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Cristel Russell Reminds Audiences to Be Savvy When it Comes to Corporate "Purpose-Washing"


Dr. Cristel Russell profileIn the world of advertising, companies often make claims to appeal to their customer base, including messaging around the types of causes they support and imagery associated with these claims. However, a new piece by Cristel Russell, professor of marketing at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, for Psychology Today warns consumers not to take claims of “woke-ness” at face value.

“To be fair, companies usually mean well,” says Russell in the op-ed. “They may genuinely care about the environment, diversity, or a number of other worthy causes…but in the end, they also care about selling products and services. Consumers, therefore, need to be discerning when it comes to deciding whether to make a purchase based on advertising language and understand that companies may have ulterior motives for claiming to care for a specific cause.”

The full op-ed is available here.