Corporate power
Aim:
To demonstrate our exposure to corporations through the products we buy.
You will need:
About 20 well known labels from packaging and advertisements.
Duration:
30 minutes
Someone in the group (probably the leader) should find a selection of well known labels from packaging and advertisements. If possible cut them out so people can just see the label and not the product it was from.
One person should hold each label up and ask the group if they recognise the company name.
Do they know the products they sell?
Do they know any advertisements for it or slogans associated with it? Do they use the product themselves?
Use this identification activity to start a discussion on the power of corporations over our lives. You will probably find that people know a lot more about commercial products and corporate brands than many other areas of life. Test this by asking if people can name 20 politicians, 20 capital cities, 20 major rivers, 20 different trees etc. What do the results tell you about the influence of corporations in your life? Is there anything wrong with corporations having power? (Think about things like democracy, choice, greed and wealth).