‘Brazil must be a country for entrepreneurs and workers, not scoundrels’: Personal branding mechanisms underpinning CEO activism

Abstract

Chief executive officer (CEO) activism literature primarily explores issues in which CEOs engage, and its consequences for consumers and employees. However, a glaring gap lies in how CEOs engage in activism, particularly, through social media. Our study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the online identity of Luciano Hang, a Brazilian CEO, activist, and billionaire, focusing on the crafting of Hang’s online identity, particularly on Instagram, using five personal branding mechanisms to influence broad sociopolitical issues. Hang’s unique case offers a lens for right-wing CEO activism, contrasting with mostly progressive cases in the western contexts. Using critical visual analysis to decode the Instagram content posted by Hang, who actively advocates for political conservatism, entrepreneurism, and economic liberalism, we find that CEO activists do not merely speak on specific issues, but carefully construct their online identity aligning with or challenging social norms and values. Our research extends the understanding of CEO activism by revealing its heterogeneous nature and connecting organization studies and marketing, in addition to demonstrating how CEOs can leverage personal branding to portray themselves as activists.