'A high-stakes game of chicken': Corporations warned to keep their distance from Trump

Corporations believing boycotts related to bowing down to Donald Trump's demands are being advised that the damage to their brands could linger longer than was once believed.

The president's war on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has been embraced by companies including Target, Pepsi, Amazon and McDonalds which have rolled back their own programs and subsequently have led to public fury and then boycotts for abandoning their principles.

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According to an exclusive report from the Guardian, there are strong indications that the boycotts are not a temporary thing and will continue to afflict the compliant companies.

As the Guardian's Lauren Aratani wrote, "One in five Americans plan to turn their backs for good on companies that have shifted their policies to align with Donald Trump’s agenda, according to a new poll for the Guardian."

The report notes the Harris poll provides indications the anti-Trump backlash could endure longer than previously predicted.

According to Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at the Harris Poll, "Companies and consumers are playing a high-stakes game of chicken – corporations betting on convenience winning out over conviction, while consumers wield their spending power like a weapon,” adding, "The data suggests this is a miscalculation. When 20% of Americans are permanently changing their consumption habits and nearly a third of boycotters say they’ll hold out indefinitely, convenience may no longer be the decisive factor companies think it is.”

Results of the polling also provide a warning sign to companies who have tied themselves too closely to the divisive Trump.

"When given a list of reasons why they are boycotting, Americans said the top reason was they want to show companies that consumers have economic power and influence (53%) and express their dissatisfaction with current government policies (49%)," the Guardian's Aratani wrote.

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