Activism isn’t random. It’s usually highly calculated.
From hijacked language to coordinated disruption, the activist playbook is well-worn — and often underestimated. We unpack the strategies behind the slogans and decode the tactics shaping policy, media and markets. So you can recognize, anticipate and respond to coordinated campaigns. Read on to learn more.
AP #7 - Hijacking the Process: How Consultation Becomes a Weapon
Consultation should build trust — not be a trap. But when process is hijacked to delay or discredit, it stops being engagement.
Here’s how it happens — and what to do about it.
AP #6: Regulation by proxy
Activists are no longer just lobbying government—they're becoming it. Through proxies, pressure, and policymaking, regulation is being used as a weapon. This isn't public interest. It's strategic capture.
AP #4: Arrested for a cause
Getting arrested isn’t always a setback— it can be a strategy. For some activists, it’s a badge of honour, a PR move, or a spark for donations. It’s not disorder. It’s deliberate.
AP #3: The tactics of volume
One voice can be dismissed. A thousand can’t. Activists exploit volume — bots, bodies, and media blitzes — to create the illusion of consensus and urgency. It’s not about truth. It’s about dominance through noise.
AP #1: One way activists get you to light yourself on fire
Smart activists don’t always pressure you directly—they get you to do it to yourself. How? By manipulating your internal culture, communications, and policies until you're reacting, apologizing, and weakening your own position. It’s not chaos. It’s choreography.
Activist Playbook: Be prepared to act
Activism today isn’t just about protests—it’s about precision strikes on reputation, regulation, and revenue. If you're a target, it won't feel random. It will feel personal. Be prepared to act—before you're forced to.