The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

Penguin Random House is launching a nationwide tour with the 'Banned Wagon,' a vehicle making stops around the US handing out free copies of outlawed books. As culture war issues persist, parents are looking for brands to support their children’s intellectual curiosity.

Political polarization in the US is fueling heated debates and widespread outrage around censorship – whether that's in the form of deplatforming or book bans. But who is being most deeply impacted by such restrictions? And what can brands do to navigate tensions around free speech and self-expression?

Consumers expect brands to be activists, yet many attempts fall short or are perceived as opportunistic ‘woke washing’. How can brands participate in activism while maintaining authenticity? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Abas Mirzaei about the key dimensions of brand activism authenticity.

From fuelling global protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death to driving boycotts against ‘woke’ brands, the impact of social media on grassroots movements has become impossible to ignore. Why are these channels so valued by activists? And how can brands navigate through contentious issues?