As a gay man I find it just a bit trite and a major disappointment that brands attempt such lazy pandering in packaging and tie-ins to cover for their actual corporate sins. I guess we in the industry would call it pink washing. Like rainbow Raytheon branded tube socks, a free Verizon frisbee at pride, and a rainbow Twitter profile picture that doesn’t apply in all regions.
It all just rings a certain way, and it doesn’t make me any more charitable to corporate America. If anything it makes me see them as craven opportunists willing to “die on the hill” of a cultural issue, to run interference for their history of anti-worker and anti-consumer/anti-competitive behaviors.
I’m surprised to find myself saying this, but I can’t help but think it has less to do with an actual marketing ploy and more to do with achieving a good corporate equality index score and being ESG approved.
It's a substitute for actual activism and its only effect is to divide us as a people. I'd love to see an obviously trans person drinking Gratis on tik-tok. Would they right-wing warriors lose their minds?
Not sure why women would be upset. The company is trying to attract as many customers as possible. They obviously think there are some trans people who would buy their product if they are represented in AN ad. It's not like they are marketing exclusively to them. Here's an (admittedly far-fetched) example: If a car company wanted to make an ad that reaches lizards, would I get mad that they are disrespecting humans? What do *I* care?
I watched the ad. It's not really marketing to biological women as biological women. It's marketed to the trans and trans-friendly community. It's also attention-grabbing since the person in the video does not look trans; makes you go 'hmm'. Why would a genetic women be offended? It's not like genetic women worked really hard to become a women. No stolen glory here. Now trans men in women's sports: That's actually a real issue, and I am not on board with it. The more we can distinguish between real problems and an amorphous way-down-the-road problem, the less angry we will all be at one another.
Not being a woman, I cannot put myself to truly know what a woman's reaction would be. I've asked some women of my acquaintance (admittedly not a statistically compelling sample)and it's no skin off their nose. But different strokes...To your second point. there are plenty of grown genetic women who sport the 'girly' look.
As a gay man I find it just a bit trite and a major disappointment that brands attempt such lazy pandering in packaging and tie-ins to cover for their actual corporate sins. I guess we in the industry would call it pink washing. Like rainbow Raytheon branded tube socks, a free Verizon frisbee at pride, and a rainbow Twitter profile picture that doesn’t apply in all regions.
It all just rings a certain way, and it doesn’t make me any more charitable to corporate America. If anything it makes me see them as craven opportunists willing to “die on the hill” of a cultural issue, to run interference for their history of anti-worker and anti-consumer/anti-competitive behaviors.
Good comment here.
Agreed. It's all a bit icky. It's so obviously just a marketing ploy.
I’m surprised to find myself saying this, but I can’t help but think it has less to do with an actual marketing ploy and more to do with achieving a good corporate equality index score and being ESG approved.
It's a substitute for actual activism and its only effect is to divide us as a people. I'd love to see an obviously trans person drinking Gratis on tik-tok. Would they right-wing warriors lose their minds?
They would absolutely lose their minds. But I suspect the brand would walk away unscathed if they strongly denounced it or whatever.
Not sure why women would be upset. The company is trying to attract as many customers as possible. They obviously think there are some trans people who would buy their product if they are represented in AN ad. It's not like they are marketing exclusively to them. Here's an (admittedly far-fetched) example: If a car company wanted to make an ad that reaches lizards, would I get mad that they are disrespecting humans? What do *I* care?
I watched the ad. It's not really marketing to biological women as biological women. It's marketed to the trans and trans-friendly community. It's also attention-grabbing since the person in the video does not look trans; makes you go 'hmm'. Why would a genetic women be offended? It's not like genetic women worked really hard to become a women. No stolen glory here. Now trans men in women's sports: That's actually a real issue, and I am not on board with it. The more we can distinguish between real problems and an amorphous way-down-the-road problem, the less angry we will all be at one another.
Not being a woman, I cannot put myself to truly know what a woman's reaction would be. I've asked some women of my acquaintance (admittedly not a statistically compelling sample)and it's no skin off their nose. But different strokes...To your second point. there are plenty of grown genetic women who sport the 'girly' look.
Your response to HOGG re the pi!lows made my day.!🤗