ed out after learning of Trump’s desire to visit a Pennsylvania restaurant.  “Upon learning of the former President’s request, we approached it through the lens of one of our core values: we open our doors to everyone,” the fast-food chain said in a statement on Monday.  “It’s with that same approach that franchisees have invited Vice President Harris and Governor Walz to their restaurants, in order to share how McDonald’s provides meaningful pathways to economic opportunity and feeds and fosters local communities.” The company clarified the visit was not an endorsement of Trump: “McDonald’s does not endorse candidates for elected office and that remains true in this race for the next President. We are not red or blue – we are golden.” However, for many consumers, McDonald’s actions spoke louder than its words, and calls to boycott the fast-food chain surged on social media earlier this week.  While McDonald’s claims it was trying to remain politically neutral, Megan Paquin, a crisis management and PR expert, noted that brands have felt increasing pressure to take a stand on political and social issues in recent years.  “Consumers often vote with their wallets, so it’s not unusual to see brands become engaged in politics when doing so aligns with their mission, values or sales goals. This is a trend that has developed over the decades,” she told Inside Retail. “Consumers have a lot of choices in today’s market. Brands need to differentiate themselves and connect with consumers to succeed, and speaking out on issues of public concern can be one way to do so.”  How brands like Glossier and Penzeys provide alternative political takes In contrast to McDonald’s, some businesses have explicitly aligned themselves with individual candidates and political parties.  Two prominent examples include the beauty and lifestyle brand Glossier and spice and seasonings retailer Penzeys.  Since the 2016 presidential election, Glossier has consistently come out in support of liberal candidates and more progressive issues such as abortion rights. On October 14, the brand launched a billboard and digital ad campaign that will run through the election, encouraging voter registration in swing states like Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The ads feature the tagline “Vote for You”, a not-so-subtle reference to the beauty brand’s recently expanded fragrance line, You, and a voter registration link.  Shortly after the campaign launch, Glossier announced donations to Ignite National, an organisation focused on training young women to run for public office, and the non-profit organisation Reproductive Freedom for All. Leading up to Election Day, representatives from Ignite will also be visiting Glossier retail stores to help convert shoppers into voters. Meanwhile, Penzeys, an American spice and seasonings retailer with over 50 brick-and-mortar locations across the US, has been much more outspoken about its political views.  The company’s website includes a page titled “About Republicans” that blasts what it calls “the slow decline” of the Republican Party over the last half century and the “nonsense” the party is promoting. “The truth of our time is we’ve arrived at the point where there’s no way to respect the nonsense the Republican Party is promoting and have any hope of overcoming the problems we as a nation and we as a planet face. Given the choice between saving America and planet Earth or saving the feelings of Republican voters, we are choosing to side with saving our country and our world,” the company’s founder Bill Penzey wrote.  This is not the first time Penzeys has waded into politics. In 2019, the spice retailer spent almost $92,000 on Facebook ads supporting the effort to impeach Trump, making the company the second-biggest spender on impeachment-related Facebook ads, behind only Trump and his campaign. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, many conservatives have soured on Penzeys, causing the brand to experience a wave of negative online reviews. By the same token, it has gained support from those who agree with the founder.  After Penzeys hosted Vice President Harris at one of its stores in September, the company reported that while it had lost 3190 subscribers from its email list, it had gained an impressive 7739. How brands should handle an increasingly political market  As many brands have discovered in recent years, “there is no way to please everyone. Even making the choice not to engage in politics is somewhat of a political statement,” Paquin stated. In order to be successful in today’s polarised environment, brands must understand who their target customer is, what their interests are, what motivates them to shop and what they expect from the company to remain loyal.  “For franchise brands like McDonald’s, it’s also important to have a strong relationship with franchisees such that it is clear on what social or political activities are considered appropriate,” Paquin said. “It can be uncomfortable for consumers to not know where a brand stands, and that is really a core aspect of the franchise model’s foundation.”