Younger generations around the world expect corporations and their brands to behave more
ethically and act as activists. As a result, some brands have begun to take a stand on important
socio-political issues as part of their marketing strategies; a trend of brand activism has
emerged. This gives consumers a new choice: to support or boycott a brand – to support or
boycott a position. In my master's thesis, I examined what younger consumers in Slovenia
expect from corporations and their brands, how they view brand activism, and how they respond
to it. Using semi-structured interviews, I found that they also expect ethical corporate
behaviour, including activism, especially on environmental and social fronts. However, they do
not want brands to take a political stand. They more often perceive brand activism that clashes
with their views, and therefore more often respond to perceived activism with boycott intentions
rather than with purchase intentions. Nonetheless, even when they disagree with a brand’s
stance, they may refrain from boycotting – often due to favorable pricing or lack of alternatives.
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