In an election year, businesses have some hard choices to make. Not only do you have to weigh the pros and cons of the various candidates, but you have to decide if you want to use your business as a means to express your beliefs. If you believe in your choice strongly enough, it may be worth any potential backlash, but it can also alienate customers who disagree with your choice. So what is the best way to support our political system without alienating potential customers?
Many hospitality do show their support for one candidate. Depending on where you operate, in a more liberal or conservative part of the nation, the majority of your customer base may be supporting one candidate. While that may make it easier to publicly endorse your choice of presidential nominee, it can be a double edged sword. In Berkely California, for example, supporting Donald Trump is not likely to make you many friends, but supporting Hilary Clinton can go either way (given that much of the Bay Area still seems to be feeling the Bern). In more conservative areas, Republican candidates may be the obvious front-runners, but that doesn't mean that all of your conservative-leaning customers approve of Trump specifically. Even if customers are not vocal about their disagreement, what is a restaurant owner to do?
Aston Martin, which as a car company does not have a lot of involvement in restaurants (that we know of), had a
good strategy when it came to the issue of BREXIT, the British referrundum where citizens narrowly voted to leave the European Union. Before the vote, they stayed neutral, allowing their customers and employees to embrace their individual opinions, and encouraged people to get out and vote, but never expressed support for either side.
Aston Martin's strategy is a smart one. They are still doing something positive by encouraging people to go out and use their voting power, and to get involved with the politics that affect their lives. At the same time, by holding off on choosing a side on the issue, they avoid alienating customers or making their employees feel obligated to vote a certain way.
So if you are feeling political this season, but are scared of alienating potential customers or making employees feel uncomfortable, try a "Get Out and Vote!" type slogan (complete with obligatory American Flag decor). You'll be participating in politics in a constructive way, while leaving the door open for everyone to enjoy your establishment without feeling any political pressure.
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