Last year, conservative forces launched an aggressive offensive against Pride Month celebrations, employing tactics not seen in years. This fervor was particularly evident in the backlash faced by beer company Bud Light following a minor social media campaign featuring trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The campaign led to widespread boycotts and violent reactions, with individuals destroying beer products and issuing death threats to Mulvaney. The uproar signaled a renewed intensity in the culture war over LGBTQ rights and visibility.
Similarly, retail giant Target became a focal point for right-wing extremists. Misleading claims that the store was promoting “tuck friendly” swimsuits to children incited confrontations with employees, vandalism of Pride displays, and threats of violence. This hostile environment forced Target to reevaluate its approach, leading to a significant scaling back of its Pride merchandise, which will now be available only online and in select stores.
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh articulated a broader strategy, stating that the goal was to make “pride” toxic for brands. This strategy seems to have had a temporary but significant effect, as evidenced by the responses of several major companies.
Major Brands Scaling Back on Pride Campaigns
Target
Following last year’s anti-Pride attacks, Target has decided to limit its Pride merchandise to online sales and select stores. This cautious approach is based on “historical sales performance” and aims to mitigate potential backlash while still supporting the LGBTQ community in a less visible manner.
Nike
Nike, known for its annual Pride collections, appears to have quietly retreated this year. A search for the brand’s Pride campaign yields only last year’s “Be True Collection,” with limited availability of related products. This absence is notable given Nike’s previous vocal support for LGBTQ rights.
Bud Light
Bud Light has conspicuously avoided any mention of Pride Month on its social media platforms, opting instead to highlight other cultural events such as MMA, country music, and collaborations with artists like Post Malone. This shift reflects a strategic withdrawal from contentious social issues.
The North Face
Outdoor apparel brand The North Face, which faced conservative ire last year for its collaboration with drag queen Patti Gonia, does not appear to have a new Pride campaign for this year. However, searches indicate that a 2024 Pride-themed collection may be available on the brand’s Australian website, suggesting a more cautious, region-specific approach.
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren, a brand with a longstanding tradition of Pride Month campaigns, currently features only content from last year’s efforts on its website. The absence of a new campaign this year points to a broader trend of corporate caution in the face of conservative backlash.
This retreat from visible Pride support by major brands highlights the precarious balance companies must strike in a polarized social landscape. While the immediate impact on LGBTQ visibility is concerning, the long-term implications for corporate allyship remain to be seen.