One of the proven ways you know a trend is dead is when a corporation attempts to monetize the popularity. An offshoot of this tone-deaf messaging seen from big business is when they attempt to wade into the social activist realm.
The term “Get Woke, Go Broke” was made for a reason. Without fail when companies try their hand at virtue-signaling they end up looking at self-created problems. Enter the British division of Budweiser. Their advertising arm was determined to make the proper gestures as June is Gay Pride Month, but it ran into challenges.
The brand, which has long marketed to gay markets, attempted to expand on the inclusiveness but was unsure where it should stop.
In 2017 the city of Philadelphia added a black and brown stripe to the classic rainbow design, to better represent people of colour within the community. It has since been flown at Prides around the world. pic.twitter.com/EAWDUaUocs
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
Already there are issues.
I thought the whole point of a rainbow was to avoid race….
At least when it comes to pride
— The Undead Centurion ? (@Dude82Joyful) June 3, 2019
the black and brown strips are unneeded, it was just shoehorned in by race obsessed trogs that attack gay/bi people because they want to be "the most opressed"
the rainbow has nothing to do with skin color…— Mako, Queen of Spiders (@SpiderQueenMako) June 3, 2019
Maybe tell that to the intersectionalists? They insist that they have it worse for that very reason.
No white stripe?! This is RACIST!!
— Lefty Stubbs (@lefty_stubbs69) June 3, 2019
So much for white gays.
— Josh The Amazing Magikarp Trainer (@mordennight) June 3, 2019
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Are black people a gender now?
Because if they are, maybe we can give them separate bathrooms again?
— Matt ⚒️ Parrott (@MatthewParrott) June 3, 2019
Oh hell, this can turn into a Gordian knot of a hornet’s nest!
Not content to have muddled the issue Bud UK went further. Turns out they realized there are numerous splinter groups within the Pride movement, and you cannot risk alienating anyone when you are properly virtue signaling.
Pink is for femininity, blue for masculinity, while purple represents a mix of the two. Black represents lack of gender, and white stands for all genders. pic.twitter.com/8FhWly9Sk0
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
And …
Yellow is for those whose gender exists outside of the gender binary. White is for people with many genders. Purple is for those who feel a mix of female and male, and
black is for those who feel they are without gender entirely. pic.twitter.com/K1aPAnKMcY— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
But wait now — we already established the black stripe was for the race. now…what are we to interpret?
Designed by Monica Helms, blue represents male, pink female, and white is for those transitioning or who consider themselves to have a neutral or undefined gender. pic.twitter.com/ho9XWgocBB
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
We can guess, the white stripe will represent a black person who is transitioning…maybe???
While this flag is commonly used, it isn’t the only one. If you look around, you might see a version with a kiss in the corner, representing lipstick lesbians, or a purple flag with a double headed axe for labrys lesbian feminist pride. pic.twitter.com/E0IgE7PYud
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
Now there is MORE confusion. Are not lesbians included in the original flag? Theirs is the first letter in the alphabet string — LGBTQ+. It is starting to look like either the Gay Pride flag will need to be four feet in length, with color stripes thinner than piano wire.
Blue symbolises male attraction, pink female attraction, and yellow attraction to other genders. pic.twitter.com/DY1qhJQv5J
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
But…there was already a yellow stripe, and it is for those outside the gender binary, on the original flag.
Black is for asexuals who don’t feel sexual attraction to anyone. Grey is for grey-asexuals, who sometimes feel sexual attraction, and demi-sexuals who only feel it if they know someone well. White nods to non-asexual allies, and purple represents the whole community. pic.twitter.com/CfAExuxb99
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
Wait, wait — WAIT. This becomes the THIRD interpretation of the black stripe. And white represents “non-asexual allies”. So simply being sexual gives you an independent stripe…for…?
Magenta is for same-gender attraction, blue is for attraction to genders other than your own, and lavender (a mix of the two) represents attraction to your own and other genders, though some interpret it differently. pic.twitter.com/BRWeTo2C5j
— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) May 31, 2019
Uh, magenta essentially means you are then attracted to anyone, it seems, and even THAT is open for debate. By this point the migraine that is induced requires something far more potent than a light beer.
Ultimately this is all harmless, and the company seems to be making an effort, but at the same time, they also seem to be trying too hard. Is it not enough to simply indicate you are inclusive? This need to list off every single facet of a movement seems rather laborious.
Maybe — and this is not the opinion of a professional marketer, mind you — spend more of that energy making a beer people will enjoy drinking? Just spitballing ideas here…
For sane people, this Ad campaign alone sums up how mad society has become.
— lizgosnell (@GosnellLiz) June 3, 2019
Stick with the Dilly Dilly ads and call it a day.
— Kevin Morrison (@KMorrisonATL) June 3, 2019
Honestly, those commercials do not make much more sense, so this may be a wash.
And believe it or not, there were still those who were not satisfied that enough groups were not included.
Why did you guys exclude bears and the leather community? pic.twitter.com/9LLwquoS1l
— ???? ??????? (@folksy_sean) June 2, 2019
Leather is a kink. Bears are covered under the rainbow flag. Same with lipstick lesbians being grouped with the regular lesbian flag. This is more information than I’ve ever seen a brand present for #PrideMonth— usually they just slap on a rainbow and go. I’m surprised.
— Bailey Rose Boyle (@BaileyRoseBoyle) June 3, 2019
No love for the aros though, huh? pic.twitter.com/DrFvm0DQ1p
— Stephanie Santos (@sanstar922) May 31, 2019
if you’re trans and ace/aro, you’re included. if you’re a lesbian who’s ace or aro, you’re included. if you’re gay that’s ace or aro, you’re included. if you’re bi and ace or aro, you’re included. if you’re a cishet ace/are you’re not included.
— ursula ? (thank you peepee) (@ursulartoot) June 2, 2019
Imagine going to these lengths just to find out if this beer is appropriate for you to drink, or not. The slide rule and flow chart needed to do any grocery shopping must be exhausting.
One question from a liquor fan: if a person was to drink their bourbon straight, would that make them automatically intolerant???
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