Top 10 Things People Boycotted For Stupid Reasons
Not all boycotts are created equal! In this episode of WatchMojo, Rebecca Brayton discusses the top 10 most ridiculous reasons people boycotted stuff. Boycotting Starbucks for not having holiday-themed cups and refusing to buy Ben and Jerry's ice cream because of the company's support of the Black Lives Matter movement are only a small fraction of these examples. Watch this video to find out more!
10. Because santa was too scary
9. Because Stephen King criticized the president
8. Because Mila Kunis Pranked Mike Pence…
7. Because “This Is Us” Killed Off a Fictional Character
6. Because Colin Kaepernick Kneeled During the Anthem
5. Because They Didn't (& Then Did) Drop Ivanka's Clothing Line
4. Because Franchises Changed the Sex or Race of Characters
3,2,1???
#boycott #boycotting #getagrip
#10: Because Santa Was Too Scary
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“Silent Night, Deadly Night” (1984) While holiday themed slashers are fairly common now, when this movie came out there were quite a few people protesting the idea of a scary St. Nick. After all, the jolly old man in red is reserved for children who dream of presents on Christmas morning, right? Well, apparently that’s what a lot of people thought, so the movie was quickly pulled from theatres. However, it was then re-released by another distributor, who actually featured the controversy in their ad campaign. Given all the sequels and the other Kris Kringle horror movies around these days, it must have done the trick.
#9: Because Stephen King Criticized the President
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“It” (2017) In the U.S., freedom of speech is protected by the Constitution... but no amendment exists to protect those who exercise their right to free speech from backlash. Horror master Stephen King has been vocal about his dislike of the 45th president on Twitter, nicknaming President Donald Trump “Blabbermouth Don,” and describing him as “narcissistic” and “mean-spirited.” So when the most recent adaptation of King’s novel “It” was released in theatres, Trump supporters called for a boycott of the movie... or at least of opening weekend because hey, it was a REALLY good movie. Did the plan work? Well, “It” became the highest-grossing horror film of all time. So… not really, no.
#8: Because Mila Kunis Pranked Mike Pence… Sorta
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Jim Beam In 2017, Mila Kunis started sending monthly donations to Planned Parenthood under the name Mike Pence, as her own little protest against the vice president's stance on abortion. In retaliation, Pence supporters and pro-life advocates took to Twitter to call for a boycott of Jim Beam since Kunis was the bourbon brand’s spokesperson at the time. That campaign worked about as well as the one against Ben and Jerry’s in 2016, when the ice cream company expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement. In other words, people kept right on drinking bourbon and eating ice cream.
#7: Because “This Is Us” Killed Off a Fictional Character
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Crockpot 2018 The love fans have for their favorite fictional characters can get pretty intense. Case in point: when a pivotal story arc in the show “This Is Us” involved the death of a character due to a malfunctioning crock-pot, devoted fans decided to post in droves on social media about how they were ditching the popular slow cooker. While we can understand the passion, the crockpots had already been purchased - meaning the company had already profited - and it was the writers not crockpots, who killed off the character... But, all press is good press, and the Crock-Pot brand capitalized on the buzz by starting a Twitter account, with the appropriate handle @CrockPotCares.
#6: Because Colin Kaepernick Kneeled During the Anthem GQ & Nike
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Colin Kaepernick is a household name both for his NFL career and protests against racial injustice. In 2016, Kaepernick began kneeling during the American national anthem at games to protest police brutality against people of color, igniting a firestorm of controversy. Some saw this as unpatriotic regardless of his cause, and so, when he appeared on the cover of GQ as their “Citizen of the Year,” some Twitter users called for a boycott of the magazine. The debate only became more heated when Nike featured Kaepernick in their ad campaign - resulting in another boycott, and videos of angry protesters cutting up socks and burning running shoes.
#5: Because They Didn’t (& Then Did) Drop Ivanka’s Clothing Line Nordstrom
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Love him or hate him, Donald Trump and his presidency marked a divisive time in U.S. politics. In 2016, his notorious Access Hollywood Tape inspired marketing strategist Shannon Coulter to start the GrabYourWallet campaign, which pushed for a boycott on all businesses connected to the Trump family - including Nordstrom, which carried Ivanka Trump’s clothing line. When Nordstrom later dropped the line due to poor sales, they faced a boycott anyway - from the other side of the political divide. Even the President came out swinging against the company on Twitter. Geez, you’re damned if you do...
#4: Because Franchises Changed the Sex or Race of Characters “Ghostbusters,” “FANT4STIC” & “Spiderman: Homecoming”
Ever wondered how to make legions of fans rage quit with one move? Try recasting their favorite movies with all women, or even just swapping out a character’s race. That’s what famously happened when an all-female Ghostbusters reboot was announced, with its trailer becoming the most “disliked” video in YouTube history. The year before, “FANT4STIC” also faced a backlash for casting black actor Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm; a hullabaloo repeated when biracial actress Zendaya was cast as MJ in “Spiderman: Homecoming.” Can’t we just dislike the Ghostbusters reboot because it… wasn’t… that… funny?
#3: Because They Pulled Their Ads from “Hannity” Keurig
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Looks like boycotters really like destroying things they already own. In 2017, Keurig pulled their ads from “The Sean Hannity Show” after Hannity defended Senate candidate Roy Moore, who’d been accused of sexual misconduct against underage girls. In due course, Hannity fans called for a boycott, and filmed themselves unleashing great vengeance and furious anger on... Keurig coffee pod machines. Sensing trouble brewing, Russian Twitter Bots jumped in on the action, tweeting hashtags like BoycottKeurig and #istandwithhannity. The protestors, both real and automated, certainly made their point . . . but only by destroying things they'd already paid for.
#2: Because Holiday Cups Didn’t Have Christmas Decorations Starbucks
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Holiday-themed products are a staple of company marketing campaigns, and Starbucks is no different. In the past, the holiday cups had featured festive decorations, snow scenes, or just simple snowflakes. But when they released plain red cups for the 2015 holiday season, accusations that the company was anti-Christmas set the internet ablaze. Evangelist Joshua Feuerstein called for a boycott, an idea also suggested by Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, who decried Starbucks’ so-called “war on Christmas.” The holiday cup controversy would return with a vengeance in 2017, when conservative news outlets denounced Starbucks’ “gay agenda” in response to a drawing of interlocked hands.
#1: Because… Obama?
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Netflix Streaming giant Netflix has faced its fair share of controversies. However, it’s their perceived “liberal bias” that’s unleashed the most rage. In 2017, the trailer for the satirical series “Dear White People” prompted calls for a boycott, with some claiming that it promoted “white genocide.” But it was Netflix’s 2018 deal with the Obamas to produce new shows that really sparked a firestorm. After the former President announced his hope to “promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples” from “all walks of life,” the BoycottNetflix hashtags were pretty much immediate. THANKS, Obama. Now you’ve even ruined Netflix and CHILL!
