No of course not. But attacking a company brand can certainly do a lot of damage to it, and potentially make a company – particularly one which is consumer based – go running scared and change its decisions.

That’s why there is every chance we can we stop Tesco workfare-slavery and give their management a seriously bloody nose at the same time.

This week has already seen a minor victory with TK Maxx withdrawing from the Workfare programme, but there are still loads of major companies profiting from the scheme.

What’s in a brand?

Big companies spend £millions every year trying to boost their “brand” – the image, personality and values associated with their company.

It is big business and is the reason why many people will order a “coke” instead of a cola or Pepsi if they go to a bar. It is the reason why when Burger King spend money advertising, McDonalds often end up benefitting from increased sales. It is the reason why some people will pay thousands just for an Armani or similar label on their clothes.

Brand sabotage

That’s why attacking a brand successfully can hurt the pockets of the bosses in a big way. Recent months have seen a resurgence in ‘subvertising’ or ‘brandalism’ previously associated with the anticapitalist movement in the early part of the decade. It was in fact the leftwing ‘Adbusters’ magazine who put out the call for the first #Occupy demonstration in the United States.

Tesco originally deleted comments about workfare from their Facebook wall, but were overwhelmed. Now they are trying, and failing with a strategy of damage limitation to preserve the idea that ‘every little helps’.

Social media like Facebook and Twitter have become new ways for companies to improve their brand image and whitewash some of the skeletons in their closets. But at the same time they’ve risked exposing themselves to millions of online users prepared to tell the truth. The message is clearly – fling enough mud, and some of it’ll stick.

The new danger of “brand sabotage” to companies is so great that Business Website Deloitte has even published a book about it, with tips on how companies can respond to “insurgent attacks” on their brand.

But by the looks of things so far, Tesco managers haven’t read it.

Read more

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Tesco workfare scandal finally blows up

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Exposed! How big business buys government influence

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1 million youth unemployed – enough is enough!

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The following companies and organisations are known to have used or be using workfare. See the Boycott Workfare website:

99p stores
a4e
Alpha Stream – Kent
Asda
ATS
BHS – British Home Stores [1]
Boots
Burger King
Burton
Age Concern
Alton Towers [2]
Argos
Asian Star Community Radio LTD
Barnardos
Bookers Wholesale
Carillion – Kent
British Heart Foundation
Capability Scotland
Cancer Research
Chessington World of Adventures [2]
DB Accident Repair – Kent
DC Cleaning Sussex
Diamond Glass Medway – Kent
Dorothy Perkins [1]
Envirostream – Kent
Evans [1]
Finsbury Park Business Forum
F&S Interiors – Kent
Go Response – Kent
Haringey Council
Helen & Douglas House Hospice – Maidenhead
HMV [3]
Holiday Inn
Holland & Barrett
Gorgie City Farm
Greggs the bakers
JA Glover – Kent
Jessup Electrical Wholesale Ltd – Kent
JJ Vickers & Sons Ltd – Kent
Kennedy Scott
Kent Flooring Supplies – Kent
Kent Space – Kent
Legoland Parks [2]
London Eye [2]
Madame Tussauds [2]
Marie Curie
Maplin
Matalan
Mayhem Paintball – Kent
McDonald’s
Medway Council
Medway Tyres – Kent
Miss Selfridge
Mr Gleam – Sussex
Newham Council
Newhaven Community Development
Oxfam
Olympic Glass – Kent
Omnico Plastics Ltd – Kent
Outfit [1]
Payless – Kent
PDSA
Pizza Hut
Plumbase – Kent
Poundland
Poundstretcher
PPDG
Primark
Process Plant Services Ltd – Kent
RBLI
Regency Guillotine – Kent
Richmond Fellowship
Rock Circus [2]
Romney Resource Kent
Royal Mail
RNR Performance Cars – Kent
Saffron Acres Project
Salvation Army
Savers
Sealife Centres [2]
Scope
Scout Enterprises
Servest – Kent, London
Shelter
SHOC Slough Homeless
Signs & Imaging Ltd – Kent
Slough Library
Slough Furniture Project
Southern Membranes Ltd – Kent
Southern Metal Services – Kent
southern Roofing & Building Supplies – Kent
Stephens Fresh Food – Kent
Superdrug
Swan Lifeline – Windsor
Tesco
Thorpe Park [2]
Topman [1]
Topshop [1]
The Range – Sussex
Town and Country Cleaners Kent
Wallis [1]
Warwick Castle [2]
Westvic Enamellers – Kent
WHSmith
Whittingtons Silk Flower & Plant Centre – Kent
Wilkinsons