All articles tagged with #corporate support
The White House has created a scorecard rating companies based on their support for Trump's policies, encouraging praise and punishing criticism, which critics see as authoritarian. Major corporations are actively engaging with Trump to gain favor, often receiving benefits like deregulation and government contracts, raising concerns about undue influence and government overreach.
Many major brands are reducing their public Pride Month activities and support this year due to political pressure, fear of backlash from conservative groups, and concerns over government investigations, marking a shift from previous years' more visible campaigns. Despite this, some companies are focusing on internal support and behind-the-scenes engagement with LGBTQ employees, while facing backlash from recent controversies involving brands like Bud Light and Target.
The annual Columbus Veterans Day Parade in Ohio has been canceled for 2023 due to a lack of corporate financial support, low attendance, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade, which has been a long-standing tradition, was hosted in 2021 and 2022 after being canceled in 2020. The organizers, Military/Veterans Educational Foundation (MilVets), cited decreased attendance possibly related to people working from home post-pandemic. Despite efforts to continue the parade, corporate financial support has not returned. MilVets is exploring other options and hopes to bring back the parade in 2024.
The New York City Pride March, the largest of its kind in the US, is set to take place with 75,000 marchers and roughly two million spectators. While public support for LGBTQ+ people has never been higher, backlash against their rights has grown since same-sex marriage became legal nationwide in 2015. States across the country have passed laws banning drag performances and transgender health care, while protests and physical attacks on LGBTQ+ events and their supporters have cast a pall over gay bars and community centers. Conservative-led boycotts against companies that once embraced Pride festivities have led to billions of dollars of corporate losses. Heritage of Pride, which organizes the march, recognized the worsening political climate in an open letter earlier this month that was co-signed with the organizers of dozens of other Pride events across the country.
The main US advocacy group for LGBTQ people, GLAAD, has argued that Bud Light only has itself to blame for the ongoing boycott of its beer after caving to "extremist bullies" who criticized the company for hiring a transgender influencer to promote its brand. Had the brewer stood its ground, the LGBTQ community and its allies would have come to its aid and prevented the precipitous drop in demand that saw Bud Light lose the title of America's favorite beer last month. GLAAD also published a poll that suggests companies would likely lose more customers net than they would gain by outwardly promoting LGBTQ-themed products.
Despite negative backlash and controversy, many big companies including Target and Bud Light's parent are still sponsoring Pride events in June. Other major sponsors include PepsiCo, Starbucks, General Motors, and Macy's. The buying power of the LGBTQ+ community is too big for companies to ignore, with estimates of over 17 million LGBTQ+ people in the US with more than $1 trillion in spending power. However, negative social media posts attacking companies for being "woke" and accusations of sexualizing or grooming children have increased this year. The backlash comes amid a debate over the rights of transgender people, leaving some companies feeling jittery.
A new survey by GLAAD found that 70% of Americans who don't identify as LGBTQ+ believe companies should publicly support the community through hiring practices, advertising, and sponsorships. The study comes as retailers like Target, Kohl's, and PetSmart have come under attack for their annual LGBTQ+ Pride merchandise displays and ad campaigns, with some calling for boycotts. GLAAD and more than 100 leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations wrote a letter calling on Target to "reject and speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ extremism going into Pride Month," which is celebrated in June. A separate survey conducted by GLAAD and the Edelman Trust Institute in December found that if a brand publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ+ rights, Americans are twice as likely to buy or use the brand.