When Colin Kaepernick called Nike out for sneakers that featured a flag that had been co-opted by the far-right, the product was pulled. Despite some uproar from conservatives, Nike’s stock value spiked, suggesting that support for social causes is a smart business move.

For many, Nike's 30th anniversary campaign for its "Just Do It" motto may be considered a brave piece of socially conscious advertising from the sportswear giant. But for others, it's yet another form of corporate 'woke washing' – virtue signaling on an industrial scale, which more often than not, is insincere.

The voice of the people on social media and the power it harnesses means a tweet can destroy a brand’s reputation as quickly as it can build it. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Ann Kristin Kupfer, assistant professor at the University of Münster, to understand why and how social media firestorms occur.

With social media giving everyone a voice and helping to raise awareness of corporate missteps, people are more critical of brands than ever. But ‘call-out culture’ doesn’t have to be a source of concern – it can be an opportunity to create authentic identities both reactively and proactively.