Key Terms
The use of activism as branding rather than as an action.
Woke washing
We’ve read many works on the relationship between consumption and sexual identities, which could apply to the Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney partnership.
Breazele, Comeforo, (Jhally v. Twitchell, Glickman, Friedan, Gill, etc.)
Has advertising always had diversity as a goal? Give an example to support your answer.
No. (any example from out-of-class/in-class texts acceptable)
Why did some people see this partnership as positive?
Putting a trans woman in the public eye; visibility
How an individual chooses to define their gender.
Gender identity
"Rainbow capitalism” from the Comeforo reading is a critique of what?
A company profits from gay identities, but then consumer backlash happens, and the LGBTQIA+ community receives no support from said company.
Why has social media increased LGBTQ representation in advertising?
Platforms like Instagram allow brands to work directly with influencers and connect with diverse audiences more openly.
Following the advertisement, what did Conservatives like American musician Kid Rock and Florida governor Ron DeSantis do?
Social media boycott
The way a company chooses to present itself to its consumers.
Brand identity
What are the similarities in marketing strategy between Esquire magazine and Bud Light’s typical advertisement (i.e., not this partnership with Mulvaney)?
Marketing toward men; Esquire developed a manly brand and targeted consumption at men, and Bud Light and the beer market in general are usually advertised towards men
Has gender representation in advertisements changed over time? Or has it mainly been the strategy?
Representation has changed with increased diversity and visibility, but the idea of using one's gender to sell products remains the same. (Breazale and May)
What did Bud Light do after there was backlash on this partnership?
Nothing. They distanced themselves from Mulvaney and let her take all the hate and backlash.
The idea that gender is created through repeated actions and social expectations.
Butler's Theory of performativity
How do critics’ definition of "rainbow capitalism” apply to the Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney partnership?
“[T]here was a critique of… a lack of brand support and advocacy for transgender people after the backlash.”
Is advertising shaping culture or reflecting it?
Advertising reflects both cultural shifts and actively shapes social norms. (Glickman, May)
Why did participants in the study believe there was a misalignment between brand image and influencer image?
Bud Light is “a man’s beer,” supporting toxic masculinity. Mulvaney is a trans woman. Also, Mulvaney has no connection to sports (March Madness advertisement)
When people feel excluded by an advertisement because they are not the intended audience.
Non-target market effect
How would Breazeale critique the Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney partnership?
Society devalues women, so the mostly older male consumers of Bud Light at face value see a misalignment with the product advertised by Dylan Mulvaney (on top of the fact that she’s a trans woman)
Do consumers respond better to implicit or explicit LGBTQ+ messaging in advertising?
Depends; a straight homosexual audience receives implicit advertising better, though most Americans have a growing demand for more diversity in advertising.
What did some non LGBTQ participants use to describe what they thought Mulvaney was doing through this advertisement (believing Mulvaney’s portrayal of womanhood as offensive to women)? (Hint: 2-word concept)
“Performing femininity”