I think there’s an inclination to see ‘wokeism’ from brands as a very current development when in fact the idea of a “Chinese Wall” existing to relieve the tension between editorial and commercial depts. has been central to all media companies for a long long time. What North Face is doing is no different from what Philip Morris could do to a publication running tobacco health stories. What is new, in my opinion, is that the idea that there should be a Chinese Wall at all is no longer taken for granted. The implication to the way stories like this are presented and shared being that it is in fact desirable for advertisers to coerce editorial decisions to align with certain correct opinions.