Whether it's pink washing or greenwashing or purpose washing more generally, these companies, you have to question what these companies are doing, why they're doing it, and whether or not it has an ultimate benefit. Have you ever been suspicious of a corporation showcasing their commitment to the environment to marginalized groups of people or to those suffering through a deadly disease?

No, you're not jaded or cynical. You've just seen right through the business world phenomenon called cause washing.

My guest today is Dr. Mara Einstein, host of the podcast, Hoodwink, which explores how marketers use the same tactics as cults.

She's also the author of many books, including the one we are discussing today, Compassion, Inc, how corporate America blurs the line between what we buy, who we are, and those we help.

For this episode, Professor of Media Studies, Dr. Einstein, takes me to school on the history

and modern state of cause marketing, tricks like greenwashing and pink washing, all to explain

how major companies have long played on our empathy and our desire for identity to both improve

their public profiles and their profits, while still shifting the responsibility of true social change to their

oh so loyal customers. I'm your host, Chelsea Weber Smith, and this is American Hysteria. I am so excited today to welcome someone that I am so excited today to welcome someone that I think is going to deliver to me a brand new education that I'm so excited for because I miss college. And yeah, we are going to,

I believe, have a very interesting conversation. So thank you for being here, Mara. I'm very excited

to be here. You have absolutely no idea. And I can't wait to get into this conversation,

but I'm going to let you lead us through the way. Well, I think that I can't help but ask you,

as annoying as it is, I know everyone's thinking it. Are you related to Albert Einstein?

Actually, yes, and it's really funny because that comes up every time.

And I usually start my talks by saying yes, because I know that will be the first question

that people will ask.

Otherwise, I am actually related via my ex-husband.

So, like I like to say, my daughter got the blood.

I just got the name.

Okay.

I mean, which is better. Who knows?

But I get to be called Professor Einstein or Dr. Einstein, so that's really cool. I mean,

...