Go Woke, Go Broke? Millennials Say It's True
Millennials are most likely among U.S. adults to support the expression "go woke, go broke," an exclusive poll for Newsweek has found, despite wokeness typically being associated with their own age group.
A survey conducted on May 17 by Redfield & Wilton Strategies of 1,500 American adults found that among those who had heard of the phrase, 63 percent supported the sentiment. However, than number was higher among those aged 25-34 and 35-44. Millennials are generally seen as now being between about 27 and 42 years old.
The term 'woke' is a colloquialism that has emerged in recent years. Its definition is to be "aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
The phrase "go woke, go broke" has gained popularity in recent months as a slogan levelled at companies accused of burnishing their progressive credentials, usually with marketing ploys that seek to appeal to marginalized communities or portray inclusive values.
The results of the poll run counter to the popular narrative that millennials are the most socially conscious group of individuals who care more about social justice issues.
A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found millennials were the most positive about the prospect of majority black and minority ethnic population in the future, while young adults were found in 2022 to be more likely to say society had not gone far enough in accepting transgender people.
The poll for Newsweek found that of those who were aware of the phrase "go woke, go broke," 72 percent of 25-34-year-olds and 70 percent of 35-44-year-olds agreed with the sentiment it expressed.
By comparison, just 51 percent of those aged 45-54 supported the statement, 63 percent of those 55-64, and 57 percent of those aged 65 or over. Sixty-one percent of 18-24s agreed with the sentiment.
The phrase has become a battle cry of those outraged at recent advertising moves by companies including Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Miller Lite.
Perhaps the most prominent recent example is that of Bud Light, which faced calls for a boycott over a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Since it came to light that the beer brand had sent the TikTok star a commemorative can to celebrate her first year of transitioning to a woman, it has seen rapidly declining sales, while the controversy has also impacted sales of parent company Anheuser-Busch's other beer brands.
Those who have pushed for a boycott on social media celebrated this—along with a recent dip in Anheuser-Busch's stock value—as a sign of truth to the statement that companies which "go woke" face consumers deserting them, knocking revenue.
Michel Doukeris, global CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev, told investors on May 4 that the declining Bud Light sales represented about 1 percent of the company's global volume. Financial analysts have argued that the beer brand represented "a drop in the bucket" when it came to the brewer's revenue, and there are differing opinions on the cause of the drop in stock price.
The outrage at such brands has been seen by some as a reaction by a minority of conservatives—though the decline in Bud Light sales suggests, in that particular case, the boycott has notable support. This view may in part be because prominent conservatives on social media have been the most vocal in calling out brands.
Kelly O'Keefe, founding partner of Brand Federation, previously told Newsweek that it was "really a minority on the right" that was "concerned about even the term 'woke'."
"They've essentially weaponized the term 'woke'—which has a dictionary definition that almost no one could disagree with: standing up for those who have been misrepresented, poorly represented etc.," he added.
But Newsweek's poll suggests resistance to the rise of wokeness is not just a preserve of conservatives anymore.
A majority of both those who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 and those who voted for Joe Biden agreed with the sentiment of "go woke, go broke," it found, with 71 percent of Trump supporters agreeing and 62 percent of Biden supporters.
