As a brand, Skittles has been supportive of the LGBTQ+ community for quite some time. For the last four years, they’ve partnered with GLAAD to “rewrite the script for LGBTQ+ acceptance.”
Ryan Pardo-Roques, senior brand manager at Mars, the parent company of Skittles, talked about the brand’s commitment to the community during a promotion for a Pride campaign in the UK. He explained, “[We] have been on a journey with our work and allyship of the LGBTQ+ community for almost a decade. As we enter Pride month, we’re bound to see brands use this moment to speak to the LGBTQ+ community but it’s important to ensure this is backed by credible partnerships, action and extends all year round.”
If you go to the Skittles website, you’ll be met with a tab in the main navigation labeled “Skittles Pride.” On the page, it highlights their partnership with GLAAD, gives details about their Pride campaigns, and other collaborations that elevate the stories and talents of people within the community. There’s even a special podcast series with comedian, actor, and writer Cameron Esposito.
All this context of the brand’s long history with their commitment and support of the LGBTQ+ community is important in when considering the attention the brand is getting now.
Over the past few days, there have been outrage from some consumers who came across Skittles packaging for this year’s Pride Packs. The Pride-themed packaging includes designs from LGBTQ+ designers, including one that has the phrase “Black Trans Lives Matter.”
There are a number of Tweets and other commentary on social media with angry consumers calling for a boycott of the candy brand. Others are even encouraging people in their network to give Skittles the “Bud Light treatment.”
Marketers watched the backlash unfold for brands like Target, Sports Illustrated, and Adidas in response to campaigns that included or supported transgender and non-binary people. Many of those marketers and business leaders got more nervous with reports of the subsequent negative impact on sales for BudLight when a group of angry consumers grew irate over their partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. As a result, some marketers even became fearful about moving forward with their inclusive marketing campaigns.
Calls For Boycotts Have Been Largely Ineffective At Changing Brands’ Commitment To Inclusion
But like Skittles, the brands that have been facing the ire of consumer groups for their inclusive marketing campaigns and advocacy this year specifically, are not new to inclusion on the whole, or their support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Both Target and Bud Light have had campaigns celebrating Pride month, partnering with organizations supporting LGBTQ+ causes, and even incorporating the community in their marketing for more than 10 years.
Sports Illustrated has featured three transgender swimsuit models in their swimsuit edition over the past five years, and Adidas has also shown it’s support for the community for a number of years as well.
And as these brands have been clear about ensuring the LGBTQ+ community feels seen, supported, and like they belong with them, up until this year there has been very little consumer backlash to their campaigns.
All of these brands (Bud Light is a more complicated case) are still leaning into inclusion and the support of the LGBTQ+ community specifically.
Their roots in support of the community go deep. The brands have invested time, resources, built relationships, and seen the positive impact their inclusion and advocacy has had on both individuals and the community. They’ve connected their support for the community with their values and core beliefs.
As a result, this year’s call for boycotts don’t change their support for the LGBTQ+ community. They aren’t abandoning the friends they’ve made and what they stand for because some consumers don’t like it.
These brands are able to stand firm even under the threat of losing some existing customers as they include people from marginalized communities, for a simple reason. Their commitment to inclusive marketing isn’t just about sales.
Yes, these brands are businesses, and for-profit companies need to make money. But if their support was just about getting certain customer groups to buy their stuff, then a drop in sales would warrant a reevaluation of strategy and specific customer groups they are targeting.
Effective inclusive marketing is more than just about the marketing. While including more customers because you’ll make more sales may be a starting point for some brands with inclusive marketing, that mindset isn’t sustainable. Consumers, particularly those from marginalized communities can sniff out when brands are not genuine. Belonging can’t be faked over the long-term.
Business is about belonging.
The relationships you build with the communities you serve will fuel them feeling like they belong with you. When you protect those relationships, by standing up for the people you serve, especially those from marginalized communities, you’ll strengthen the sense of belonging they have with you.
Skittles and other brands continue to stand with the marginalized communities they’ve chosen to serve. As you go further in your quest to include more customers, know that standing with marginalized communities even in the face of opposition is a cost of building relationships that lead to belonging and loyalty.
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