Go woke, go broke

Go woke, go broke, or alternatively get woke, go broke, is an American political catchphrase used by right-wing groups to criticize and boycott businesses publicly supporting progressive policies, including empowering women, LGBT people and critical race theory ("going woke"), claiming that stock value and business performance will inevitably suffer ("going broke") as a result of adopting values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Opinions differ on the genuine impact of the phrase.[1][2]

When conservatives boycotted various companies in 2023, such as Bud Light, Target, and The Walt Disney Company, they experienced a loss in sales and stock value drops, while Disney lost subscribers to its streaming platform Disney+. Experts said these losses could not be solely attributed to the boycotts and that they could stem from other causes, such as the companies' responses to the boycotts.[3] Some movies said to be "woke" have gone on to financial success, such as Greta Gerwig's 2023 movie Barbie, while others, such as The Marvels, released to a record low box office for Marvel.[4][5][6][7]

  1. ^ "When brands go woke, do they go broke?". The Chartered Institute of Marketing. February 3, 2020. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  2. ^ Mindel·, Maia (June 21, 2023). "Go Woke, Go Broke?". Liberal Currents. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Conservatives hate woke Barbie, but Greta Gerwig wishes them well". The A.V. Club. July 26, 2023. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  5. ^ Lowry, Brian (July 24, 2023). "Barbie and Oppenheimer seek one shared goal: Making summer audiences think". CNN. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  6. ^ Murray, Conor. "'The Marvels' Faces Anti-'Woke' Backlash After Box Office Flop—Echoing 'Captain Marvel' Attacks". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  7. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 2, 2024). "Disney Detonates Four Bombs In Deadline's 2023 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.