A woke brand? An analysis of Nike and the limits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the fashion-industrial complex

Bibliographic Data

ID21875256
AuthorsSha’Mira Covington (0000-0002-8581-8842, University of Georgia), Katalin Medvedev (0000-0003-1814-8233, University of Georgia)
Year2024
Publication date2024-05-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueFashion Style & Popular Culture (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2050-0726 • E-ISSN: 2050-0734
PublisherIntellect (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1386/fspc_00256_1
OpenAlexW4396675769
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited15

In an era marked by heightened social consciousness and impacted by Black Lives Matter (BLM), fashion brands worldwide endeavour to position themselves as socially responsible. This study scrutinizes Nike, a global leader in the fashion-industrial complex, and its ‘woke’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. By conducting a detailed case study of Nike’s ‘woke’ CSR initiatives and analysing social media user comments, the research seeks to unveil the tensions and constraints of ‘woke’ CSR. The study investigates the social media discourse surrounding Nike’s image, focusing on racial consciousness and concludes that the brand’s ‘woke’ CSR initiatives are not transformative; they merely perform wokeness. The analysis uncovered three common themes in the social media data: (1) the commodification of BLM, (2) commodity activism and (3) woke-washing. By examining the limits of Nike’s ‘woke’ CSR practices within the fashion-industrial complex, this study provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for brands seeking to meet socially conscious consumers’ evolving expectations

Advertising · Business · Clothing · Corporate social responsibility · Fashion industry · Nike · Political science · Public relations · Social responsibility · Corporate Identity and Reputation · Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting · Environmental Sustainability in Business · Law

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