3 More Iconic Companies Face Financial Pitfalls with Cultural Marketing Strategy

The Anheuser-Busch Corporation has felt the backlash of it’s pro-LGBTQ campaign with transgender person Dylan Mulvaney. In just a couple of weeks after running its ad, it lost more than $5 billion.

Target became the second company recently to incur the wrath of conservatives after they went all out with an advertising campaign involving a “trans-satanist” designer. They recently made adjustments to offset the backlash.

Those two, however, are not the only iconic American companies that could feel the sting from conservative boycotts in the near future. The Disney Corporation is paying for its sins after incurring the wrath of Florida governor and now presidential candidate Ron DeSantis last year by challenging Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act.

DeSantis and conservatives aren’t standing for Disney’s “woke” ideals. Many conservatives have already boycotted films featuring LGBTQ ideologies, and its reported that Disney shares fell 9% during the most recent quarter because of reported subscriber losses at Disney+.

Still, Disney continues to be defiant about its stance its the LGBTQ agenda and stands behind it’s “Pride” collection for children released last year.

“Pride is a long-standing and critical celebration across Disney and our Pride Collection is part of the company’s commitment to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community year-round through our products, experiences, content and philanthropy,” company statements are quoted as saying.

But many conservatives feel as if Disney is intentionally targeting children, and it could continue to catch up with the entertainment giant.

Starbucks

The most recognized name in the coffee industry, Starbucks recently released an advertisement featuring a trans-identifying model It shows a male who identifies as a female meeting his parents for coffee.

The Christian Post reported that several residents of India called for a boycott of Starbucks in response to the ad, with one user accusing the coffee company of “imposing Western culture in India.” Another vowed to “never again” visit Starbucks.

Adidas

The long-time iconic shoe company that has branched out into the clothing industry is taking flack from conservatives for using a male model to advertise a women’s swimsuit as part of its 2023 “Pride” collection. The photos do not hide the fact that the model is definitely a man.

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, an outspoken defender of women’s sports, is asking athletes to boycott Adidas, and many are accusing the company of “erasing women” with its “woke marketing” strategies.

“Being someone in the position I’m in, I don’t support Adidas, but not it’s being put in a position where the public sees they are trying to erase women,” Gaines told the Daily Mail. … “I’m hopeful that athletes are seeing this, especially women, who are fed up. They saw the response time and again, to Hershey’s, Bud Light, Ulta—all of these companies doing this.

“I think it’s difficult for athletes to come out against them, but I’m hopeful that athletes will do the right thing and come out and denounce it. That they’ll say this isn’t what I stand for.” {eoa}

Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.