Sponsors Navigate Thorny Politics of Sochi as LGBT Protests Grow

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By T.L. Stanley2014-01-31 20:47:10 UTC

Global blue-chip brands like Coca-Cola, Visa, McDonald’s and Samsung have ponied up hundreds of millions of dollars to bask in the glory of the Olympics, second only to the Super Bowl in winter big-tent sporting events.

What they probably didn’t count on was the mobilization, quickly gaining ground, of consumers protesting their involvement in the upcoming Games in Sochi because of Russia’s anti-gay crackdown.

See also: 'You Are Beautiful': The Campaign to Empower Russia's Gay Youth

Olympic sponsorships are multi-year, multi-event and multi-faceted. In return for hundreds of millions of dollars, companies get rights to the very carefully guarded Olympics trademarks, including the five-ring logo, as well as exclusivity in their categories — all on a global platform. It's one of the few sports events of its size and scope, making it incredibly desirable for a sponsor.

But consumers, rallied by a few key U.S.-based gay rights groups, have started co-opting sponsors' own Olympics-themed Twitter feeds with biting protest messages. Dan Savage, an outspoken gay activist picked up the trend in a recent tweet:

Previously, consumers and activists flooded Coca-Cola’s top executive with a half-million e-mails carrying a “don’t sponsor hate” message. Nearly a million people collectively have signed online petitions demanding that sponsors take a public stand against Russia’s ban on gay “propaganda.”

A campaign dubbed Principle 6, touting the Olympic charter’s anti-discrimination policy and calling for repeal of Russia’s anti-gay legislation, racked up an estimated 1.5 million impressions across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in a recent two-week period, according to All Out, one of the protest's organizers.

Activists have launched multiple online and on-the-ground protests over the past six months, targeting sponsors’ corporate headquarters and high-traffic spots like Times Square in New York (for a stunt that dumped Coke into the sewers). Another protest, which could garner widespread media coverage, is scheduled for Feb. 5, two days before the Games begin.

Gay rights groups now intend to push further into social media in the weeks ahead to step up the heat on Olympic sponsors and push Principle 6, which includes a bright-red merchandise line from American Apparel selling worldwide.

Protest organizers Athlete Ally and All Out have lauded Coca-Cola and other sponsors’ track records at home on LGBT issues but said the brands are lacking that kind of backbone in sponsoring these Olympics.

“How can they have one set of values in one part of the world and a completely different set in another?” said Andre Banks, executive director and co-founder of All Out. “It’s dangerous for their brands and their authenticity, and people will see the hypocrisy and hold them accountable.”

McDonald’s released a statement bolstering its inclusionary policies, saying, “There’s no room for discrimination under the Golden Arches.” The company also said the Games should be “open to all, free of discrimination, and that applies to spectators, officials, media and athletes,” which has become boilerplate language for Olympic partners like Procter & Gamble, Dow Chemical, Panasonic and others.

Coca-Cola’s statement said it does not “condone human rights abuses, intolerance or discrimination of any kind” and believes the Olympics are a “force for good that unite people through a common interest in sports.”

Sponsors like Visa backed the IOC: “We are engaged with the IOC on this important topic,” Visa said, “and acknowledge its statement that it has received strong written reassurances from the Russian government that everyone will be welcome at the Games in Sochi regardless of their sexual orientation.”

Activists called the statements generic at best, asking for more forceful responses.

“We understand that they’re walking a line, and they don’t want to jeopardize their ability to sponsor future Games,” said Hudson Taylor, executive director and founder of Athlete Ally. “But we’re challenging them to be proactive instead of reactive.”

Sponsors will have another chance to do so during Global Speak Out on Feb. 5, which aims to get more sign-on for Principle 6 from consumers worldwide, Olympians and sponsors. The groups are trying to rally as much support as possible by encouraging consumers to speak out, engaging social media networks, and condemning Russia's anti-gay laws. So far, some 50 current and former Olympians and two dozen professional athletes, like Diana Nyad, Chris Kluwe, Greg Louganis, Andy Roddick, Steve Nash, Jason Collins, are promoting P6.

“The expressions of discontent (from consumers, sports fans and athletes) will only increase before and during the Games,” Banks said. “Sponsors are underestimating the extent to which people will pursue this.”

For those not officially sponsoring the Games, especially gay-friendly brands, there’s a chance to fill the void with pro-civil rights messages.

American Apparel, which will donate proceeds from its P6 line to gay rights groups in Russia, is at the epicenter of that movement. The clothing brand, no stranger to controversy, said it “jumped at the chance” to get involved and show its support for the worldwide LGBT community, according to Iris Alonzo, creative director.

Designer Alexander Wang has created a limited edition P6 beanie selling at Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman and other tony retailers. Both his company and American Apparel are encouraging their consumers to get involved in the P6 campaign, as has politically active brand Lush cosmetics.

Plenty of companies — from JCPenney to Ikea to American Airlines — have featured gay-friendly themes in their mainstream advertising. But playing off a major world event with hot-button gay issues attached may prove difficult, according to Bob Witeck, who consults for Fortune 100 companies on LGBT marketing and communications strategies.

Cutting-edge brands in fashion, entertainment and other consumer goods may use their social media channels to denounce Russia’s anti-gay policies, Witeck said, but might steer away from doing so in traditional channels. And any of those messages would be constrained because of trademark issues in using words like “Olympics,” “Sochi” and “Games.”

“They can’t say they have a stake in the Olympics if they don’t,” Witeck said. “And they won’t want to use this situation to overtly sell their products. It would have to be subtler than that. And if it’s just done as a one-off, it’s not going to be very effective or well received.”

As for more traditional, so-called old-school brands? He doesn’t expect to see them making any anti-Putin statements, online or elsewhere.

And instead of crafting their own stand-alone campaigns, it’s more likely that socially-aware marketers will latch onto Principle 6, he said, which may be able to cut through some of the Olympics-related marketing noise.

“There’s really no roadmap for this, but I think we’ll see some efforts on social media from brands that push the envelope,” he said, “especially those that want to speak to a younger demographic.”

Topics: olympics, sochi