Ah, the glorious Pride Month has arrived, bringing with it a wave of rainbow-coloured support from businesses big and small. Social media is ablaze with vibrant posts and products, as companies attempt to show their solidarity with the gay community. But wait, there’s a new twist to this rainbow extravaganza – will these brands cower in fear when faced with right-wing boycotts?
Oh yes, the conservatives have come out swinging, threatening to boycott any brand that dares to display even the faintest hint of support for LGBTQ+ folks. They’re going all out, urging others to join their little anti-rainbow crusade and even wreaking havoc by trashing products in stores. It’s like they’re on a mission to be the Grinches of Pride Month!
Now, let’s be honest, negative reactions towards LGBTQ-inclusive businesses and their marketing campaigns are nothing new. But lately, things have taken a turn for the worse. Hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community has been brewing like a bad cup of tea, especially in the good ol’ US of A.
As a result, the LGBTQ+ community is on high alert, observing these brands like hawks. We’re watching to see if they’ll stand tall with us, waving their rainbow flags high, or if they’ll succumb to the pressure and melt away like a sad, forgotten popsicle. The ball’s in your court, brands. Don’t let us down!
Target
Oh, the drama continues! This time, the spotlight is on Target, the beloved US supermarket chain that found itself in hot water with the LGBTQ+ community.
But did they cave in?
It has to be said they made a questionable move by removing some products from their Pride range and shuffling around store displays, all because of those pesky threats from right-wingers. It’s like they were playing a game of retail hide-and-seek but with rainbow-coloured merchandise.
Bud light
But wait, that’s not all! The conservative backlash has reached new heights of fury and absurdity. Back in April, Bud Light thought it would be a great idea to collaborate with Dylan Mulvaney in a sponsored Instagram post. Little did they know, it was the perfect recipe for a storm of anti-trans madness. Like a swarm of angry bees, social media users, politicians, and commentators went on the attack, targeting both the beer brand and poor Mulvaney.
As the weeks went by, the outrage grew to epic proportions. People were more than just a little upset about this “woke” collaboration. The online echo chambers became more insular than ever, with calls for boycotts echoing through the digital halls. And if that wasn’t enough, there were reports of Bud Light displays being smashed in stores, musician Kid Rock taking target practice on cans with an assault weapon (because apparently, that’s a rational response), and bars refusing to sell the brew due to supposed religious beliefs. It’s like the world turned upside down and started spinning on its head!
The fallout from all this madness hit the market hard, with billions being wiped from the market share of Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light’s parent company. It seems like their decision to dip their toe into the rainbow pool came with some seriously colourful consequences. Who knew that a simple beer collaboration could ignite such a chaotic firestorm?
Hang on tight, folks. It’s going to be a wild and bumpy ride as these controversies continue to unfold. Cheers to the crazy world we live in!
So here are some more brands that are being “cancelled” by the right-wing
Build a Bear
Maybelline
Hersey
Innocent Drinks
Chick-Fil-A
Lego
Kohl’s
Starbucks
Nike
Adidas
And that’s just this year alone. Yep, those bigots sure are mad that corporates are putting their money where their mouths are and showing solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
