Major Brands Continue to Work with Transgender Influencer Despite Controversy

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Major consumer brands are continuing to partner with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender social media influencer, despite the controversy over a recent sponsored post with brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev. Mulvaney shared a sponsored post on Instagram revealing a new partnership with Nike, following an April 1 Instagram post with Bud Light which resulted in calls for a boycott and a drop in sales. However, negative reactions are often temporary, and brands can benefit from the controversy, says Thor Harris, the founder of communications and marketing firm Percepture. In fact, consumers are four times more likely to buy a product from a company they believe has a purpose and six times more likely to defend it if it makes a mistake, according to a 2020 study by communications agency Zeno. While companies may have different approval gates for their influencers, the strategy of partnering with them is intentional. Mulvaney has also partnered with cosmetics brand L’Oréal, fashion brand Aritzia, Rent the Runway, Kate Spade, and more. LGBTQ+ advocates have criticized Anheuser-Busch for not defending Mulvaney amid the backlash.

Re-reported from the story originally published in MarketWatch.com