Let’s Boycott…No, Carrotmob!
When a company does something wrong or something that customers don’t like, people may boycott that company. To boycott is to refuse to buy from and to use products from that company as a way to punish or protest (show disapproval for) what the company is doing. For instance, when gas prices went up quickly and to an unprecedented (never before seen) level, people wanted to boycott buying gasoline. This was not a very effective use of boycotting, unfortunately, but other boycotting efforts have worked to show the public’s disapproval or outrage (strong anger).
I recently read about a new way that activists (people who work to make social or political change) hope to change business behaviors. Instead of punishing companies that are doing things they don’t like, these activists want to reward those companies for good behavior. Instead of boycotts, they create carrotmobs.
The idea of a carrotmob is based on the well-known phrase, “the carrot and the stick.” The idea is to give people both rewards and punishment to bring about (cause) good behavior. This is based on the idea that a horse, or another animal, will work harder or move faster if there is a carrot waiting as a reward; at the same time, there is also a stick ready to strike (hit) the animal as punishment if it doesn’t do what you ask. The carrot is the inducement, the reward, that will result in good behavior. A mob is a large crowd or group of people.
Creating a carrotmob, then, is to get a lot of people to buy from a business or company that a group approves of. The first carrotmob took place in San Francisco, California. An activist contacted 23 convenience stores (small stores that sell soft drinks, candy, lottery tickets, newspapers, etc.) to see which one would spend the most money putting in energy-efficient (energy saving) lights in their store. The activists got the word out (informed a lot of people) about “the winner” and urged people to visit the store on a given (specific) day. That store got hundreds of customers in that one day, and in turn, the store spent 23% of those profits (earnings) on putting in energy-efficient lights.
What do you think of this idea of having carrotmobs instead of boycotts? Do you think carrotmobs would work in making change in your community?
~ Lucy
July 14th, 2009 at 10:34 am
That´s a very difficult question to me as I don´t like boycotts not either “the carrot and the stick”, neither of the two is appropiate in my way of living as both seems that wanted to manipulate people in doing the things a group or assotiations or persons think is the good behaviour or the good reasons of understanding what is
right or what is wrong for them.
I think that “the end doesn´t justify the the means” so may be the end is good but I don´t like the use of the means or the people.
But of course, that´s my point of view.
To me is better trying to be informed and give people information enought to propiciate that persons could take their free decisions about their
behaviour.
This is ideal, I know it, but I have never liked to be manipulate for anybody or any group or assotiation.
I would like to be a free thinker all my life and doing my will good or bad, but with freedoon, not being manipulated or being directed to do this because is the good what is very difficult always.
Here, goverment says “we can´t drive for you”…….but if they could, they do, that´s for sure.
Everything is similar, that´s good, that´s the right way of thinking or doing. No I am very individualist and hope to die being so.
Lucy, you touch a sore point, as ever. I really love you.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Thanks a lot for this very good article ! Here an intersting website about this topic: http://carrotmob.org/
Hermann
July 14th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Well, very interesting article.
Thanks Lucy for keeping us Uptdate with terms and everything that’s going on
in the states .
I think the results of this Carrotmob might be good, ’cause both part end up
being happy, but there are some cases where Boycotts have to be used in order to
see changes in the way some companies manage stuffs. But anyway let the Boycott as
a last resourse.
Jorge Ramirez,
“República Dominicana Presente”
July 14th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
As a citizenship in Iraq think this idea does work, especially after we have alot of business which are affiliated tolarge companies, although the form of the new economic development in Kurdistan does not apply to current social matrix, for instance there is kurdish A and B in terms of people’s enjoyment of their basic economy rights , especially after 2003, there is some initiatives to change this conomic and political form to more fair distribution of national wealth and to exercise accountability upon government to rule according to Law. I hope Kurdistan forthcoming election brings about change in every level in our public life.
IT IS CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN
July 14th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Hi folks,
well, I disagree with Emiliano. he is greatly valuing individualism and liberalism and also freedom of thought and behavior.
that’s good of course, I consider myself a liberal person too. but we cannot totally neglect the society and the need of cooperation between people. sometimes we need to cooperate to make giant companies hear our voice. the problem is most people are busy too much doing their job that cannot directly follows the issues and act on their own. thats where so called “activists” come in. they can devote their time and make plans and inform people about it. people can DECIDE, WITH AN OPEN MIND, to participate or not.
i even say sometimes boycotting is necessary. for example, the recent case of Nokia selling Iran’s government equipments for controlling it’s people talks unlawfully. but the idea of carrotmobs seems more efficient.
