“My body, my choice”: Discursive brandjacking and the strategic reframing of protest language

This paper critically examines the strategic appropriation—or brandjacking—of feminist rhetoric by the COVID-19 antivax movement in Australia and New Zealand. Specifically, it explores how the slogan “My body, my choice,” historically rooted in reproductive rights activism, was co-opted to oppose vaccination mandates during the pandemic. Based on a social-constructivist approach and framing theory, the study employs ethnographic observation combined with an analysis of media discourse to investigate how language functions as a vehicle for ideological contestation. Findings suggest that the antivax movement’s use of the slogan was not incidental but a calculated form of discursive brandjacking that leveraged the feminist movement’s social capital to construct legitimacy, foster group identity, and broaden its mainstream appeal. It is argued that the adoption of familiar feminist rhetoric provided rhetorical coherence and moral cover for the antivax movement. Such appropriation undermines long-standing social justice struggles by reframing collective advocacy as individual resistance. It is proposed that brandjacking should be re-conceptualized beyond commercial and advertising contexts to highlight the vulnerability of progressive messaging to ideological subversion. To counter such destabilization, communicators and activists must develop a greater awareness of the strategic repurposing of emotionally resonant language by non-progressive movements. • Antivaxxers hijacked “My body, my choice” to resist vaccine mandates. • Discursive brandjacking shows activist slogans used for new agendas. • Slogans built legitimacy and unity across diverse protest groups. • Framing tactics revealed strategic shifts in activist messaging. • Public relations must address ethical risks of language appropriation.