Pride month is a flashpoint for accusations being levelled at brands, with 40% of all mentions coming during Pride month in June.

Brands caught up in rainbow washing controversies include:

• Burger King with its infamous Pride Whopper, which allowed customers to order their burger with same-sided bun halves. This Austrian ad campaign (for which the agency quickly apologised) has now reached urban myth status and is repeated regularly across the world as the archetype of bad-taste Pride branding.

• Starbucks, with reports that some of its stores in the US had banned Pride decorations, undermining its support for the cause in other parts of the world and showing the challenges multinational brands face in displaying consistent company values in an increasingly digitised world.

However, other brands’ experiences demonstrate the flip-side of showing Pride colours – especially US brands considered to have socially conservative customer bases. Such examples show how campaigns can incite widespread public anger – attracting accusations of insincere rainbow washing and even boycotts for going too far.

• Anheuser-Bush is believed to have lost sales for Bud Light after a partnership with a transgender influencer.

• Whereas, the US chain Cracker Barrel found its Pride rocking chairs were poorly received all round.

When brands enter such territory, they need to do so with their eyes open and a full appreciation of the issues at stake. They should:

• Be consistent – if Pride’s values and inclusivity are core to what the business does then it should be prepared to live by those beliefs, even (and especially) when it is hard to do so. For example, multinational brands can’t pick and choose their beliefs depending on the local market and still expect to be considered authentic.
• Be transparent – if delivering progressive business marketing is challenging, then it’s important to say so and explain why. Brands aren’t perfect and will make mistakes, but they should own those errors and commit to try harder.
• Not expect praise – in fact, the response may be suspicious and cynical. Brands can only prove values over time and by withstanding times when they are put under stress.
• Build community partnerships – enabling LGBTQ+ staff and customers to shape and deliver campaigns. They should listen to these stakeholders, learn and adapt to what they hear.

And if they can’t do that, they should keep out of it!

However, there are some examples that show that if the marketing is good enough, even the most cynical observer can’t help but be won over. Perhaps the best recent examples of this are some of McDonald’s efforts – such as this ad, with one tweeter summing up the audience response as “Is it rainbow washing? Yes. Does it warm my gay little heart? Also yes.”

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A recent news story reported that TotalEnergies, a French oil company, has initiated legal proceedings against Greenpeace, accusing the organisation of making misleading claims about its carbon emissions. This move could potentially set a precedent for other major corporations to fight back against environmental advocacy and activism from pressure groups.

But is this adversarial approach helpful? How will it affect public opinion and the arenas of politics and financial markets? More importantly, is this a productive way to achieve the ultimate goal of achieving net zero and limiting climate change?

At Sensu Insight, we understand the importance of effective communication strategies in the area of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. We believe in building a positive and transparent reputation, rather than using legal threats as a tool to silence critics.

Our Greenwashing report highlights the importance of accurate and honest communication, rather than false claims or misleading information. We also offer a range of services to help businesses and organisations track audience perceptions and create effective ESG communication strategies.

While the trend of “greenslapping” is a concerning development, we believe that the best way to build a positive reputation and contribute to the fight against climate change is through transparency, accountability, and genuine efforts to reduce environmental impact.

To learn more about our ESG communication strategies and audience perception tracking, please visit our website and download our Greenwashing report.

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