There are many reasons why stores may be targets for protesters and saboteurs. Looting is one such example. While this act is generally negative, the positive aspects of avoiding looting outweigh the negative ones. For example, a business will become more visible and attract more potential customers if it is not looted. Looters will also avoid looting in the name of advertising.
The local Starbucks are associated with refueling stations, so users pick up loot alongside an image of a Frappuccino – it’s unobtrusive but easily recognizable, and also points out the physical locations of Starbucks nearby, which can be helpful as a Pokemon ‘Go-er’ navigates through the real world while playing the game. Similar contextual ads can work even if your game isn’t grounded in the real world; perhaps different kinds of loot or player outfits can be sponsored by different brands, for just one example.
While looters can cause damage to property and even kill people, most race scholars argue that looting is not the root cause of unprovoked police violence. Looters also target symbols of other values, such as police cars and CNN buildings. Looters can’t justify this type of behavior, as stealing merchandise doesn’t equal the loss of life. As such, looting is a symptom of a larger societal problem, not a cause of it.