• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, September 19, 2024

Red or Blue, it’s ugly online – and getting worse. Stonyfield Organic is issuing a Toxic Free Election Challenge, asking people to swear off social media for the month of October, with a chance to win $1,000 for those that stick with it.

The company says the sweepstakes fits in with its brand mission of fighting toxins. For every entry in the challenge, it will donate 50 cents to the Organic Farming Research Foundation, up to $20,000, and it’s already signed up 1.3 million people – more than it expected.

“While we champion voting and voicing your opinion, we recognize that social media can become a breeding ground for toxicity during this time,” the challenge reads. “As an organic brand, Stonyfield is on a mission to help you avoid toxicities that lurk around you, whether in the food you eat or where you spend your time.”

Kristina Drociak, director of public relations and consumer engagement at Stonyfield, tells Marketing Daily the idea stems from the brand’s expanding concept of toxicity.

“For the last 40 years, we’ve been working to remove toxins from consumers' lives without food, which is all organic,” she says. “And we’re always trying to keep toxins out of the environment.” Previous initiatives have included working with 40 cities around the U.S., aimed at removing pesticides from parks and playing fields.”

She says assessing the toxicity of today’s social media isn’t much of a leap. “People are fighting, there’s misinformation, and we’ve seen plenty of evidence it can take a toll on mental health. It’s very draining.”

She is quick to say that voting is essential, and the pledge steers people to www.vote.org.

She says the company is promoting the challenge – based on an honor system – on social media and through email.

“We hope to hear from them along the way about how it’s going and what they learned from the experience.”

Stonyfield Organic is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and is owned by the Lactalis Group, a French dairy company.