Goya Food Fight

I read this article on the BUYCOTT of Goya Foods after the CEO, Robert Unanue, praised President Trump’s leadership at the White House Rose Garden last week. Goya Foods is a staple of many households around the world and a leading Hispanic food retailer. In research I was involved with about two years ago, buycotts were predicted as potentially overtaking BOYcotts where people intentionally do not buy products that are made by companies who take a sociopolitical stand that they disagree with. The research found that eight in 10 consumer activists in the US and UK (83%) agreed it was more important than ever to support companies that do the right thing by buycotting. Fewer (59%) said it was more important than ever to participate in boycotts. No matter whether you are buycotting or boycotting, the thought of it strikes terror in a brand or company’s reputation.

After the CEO’s statements, a boycott (#GOYABOYCOTT, #GOYAWAY) against GOYA Foods ensued followed by a counter-boycott (the buycott). What is unusual is that this pro-Goya buycott falls more on the right side of the political spectrum than the left. A buycott initiated by the right does not happen as often as one started by the political left and with such fanfare and coverage. In fact, Ivanka Trump just jumped into the media storm and political morass with her tweet promoting Goya Foods (“If it’s good, it has to be Goya.”) This full throated endorsement from the President’s daughter seems quite unusual considering that it could be a violation of the federal ethics guidelines.

Whatever side people are on, the Goya boycott and buycott hold the potential to have staying power. I would not be surprised if it found itself in political ads or in the debates in the fall. There are several ingredients that make me think this way:

• There are passionate consumers on both sides

• Is easy to join since so much is bought online today in the COVID era, especially beans! (armchair-activism makes it easier than usual)

• Is easy to understand the issue quickly (this is not complex)

• Goya is a well-known brand

• Celebrities are involved, namely the president and his daughter and others on the opposite side (AOC)

• Mass media is covering the boycott/buycott and social media is enraged

Brayden King, professor at Kellogg’s School of Management at Northwestern University, found that companies with weak reputations are susceptible to boycotts. Goya Foods has a strong reputation to start with so I presume that will hold it in good stead, regardless of politics. King’s research also found that boycotts primarily do harm by impacting reputation. That remains to be seen but my sense is that there will be a dent but possibly for not too long. But I could be wrong.

Ultimately the bottom line is that negative publicity is bad on any count.