July 15th, 2009 at 7:25 am
It´s true Nima, I am an individualist who doubts nearly about everything, and I think also that what you say is right. It should be better to decide
with and open mind to participate or not in that kind of actions, but to do that way you need a very good information, also to be very cold and have a clear idea of what you are doing, and what you think is the right possition to act.
May be it is neccesary beside to be a believer too.
I lack all of these good qualities and also may be I am so sceptic and pessimist about human being that may be I am not a good thinker at all.
So, yes, I agree with your point of view despite it is not mine, why ? I am not a believer.
For instance If I think in doing something against Nokia, I know nothing about what you told me above (thank you), I think also in Nokia´s workers
and what may happen to them if the lost their jobs.
So to me everthing is high complicated and prefer to be as I am with all my uncertain thoughts, doing what I can around me, with the people I know
and knowing they need some help from my part.
Thank you Nima, you are really kind.
July 15th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Hello my dear best instructor, Lucy! I think both techniques are good. they both can be used simultaneously depend on the situation to echo your voice. to flex your muscles. to…That is my 2 cents opinion. Your lovely student. Viet guy in CA
July 15th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
If the activists spill the beans about such misbehaving companies and are wanted to make a difference. However sometimes this kind of activity may result in a reaction by this company due to in most third world a big business backed by high position politician. In this case, it might cause problems for activists, so it is the best of both worlds worlds to find a happy medium in such cases to use carrotmob for making a difference in any given country in the east and southeast Asia especially.
thank you for reading my outstanding comments, actually what i do tend is to set up something like political commentary shows to discuss, hot button- current topic concern people life nowadays, everyday and regularly
July 16th, 2009 at 1:33 am
I´m sorry emiliano, I disagree with you too.
‘the carrot and the stick’ is the human being, almost a rule of nature! you avoid what you dislike and search for what you like. Fortunately humans can evaluate several facts and make complex decisions, but I think that giving people rewards for good behavior is what we do every day, like giving good tips to a good service or buying again in the same shop just because they are very kind..
But in this big society we forget our power as customers. We say: I don´t like this company, (because they pay minimum wages to their employees or because they pollute so much, or whatever) but we do nothing because what difference does that make? I´m only one, better buy from them because they sell cheap or it´s nearby or…
No!! we all have power, we can change things for the better, that´s what I want to think.
Of course I don´t like to be manipulated by others, information is very, very important, of course. As Nima says, it´s your decision to participate or maybe to investigate by yourself before taking part.
I think the best of carrotmods is to join efforts, but, Emiliano, if you are an individualistic person then you can do individual ‘carrotones’
July 16th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Hi! In my country we do not use this saying ” the carrot and the stick ” but it is good .
Unfortunately , I do not know but … it would be necessary double stick not one as we may not do anything we want regarding the planet , the mankind … Our planet is in peril of death !
See the air / water pollution from emission of harmful substances and the greenhouse gases or the waste / rubbish … The deforestation – a real crime for our planet .
The growing concentration of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leads to an increase in average temperature with climatic changes with global impact .
Peter , what will we do with the polar bears ?
I think it is a good idea with the carrotmob. At least we can try . I am sure it deserves .
All the best for you all ,
Tania
July 16th, 2009 at 5:36 am
There is no straight answer to the Question Lucy. I mean there is no definite answer.
Sometimes ,depending on the variables , You need to be more assertive ,and use more drastic measure ,and sometimes ,particularly in domestic ( family) disputes and problems leniency is the ideal approach.
When the society,or in the larger scale the world is facing a public menace the Carrot and stick policy does not get anybody anywhere,and the boycott is clearly the method of choice.For instance, when a country violates an international law embargo ,or sanction will render the positive result. But , in dealing with a playful or even mischievous child a small incentive will definitely cut a deal.
All I am trying to convey here is :the answer to the aforesaid question lies on the magnitude of the issue.
