This Pride, Brands Need to Stand by the Trans Community | Opinion
Target's embarrassing decisions to disavow their inclusive marketing has nothing to do with Pride Month or LGBTQ people. Where Bud Light and Target went wrong is simple: they let a coordinated political attack, led by a handful of activists and extremists, take their businesses hostage.In my decades as a corporate marketing executive, I learned a very important lesson: consumers respond to authenticity.
Consumers want to know they can count on brands. Staying authentic and true to your values grows successful brands and loyal followings.Bud Light has included LGBTQ people in ads since the mid-1990s, including a 2016 trans-inclusive national TV ad, and supported Pride events for far longer than that.
The company even donated to GLAAD, the organization I lead, because they supported our mission to grow LGBTQ representation.
When Bud Light was earning kudos from LGBTQ employees and making profits from a growing consumer base, they were fine to show Pride, but the second extremists spoke out, they moved from allies to cowards.Here's how Bud Light and Target lost their way.
