Conservatives Are Spending Millions To Build A ‘Parallel Economy’ Of Anti-Woke Businesses

Topline

Some investors and conservative media personalities are investing millions to build what they’re calling a “parallel economy,” or a “patriot economy,” creating alternate media and entertainment enterprises and other businesses that cater to conservative audiences in an effort to fight “woke” companies.

Key Facts

News Peg

Malik’s investment in Carlson’s media company was the first investment made by 1789 Capital, which reportedly aims to help get Last Country off the ground so it can continue to raise the hundreds of millions it is aiming for. Carlson’s media company is reportedly expected to be video-focused and will offer subscription-based content. Malik has previously backed Carlson’s ventures, including an investment in conservative media company The Daily Caller, which Carlson co-founded in 2010.

Surprising Fact

One of the first film projects announced by Bentkey is a live-action adaptation of Snow White, intended to compete with Disney’s own upcoming Snow White remake and set for release in 2024. Disney’s film and its star, Rachel Zegler, have for months been the target of right-wing critics who allege it will be “woke.” Zegler has attracted some criticism for stating the film will be modernized and embrace feminist themes: “It’s no longer 1937 . . . She’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be,” Zegler said in an interview. The film has also been criticized for casting a diverse set of actors—including just one with dwarfism—to play the seven dwarves, and some conservatives criticized Disney for casting Zegler, a Hispanic actress, to play the titular character who is white in the original movie. In an announcement of Bentkey’s Snow White, Boering said Disney’s remake is evidence the company has “abandoned” Walt Disney’s legacy and “will expose children to the popular but destructive lies of the current moment.”

Tangent

Many smaller businesses have been founded to offer an alternative to “woke” companies, often finding audiences through a presence on PublicSq.—which it says hosts more than 55,000 “pro-life, pro-family, and pro-America businesses”—or advertising on platforms like Rumble. Seth Weathers founded Ultra Right Beer in April in response to the conservative boycott against Bud Light—it’s set to hit shelves in stores in the South, and Weathers said he sold $500,000 worth of cans in 12 hours by using an image of Donald Trump’s mugshot on the can. Black Rifle Coffee, which reportedly advertises on Rumble, sells coffee marketed toward Second Amendment supporters, like “AK-47 Espresso Blend” and “Silencer Smooth Coffee Roast.” Pet supply company Tiny Dog, which markets its products on PublicSq., was founded by Kevin and Myra Jones, who told the New York Times they wanted to advertise their business toward people who shared their values.

Crucial Quote

“As more and more competition comes in and gets fiercer and fiercer in this world where [we have] what we as marketers refer to as the attentional deficit economy, it’s hard to stand out. One way brands, products, services, organizations now stand out is to build a little bit of this ideological DNA into their argument for why you should become one of their customers,” University of Pennsylvania marketing professor Americus Reed told The Hill.

Key Background

Conservative protests of “woke” companies intensified earlier this year, targeting brands that voiced commitments to the LGBTQ community (many of which occurred during Pride month), diversity, equity and inclusion or feminist causes. The boycott against Bud Light, which started in April after it participated in a brief marketing campaign with transgender social media star Dylan Mulvaney, has continued for months and caused the company to slip from its position as the most popular beer in the United States in 2023. Other companies, like Target, Kohl’s and sports leagues including Major League Baseball and NASCAR, came under fire in June for social media posts and merchandise that celebrated Pride month. Chick-fil-A and Cracker Barrel both attracted online criticism for making commitments to DEI in June, and a resurfaced Miller Lite commercial for Women’s History Month was slammed by commentators including Joe Rogan and Ben Shapiro in May.

Further Reading

Conservative Brands—Including Beer, Chocolate, Razors And More—Are Trying To Profit On Anti-‘Woke’ Backlash (Forbes)

Conservatives Aren’t Just Boycotting Bud Light. They’re Trying to Build a Parallel Economy (TIME)

Diverse ‘Snow White’ Remake Is Latest Film To Anger Anti-‘Woke’ Crowd (Forbes)