Yours,
July 16th, 2009 at 7:50 am
My dear Lucy! This is really hot topic, you are an expert that know how to stir us up, stimulate our thinking into our egoism. make us think that we’re really smart as foxy lady, I think that ” nhe nhe nhe\ nhe/ nhe nhe\”
will resolve the issue. Your elite army! sour-candy
July 16th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Carrotones? That sounds very good to me, maybe I am that chap as always I have valued the person, no the group. Groups have done so much damage along history in so many ways, but with the best intentions of course, that I don´t want to join any of them.
There is a phrase that says “Hell is full of good intentions” so I prefer to listen to my heart or mind, not to act in a group with good reasons or intentions.
Be well informed? Yes, that sounds quite good but it depends on what newspaper, which radio, which TV station or which group or person you listen to. It´s necessary always to be both sides of the matter which is indeed quite difficult, but necessary. And even so it should be sure we would make mistakes. The bigger the group or the intentions would be, the bigger mistakes should be done, and again history is a good example.
The right way of thinking now wasn´t the right way a few years ago, and if your look through fifty or two hundred years? What was then the right or the wrong way of living or thinking?
Yes Fatima, it´s a good suggestion …..individual carrotones, I like it.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
rich religious flavor in some arguments. not very liberal i should say.
and peter, i argue that boycotting is not necessarily stronger than the carrot and the stick policy. take the international case of north korea nuclear activities. i think the carrot and the stick policy has been more effective than sole harsh sanctions.
president obama is repeating: rules must be binding, violations must be punished and words must mean something. so he is taking care of the stick, but what happened to carrot?
July 17th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Nima may be I do not explain it clearly, believer is not about God, that´s different……..believer in human being as group, or in good arguments people with so good
intentions argue to do their actions.
At the begining all the intentions are good, for them or course, but at the end?
What had happened so many times with the good intentions or ideas?
There is not any dictator that for him or for his people doesn´t have good intentions.
Both sides of the actions are important and affect people always.
Only look to the last century.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:37 am
it depends on a person’s level of wisdom and knowledge. good intentions plus insight and respecting moral values are always have great results. i say we don’t live in world of uncertainty anymore, it’s not about hope and fear neither about good and evil.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:42 am
If we look to the last century we can mentioned three great blocks or boycotts:
Cuba, along so many years, who suffers about this boycott……Fidel?
No, the people who live in the island that along years have nearly nothing, not even medicines or soap.
Iraq, after first Golf War, who suffers the boycott……Sadam Hussein or his family?…..
No, the people of the country, some of them have to come to Spain to be operated and to receive medicines also.
Sometimes they have nothing to eat about the naval block made by half the world.
At the end, what have to happen with all this? It made any solution to Iraq country?
Spain, after second World War, with Franco as a dictator who helps Hitler some way.
Who suffers the block or the boycott made by the winners? ……..me, us, all the people who were living in Spain that time…..I remember to be hungry……it continued till the President Eisenhower came to Spain and had a conversation with Franco, them we received milk, cheese, and several other things as reward of letting Americans have the bases here close to Madrid and other big cities.
And if we talk about big companies …..who suffers from the boycott always? the workers of that company, or the city where this company has its factories.
So, I want to be always very careful about all this matter. Sorry, that´s my point of view, nothing to do with religion or similar.
I have seen so many things to be a believer in men actions against anything apparently so bad and their actions so good.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:20 am
- well,I don’t know about soaps, but actually Cuba’s health insurance system outperforms the American one by a large margin, so no need to be worry about Cubans!
- Saddam Hussein was already slathering his own people bombarding them with chemical bombs, so welfare probably wasn’t people’s No.1 issue. it was freedom which is now being achieved.
- you definitely know better about Spain than me.(actually i didn’t know there has been any cooperation between Germany and Spain in WWII)
my point is: we need to distinguish between what happens on political/governmental level and what is done by NGOs (Non-governmental organizations). NGOs are good stuff, take my word!
and don’t be worry for workers losing their job because of our boycotts. they will be hired in companies we support.
it’s the competitive economics: the company’s needs to satisfy it’s customers to survive, whatever they want. why shouldn’t we ask for saving planet earth?
