In the wake of Trump's return to power, backed by Elon Musk's techno-libertarian coalition and the residual energy of post-gamergate internet culture, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in the relationship between commerce and culture. This shift demands a careful examination of how brands should navigate an increasingly polarised cultural landscape while maintaining both ethical commitments and commercial viability.
The New Cultural Paradigm
The convergence of Trump's victory and Musk's ascendancy represents more than a mere political realignment—it signals what cultural theorist Mark Fisher might have termed a 'recursive loop' in our cultural operating system. We're witnessing not simply a conservative backlash against progressive values, but rather a fundamental rewiring of how cultural meaning circulates in digital spaces.
Decoding the Digital Right's "Victory"
The triumphalist narrative emerging from certain corners of the internet—that Trump's victory represents a wholesale rejection of "woke" culture—requires careful scrutiny. As cultural theorist Angela Nagle notes in "Kill All Normies," the online right's ability to generate attention often outstrips its actual cultural influence. What we're witnessing isn't necessarily a rightward shift in cultural values, but rather what media scholar Whitney Phillips terms "amplification mechanics" at work.
Consider recent polling data: support for LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality, and gender parity remains strong, particularly among younger demographics. What has shifted is not fundamental values but rather fatigue with progressive neoliberalism—the corporate co-option of social justice language without substantive change.
This distinction is crucial for marketers. The temptation to read Trump's victory as a mandate for cultural conservatism ignores what cultural theorist Lauren Berlant terms "cruel optimism"—the misidentification of symbols of change with change itself. Voters rejecting performative Democratic policies doesn't equate to rejecting authentic diversity and inclusion efforts.
The Musk Effect
Musk's influence extends far beyond his direct political support for Trump. His acquisition and transformation of Twitter serves as a microcosm of broader cultural shifts. The platform's deterioration of content moderation policies and embrace of provocateur politics has created a context collapse on an unprecedented scale. This collapse has profound implications for how brands engage with public discourse.
Consider the recent controversies around X's advertising ecosystem. When major brands like Apple and Disney pulled advertising following Musk's endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories, they weren't simply engaging in risk management—they were participating in what Nancy Baym calls "networked collectivism," where corporate actions become entangled with broader cultural meanings.
The Corporate Return to X: Power, Policy, and Platform Politics
The recent return of major advertisers to Twitter presents a fascinating case study in the new circuits of corporate power. Unlike previous advertising decisions based primarily on audience reach or brand safety, these returns appear motivated by what sociologist Michael Useem terms "the inner circle" dynamics—corporate leaders seeking proximity to political influence through Musk's relationship with Trump.
This creates a complex dynamic for mid-tier marketers. The big players—Apple, Disney, IBM—can justify their X presence through direct policy influence. But for smaller brands, this rationale doesn't hold. They face a decision-making scenario where solutions and problems are mismatched.
The Post-Gamergate Legacy
The lingering influence of Gamergate cannot be overstated. What began as a supposed controversy about "ethics in games journalism" revealed itself as a template for weaponising digital spaces against progressive cultural change. This template has now been refined and scaled up through what media scholar Alice Marwick terms "morally motivated networked harassment."
The entertainment industry finds itself particularly vulnerable to these dynamics. The recent backlash against Activision-Blizzard's diversity initiatives, despite their modest scope, demonstrates how quickly corporate DEI efforts can become lightning rods for organised opposition.
Historical Parallels and Contemporary Implications
The current moment bears striking similarities to previous periods of cultural retrenchment, but with crucial differences. Unlike the culture wars of the 1980s and 1990s, today's conflicts play out in real-time across digital platforms, with brands forced to navigate what media scholar Tarleton Gillespie calls "algorithmic publics."
The Dolce & Gabbana Lesson
The 2018 Dolce & Gabbana controversy in China provides a crucial case study. The brand's racist advertising campaign and subsequent mishandling of the backlash resulted in a near-complete market exodus from China. However, the speed and totality of the brand's cancellation was uniquely enabled by digital platforms—particularly Weibo and WeChat.
Today's brands face similar risks but in an even more complex environment. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has demonstrated how quickly cultural tensions can spiral into commercial consequences, with brands like McDonald's facing boycotts based on franchisee actions in distant markets.
The Gaming Industry at a Crossroads
The gaming industry serves as a particularly telling barometer of these cultural shifts. Having weathered Gamergate, many studios embraced more inclusive development practices and storytelling. Games like "The Last of Us Part II" and "Life is Strange: True Colors" demonstrated both the creative and commercial viability of diverse representation.
However, the current political climate poses new challenges. The recent controversy surrounding Starfield's pronoun options—a relatively minor feature—generated disproportionate backlash, suggesting what cultural theorist Sara Ahmed might call a "hardening" of opposition to even basic inclusive features.
