Companies have tread lightly this Pride month, as they brace for a divisive presidential election and are mindful of conservative public backlash against Target and Bud Light.
June tends to bring a wave of rainbow-themed merchandise and affirming ads and social media posts from retailers and consumers brands, coinciding with parades and other events that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Gravity Research President Luke Hartig said the volatility of the presidential election and the two candidates' willingness to call out companies by name has also made companies less likely to go public about their stand.
Major companies are still writing checks for LGBTQ+ causes, too. A GLAAD spokesperson said Friday that the group has not seen donations or corporate support decline this Pride month, though it does not yet have a total tally. On the company's website and in those select stores, shoppers can find a wide variety of Pride-themed items.externally and internally is "significantly lower" this year than in 2023, according to a Target spokesperson.
Bud Light sales tumbled around 25%, and the brand lost its spot as the best-selling beer in the U.S., ceding the position it held for more than two decades to Constellation Brands' Modelo. Right-wing news outlets like Fox News also devoted plenty of airtime to the controversy, stretching its duration and potentially reaching new consumers who missed the initial reaction. Plus, once Bud Light sales fell, retailers gave more shelf space to its rivals.
E.l.f. Beauty CEO Tarang Amin said customers, especially its core audience of Generation Z shoppers, want brands to stand up for causes they support. He said he's noticed corporate leaders have grown more skittish about speaking up"Our values are one of the things that really differentiates E.l.f. and what our community expects," he said.
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