July 17th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Yes, Hitler and Mussolini helped Franco in civil spanish war against the legal republican goverment and afterward Spain wasn´t invaded by Hitler
because Franco´s goverment sent a division of fightmen against the people of Rusia.
So when the second war was over, Spain, spanish people, suffered a large boycott and a block till may be 1956 when the USA president IKE visited Spain and gave us the carrot, but we permitted USA army to stablish their nuclear bases near Madrid (Torrejon) Zaragoza and Rota (nuclear submarines).
The only country that helped us was Argentina as we were starved without anything.
Eva Peron came here and sent some ships with food to feed the hungry spaniards that have nothing.
I was a child them but remember everything perfectly well.
May be you are right, I think so, but also I could informed you that along seven years I have been near Green Peace, giving them some money help.
Also to the people of some ONG, and other help org. that are in Africa or Asia. But me myself don´t joint any group because always I have my doubts
about the final results.
Thank you Nima, I know what are you talking about perfectly well but each person has his feelings and experiences.
Regards.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Hey,
that is a good conversation Emiliano and Nima. I am kind of agree with both of you. boycotting and carrotmobing are good when they are done by people not governments and people doing them with knowledge not just imitation. it can help to improve society and environment, since sometimes companies are so greedy and they don’t care about anything and they people to remind them. experience showed us boycotting that is done by one government against another country is just hurting the poor people not improve anythings. but people can use it to improve their government not just companies. I know in Iran people boycotting phone company by not using text message, because this governmental company cut the text messaging when people need it, after stolen election.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:36 am
Yes Sara, I may understand perfectly well what some people of Iran is doing not using text messages as a protest of a bad, very bad, behaviour of the governmental company cutting the text messaging when the people need to use them after stolen elections, as you said.
That´s absolutely logical and understandable and may be the only thing they can do if they don´t want to put their own lives in a risk.
These people know perfectly well what have happened, they live the problem in first person and they don´t need to trust other reasons or ideas.
Your example to me is just the gist, a personal and individual protest against something they know very well because they have their personal and individual experiences. In fact I have done this kind of action several times along my life, supported by my personal living or experiences.
Thank you Sara, I have watched all the Iran elections news day by day and I trust Iran´s people just a lot. I have the opportunity of knowing some of them when I was working in the Bank as many Iranians came to Madrid to study as doctors or have relationship with the two countries.
They like Spain very much and consider us like brothers because Muslims inhabited Spain for over 800 years.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Thanks Emiliano for your support for Iranians. we all really appreciate this. people and opposition leaders insist in peaceful protest and as you may heard ,it is known as green revolution, but government is doing most cruelest things against people. it is really heart breaking. I just keep praying. Thanks again! it means a lot to people of Iran.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:28 pm
oh, I forgot to say, one of my friend just came back from Spain. she is saying how people are very nice and friendly. she loved every things there.
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:24 am
Here in Spain the news from Iran have been in all Tv and radio informatives, also I have the opportunity of listened to some spaniards who were living in Teheran talking through the radio directly with the commentator and telling the listeners what was happening just after the elections.
They were very concerned about all the protest iranies were doing in peace along those days, we the listeners were also too of course.
Just yesterday I was listening to the news of what happening in Teheran also.
I think is a very difficult effort of the people living in Iran against what is so evident, and being alone what is even much more difficult.
To me, that I have some relationship with iranies and Iran as a country, because my work was treatments and help between foreigners and international commercial relationship, was always a pleasure to talk with them. Yes my little English was the neccesary tool to do that, and I remember there was a school of lenguages just beside the bank where several foreign students of Spanish were learning, and some iranies among them of course. They were also learning medicine in the Madrid´s university.
They came to me asking about checks, transferences or letters of credit, and sometime about general information of the city or the country. And we talked just a lot about several things of life.
I had some gift details from them of your country, I could remember pistacho nuts (delicious) and dates.
Sara you have my best wishes for your people and your country always and I hope things may go better to all of you.
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:01 am
We can think about the strategy of “carrot & stick” that people have traditionally used.
Stick can be useful when we expect that something’s gonna change quickly.
But it’s limited for people to make the creativity.
So it’s more imortant to use “carrot” than using “stick”.
People who are familiar with the carrot are able to lead tasks they’re given actively & positively.
So from a long term of view, we can consider to use “carrot” more than “stick”.