Every June, Pride Month commences new marketing strategies for large corporations across America. From rainbow logos to pride-themed merchandise, companies jump at the opportunity to show their allyship to the LGBTQ+ community.
While these campaigns typically face some opposition, various large brands were targeted on social media for their Pride Month additions this year.
Target faced backlash on social media following their pride display that popped up in stores towards the end of May, with some taking to the internet saying they were going to boycott the store due to the pro-LGBTQ+ campaign. After the backlash, many Target stores moved the displays to the back, citing employee safety and well-being as the reason.
Following an ad campaign with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, popular beer Bud Light faced a boycott which stripped the beer of its No. 1 selling spot in the United States. According to Nielsen IQ data analyzed by the consulting firm Bump Williams, Bud Light sales dropped more than 23% from the year earlier for the four weeks ending in mid-May.
Following the drop in sales, the company tried to backtrack, with Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, announcing the leave of absence of two marketing executives. However, this only led to more criticism from those who supported the campaign.
The hostility these brands face for pride marketing is believed to be correlated to recent legislation surrounding transition care for transgender minors and adults. Ten Republican led-states have passed laws banning gender-affirming care for minors in the past three months, potentially contributing to the more hostile political climate and conversation that has been seen during Pride Month this year.
Associate Professor in the department of Marketing at MSU’s Broad College of Business Ayalla Ruvio, an expert in applied consumer behavior who has done research on the LGBTQ+ community, said the reason this marketing may backfire is due to companies failing to understand the community itself and their target audience.
“For the longest time the issue of this community and pride month was not part of the mainstream, only in recent years has it become the discourse of the mainstream," Ruvio said. "Companies do not have a lot of track record as to how to relate to that and what are the best practices, and to be honest with you, most of them do not understand these communities."
Only 7.1% of American adults identify themselves with the LGBTQ+ community, so Ruvio said it is important to understand that when companies partake in pride marketing, they aren’t marketing towards a majority.
“We have to acknowledge that there are other groups of consumers that are sensitive to these topics and that put companies in a very tough spot because on one hand they have to find a balance between doing what they think is the right thing and supporting everyone and then on the other hand is to be mindful about the core consumers,” Ruvio said.
Ruvio said that the sales drop in Bud Light is a prime example of this, as the Budweiser brand caters to target markets that are traditionally less inclusive. She said when the company launched the campaign, the core consumers got upset leading to a drop in sales.
Despite the negativity surrounding Bud Light, Ruvio points out that it is still important for brands to be as inclusive as possible and to give representation to the LGBTQ+ community.
“Companies can play an important part in this process of inclusiveness and expanding inclusiveness in society," Ruvio said. "They can if they do it right."
So, the question is what is the right way exactly? Ruvio said it is understanding that what is really important to these communities is acknowledgement, education and meaningful support.
Ruvio said that just changing a logo or a company slogan for a month can be perceived as inauthentic, the LGBTQ+ community expects greater commitment and involvement if the company wants to show solidarity during Pride Month.
To really show true support without receiving backlash from other consumer groups, Ruvio said companies should depict their mission for inclusiveness from the inside out such as sponsoring an LGBTQ+ event or hosting internal events that give LGBTQ+ members a voice.
“Pride month is a good time to be visual with your commitment to the community, but it doesn’t start there, and you certainly should not end there," Ruvio said. "These communities are expecting to see recurring and long-term commitment."
Ruvio said when companies show their support through rainbow logos and merchandise, it provides that sense of representation, but when overdone, it can come off as a marketing gimmick.
MSU alum Greg Weaver said he appreciates the change in logos and flying of flags in June as it not only makes him feel welcome as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but also reminds him of how much progress the community has made over the years.
“I remember a time when you only saw a pride flag in what we used to call gay ghettos,” Weaver said. ”People didn’t fly them from their homes because their homes got damaged, people didn’t wear them on their clothing and they didn’t put bumper stickers. Businesses didn't identify as gay friendly. It just didn’t happen.”
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Weaver said that the representation given to the community by large companies helps to block out the negative noise the community receives, providing a beam of hope to those impacted.
“Teenagers already have a high suicide rate, and LGBTQ teens have a higher suicide rate than that. When you’re not that thick skinned kid, you’re absorbing that (negativity) and when you walk past a store that has a flag or some merchandise, it’s not just about going in and buying their stuff, it’s partially that you know you’re safe going in there and you know that they’ll support you,” he said.
Weaver said that it’s important to look at all the companies that supported pride this year and didn’t receive the same backlash as Bud Light or Target, and that more often than not, backlash is more amplified than support in the media.
A majority of Americans support gay marriage, with 71% saying they believe same sex marriage should be recognized by law, so when the LGBTQ+ community is targeted on the internet, it is most likely a loud minority rather than a basic majority belief.
Although Bud Light did see a drop in sales, Ruvio said movements like this tend to not gain traction, and that come July, sales will most likely return to normal.
“We know from previous consumer behavior that after, you know, seeing companies engage in controversial issues, we know that maybe there is a little bit of a dip, but then things close,” Ruvio said. “Yes, there was a lot of noise, but that noise, although it seems negative, it’s part of the discourse. It’s part of the process of getting to a better place in society."
