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Illustration by Gary Waters / Ikon Images
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In the 2010s, brands increasingly sold the public a social message. You couldn’t just sell soap – you had to sell personal hygiene products that encouraged society to accept people of all sizes. You couldn’t just sell soda – you had to sell soda that promoted peace between socially opposing groups. Even if the most cynical and toxic brands painted themselves as having a warm, human sensibility and strong political values. For some, such marketing was visibly self-serving and insincere. Others believed that companies genuinely cared about improving the world, and trusted that they were willing to sacrifice profits in order to make it a better place for their customers.