criticism with many tweeting this weekend to #DeleteUber after it seemed like the company may have been breaking a taxi strike. Now, according to Tech Crunch, Lyft has become part of the App Store's top 10 downloads.

Brand Marketing

Brands Are Taking a Stand Against President Trump's Immigration Ban

Including Nike, Starbucks and Kickstarter

Kristina Monllos

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Kristina Monllos