Working for the Brand

‘This is a landmark work. Working for the Brand is exhilarating, forensic, funny, shocking, and deeply humane. It is a step towards liberating us from the existential threat faced by both individuals and democracies from unethical corporate control over our lives, starting with our right to express ourselves … So many things are made sense of in this book. It is witty, profound, enlightening, and absolutely indispensable. A bravura examination of our times and a glorious read.’ -- Anna Funder, author of <em>Wifedom</em> ‘A sophisticated, rage-inducing, rollercoaster of a read. The power and control tactics Bornstein exposes are at once shocking, and altogether unsurprising. This devastating critique of late-stage capitalism is both thrilling and horrifying, because behind every story there are real lives at stake.’ -- Jess Hill, journalist and author of <em>See What You Made Me Do</em> ‘There is something in this book to offend almost everyone.’ -- Joe Aston, author of <em>The Chairman’s Lounge</em> ‘Modern corporations seek to attract employees who align with their “values” and who will meet the diversity quota. But when employees bring their whole selves to work or post their views on social media, the corporate brand managers enter the fray and sackings follow. In this provocative book, Bornstein has issued a powerful clarion call against corporate censorship and control.’ -- Louise Adler AM ‘Combining great storytelling, sharp analysis, and rigorous research, Josh Bornstein plies key issues of our time — cancel culture, academic freedom, sex and work, and big media bias — to reveal crucial and previously unexamined threats to free speech and democracy: brand-image-driven corporate attacks on workers and their unions. A must-read for anyone concerned about democracy’s fate in the face of colossal corporate power.’ -- Joel Bakan, author of <em>The New Corporation: how ‘good’ corporations are bad for democracy</em>