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The marketing controversies tied to Dylan Mulvaney continue.
The actress, social-media personality and transgender activist, who celebrated her transition with a “365 days of being a girl” campaign, partnered with Bud Light on a promotion earlier this year. The end result was that the beer brand faced significant transphobic backlash, with the musician Kid Rock going so far as to post a video online showing him opening fire on cases of Bud Light.
Now, Mulvaney’s partnership with another brand — the Maybelline cosmetics line — is prompting a similar response.
In recent days, there have been calls aplenty on social media to boycott Maybelline products.
Adding to the ongoing issues: Two Bud Light marketing executives are now on company leave, according to news reports.
MarketWatch reached out to representatives for L’Oréal OR , the parent company of Maybelline, and Anheuser-Busch BUD , the parent company of Bud Light, for comment, but didn’t receive an immediate response.
Earlier this month, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told MarketWatch that the company “works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics.”
The calls to boycott Bud Light may have had an initial effect on business. The New York Post reported Monday that the brand’s weekly sales declined by 17% for the seven-day period ending April 15.
Still, branding experts who spoke with MarketWatch earlier this month said promotions with trans activists can work in a company’s favor. They said it can cement a brand’s connection with a younger demographic that is often supportive of transgender rights.
Matthew Berman, chief executive of Emerald Digital, a marketing company based in New York and New Orleans, said brands are aware of the risks — and rewards — when they engage in partnerships with figures like Mulvaney.
“They’ve made the calculations,” Berman said.
The marketing controversies tied to Dylan Mulvaney continue.
The actress, social-media personality and transgender activist, who celebrated her transition with a “365 days of being a girl” campaign, partnered with Bud Light on a promotion earlier this year. The end result was that the beer brand faced significant transphobic backlash, with the musician Kid Rock going so far as to post a video online showing him opening fire on cases of Bud Light.
Now, Mulvaney’s partnership with another brand — the Maybelline cosmetics line — is prompting a similar response.
In recent days, there have been calls aplenty on social media to boycott Maybelline products.
Adding to the ongoing issues: Two Bud Light marketing executives are now on company leave, according to news reports.
MarketWatch reached out to representatives for L’Oréal OR , the parent company of Maybelline, and Anheuser-Busch BUD , the parent company of Bud Light, for comment, but didn’t receive an immediate response.
Earlier this month, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told MarketWatch that the company “works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics.”
The calls to boycott Bud Light may have had an initial effect on business. The New York Post reported Monday that the brand’s weekly sales declined by 17% for the seven-day period ending April 15.
Still, branding experts who spoke with MarketWatch earlier this month said promotions with trans activists can work in a company’s favor. They said it can cement a brand’s connection with a younger demographic that is often supportive of transgender rights.
Matthew Berman, chief executive of Emerald Digital, a marketing company based in New York and New Orleans, said brands are aware of the risks — and rewards — when they engage in partnerships with figures like Mulvaney.
“They’ve made the calculations,” Berman said.