Strategic Implications for Marketers
In this environment, marketers face what appears to be an impossible choice between maintaining ethical commitments and avoiding controversy. However, this framing misunderstands both the nature of the challenge and the available responses.
Beyond Binary Thinking
The key lies in moving beyond what Stuart Hall would term "encoding/decoding" models of cultural communication. Brands need not choose between full-throated activism and complete cultural retreat. Instead, they must develop what anthropologist Anna Tsing calls "friction"—productive tension between different cultural forces.
The Role of Platform Dynamics
Understanding platform dynamics becomes crucial. Each digital space has what science and technology scholar Tarleton Gillespie calls its "platform vernacular"—specific ways that meaning circulates and transforms. Brands must calibrate their presence accordingly, recognising that the same message may require different articulation across different spaces.
Navigating Platform Politics
For mid-tier marketers, the key lies in what media scholar José van Dijck calls "platform-specific governance." Rather than following the major players back to X, consider:
Alternative Influence Networks
Build relationships with mid-tier influencers across multiple platforms
Focus on engagement quality over raw reach
Develop platform-specific content strategies
Value-Based Platform Selection
Align platform presence with authentic brand values
Consider emerging platforms with stronger moderation policies
Invest in owned media channels
The Authenticity Imperative
The current moment calls for what cultural theorist Sarah Banet-Weiser terms "authentic brand politics." This means:
Moving Beyond Performative Allyship
Replace symbolic gestures with substantive action
Focus on long-term community building
Invest in structural change over social media signals
Developing Resilient Value Propositions
Build diversity and inclusion into core business practices
Create measurable accountability mechanisms
Maintain consistent values across market cycles
Strategic Platform Engagement
Evaluate platform presence based on values alignment
Develop clear criteria for platform exit and re-entry
Build direct community relationships independent of major platforms
Practical Recommendations
Adopt Platform-Specific Cultural Intelligence
Maintain dedicated monitoring of platform-specific discourse patterns
Develop vernacular-appropriate response protocols
Build relationships with community moderators and influencers
Embrace Strategic Ambiguity
Move away from binary positioning on cultural issues
Develop layered messaging that maintains core values while minimising attack surfaces
Focus on action over declaration
Invest in Community Resilience
Build strong relationships with core community members
Develop crisis response protocols that prioritise community stability
Create safe spaces for meaningful dialogue
Rethink Representation Strategies
Move beyond tokenistic diversity towards structural inclusion
Focus on authentic storytelling over demographic checkboxes
Invest in diverse creative teams rather than just diverse characters
Develop Cultural Risk Intelligence
Map potential controversy vectors
Monitor emerging cultural flashpoints
Build early warning systems for cultural shifts
Reform Internal Processes
Create robust approval processes for culturally sensitive content
Establish clear escalation protocols
Invest in cultural competency training
Maintain Long-term Perspective
Resist reactive policy changes
Document and learn from controversies
Build institutional memory around cultural navigation
The Path Forward
The era of better representation isn't dead—it's entering a more complex phase. Rather than retreat from inclusive practices, brands must develop more sophisticated approaches to cultural navigation. This requires us to better understand how meaning operates in specific contexts and communities.
For the Gaming Industry
Game developers and publishers should:
Focus on organic diversity in storytelling
Build robust community management systems
Invest in diverse development teams
Create clear policies around harassment and abuse
Maintain transparency around inclusion efforts
For Entertainment More Broadly
The broader entertainment industry must:
Develop nuanced approaches to representation
Build strong relationships with diverse creative communities
Create support systems for targeted creators
Invest in long-term cultural change
Maintain commitment to inclusive storytelling
Conclusion
The current moment presents significant challenges for brands committed to inclusive practices. However, it also offers opportunities to develop more sophisticated and resilient approaches to cultural navigation. Success will require moving beyond simple binaries of activism versus neutrality towards what cultural theorist Homi Bhabha calls "third spaces"—areas where different cultural forces can productively interact.
The key lies not in retreating from commitment to better representation but in developing more nuanced and strategic approaches to achieving it. This means understanding platform dynamics, building community resilience, and maintaining long-term perspective even in the face of short-term pressures.
For marketers, the path forward involves neither capitulation to reactionary forces nor blind adherence to simplistic progressive narratives. Instead, it requires developing what anthropologist Anna Tsing calls "arts of noticing"—careful attention to how meaning circulates and transforms in digital spaces.
The brands that will thrive in this new environment will be those that can maintain their ethical commitments while developing more sophisticated approaches to cultural navigation. This isn't just about survival—it's about helping to shape a digital culture that remains open to difference and committed to positive change, even in challenging times.
