If you mean this about any Christmas, seasonal, 4th of July, Halloween, Easter, etc events… sure. But taking out just the Pride event is targeted.
SolidShake@lemmy.world 2 days ago
In my opinion companies shouldn’t do anything about any month of anything. They often use it as a marketing tactic
Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
anyhow2503@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Probably why the comment you replied to didn’t say that at all.
InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Some what of a tangent on Christmas is that there is the “War on Christmas” narrative. I am always curious about what it is supposed to mean. The Christians that are into it often take capitalism to be good as an axiom the way they do their own faith. Which is at odds with their culture war as capitalist firms are what drive the secularization of Christmas. Would a commercial with Jesus on the cross saying he is thirsty and having a Roman Soldier pass him an ice cold Coca Cola be better?
Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Would a commercial with Jesus on the cross saying he is thirsty and having a Roman Soldier pass him an ice cold Coca Cola be better?
Yes. PLEASE put this on the air. I am begging someone to make this a reality. Also, full disclosure, I do enjoy watching the world burn over stupid shit. Christians losing their shit over THAT commercial would be comically delightful.
NostraDavid@programming.dev 1 day ago
Would a commercial with Jesus on the cross saying he is thirsty and having a Roman Soldier pass him an ice cold Coca Cola be better?
I tried it using Sora, but “This content can’t be shown for now. We’re still developing how we evaluate which content conflicts with our policies. Think we got it wrong? Let us know.”
This was the prompt:
Give me a Coca Cola commercial where Jesus has been nailed to a cross, and says “I’m thirsty”, after which a Roman Soldier passes him an ice cold Coca Cola.
I tried replacing “Jesus” with a man, but no dice :(
jaybone@lemmy.zip 2 days ago
Oddly I don’t think Christians would even be upset about that. You could have it directed by Mel Gibson. They would love it. Because it features their guy. Other than that, there’s no real concept of some sacred image or respectfulness.
It would work with Moses too. Replacement his sandals with some Nikes before he goes out for his walk in the desert. He’s still their guy too, since they have the Old Testament.
But try that with Mohammed or Vishnu, and there’s your war on Christmas.
atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Where I am from several years ago the city renamed the Christmas Parade to Holiday Parade in a bid to be inclusive of other winter holidays. A small subset of citizens got butt hurt and have held a competing Christmas Parade several times.
Apparently the war on Christmas is acknowledging that there are other options.
kelpie_returns@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Half agree. Even if many of them are just money-hungry, there is still a ton of non-fiscal value in making it clear that queerness is not a shameful anomaly and can instead be a point of both strength and pride. Lots of kids out there are stuck in families that want them to believe the exact opposite, when they genuinely need to know that the world has more to offer than just that.
I don’t appreciate companies trying to capitalize on this, but as a friend and sibling to many queer folk (and as well as being a bit fruity myself, even if not fully this or that), I think this visibility is currently very necessary and possibly even life saving for some severely stuck folks. Even if the motivation is obviously crook, I can get behind giving those people the inspiration they need to accept and understand themselves in spite of those who would rather see them hating themselves or worse.
Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Its a tradeoff, we know they only do things for the bottom line but having pridr celebrations did reinforce exactly what the pride movement wanted to push. My work isnt that bad tbh they have a committee that runs talks and discussions on equity and exclusion and the likes. The committee likely doesnt cost much, but they get to champion it and the people in that community feel welcomed and it does help breakdown barriers.
SolidShake@lemmy.world 1 day ago
My work turns pride month/mens mental health month into (we want to sell 3500 cars this month and also donate a few dollars to make a wish)
Better than nothing I guess. But still kinda shitty.
andros_rex@lemmy.world 1 day ago
RuneScape regularly does holiday events. Theyve done it for Christmas and Halloween - like, the Christmas hats are the iconic RuneScape thing. People have paid obscene amounts of real money for them. This was no different. You get fun little items for completing a silly little quest. It’s not even like mega gay, it’s just cute and inclusive.
SolidShake@lemmy.world 1 day ago
First time I played RuneScape was this year. The Easter stuff was fun to do.
Crikeste@lemm.ee 2 days ago
Can something be good and also a marketing tactic?
SolidShake@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Not while racism and sexism exists unfortunately
Crikeste@lemm.ee 2 days ago
I’m trying to understand your point, but I’m a little lost here.
Do you mean the way the public reacted to their ad?
Or the way they capitulated to that reaction?
I mean: Yes racism and sexism are pervasive in our society, but using Ben and Jerry’s as an example; they do heavy marketing tactics toward LGBTQ but they are also an ally.
Does them utilizing that make them bad?
SolidShake@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Well, the example of bud light is they made their can rainbow color, while the LGBT community was like “hell yeah!” They lost almost all their hillbilly south customer base.
kruhmaster@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
[deleted]BossDj@lemm.ee 2 days ago
Santa’s Red suit was a staple, at least in American advertising, for decades before coca cola did it
kruhmaster@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Eat my ass
tonytins@pawb.social 2 days ago
It’s a bit of a catch-22. As much as companies would want to, they have to maintain customer loyalty, or they risk losing money.
KubrickFR@lemmy.world 2 days ago
NIB@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I used to believe that too, because it was pointless. But it seems that i was wrong. The fact that it was pointless, means that the corporations felt comfortable with using and abusing that to maximize profit. And the fact that they are afraid to do that, indicates how fucked things are now.
So i am ok with corporations using movements for marketing reasons, because ultimately this is the canary in the mine. If the corporations consider it a brand risk, then society is moving towards the wrong direction.
Zorque@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I’m not comfortable with companies using any kind of marketing tactics. Because 99 times out of a 100 it’s speedy and underhanded.
But since they’re going to be doing it anyways, doing it with pride, or disenfranchised demographics, at least normalizes their humanity. Which, at the end of the day, is the point of pride month et al.
redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Take it easy there, Chicken Little. “I’m uncomfortable with any kind of marketing” is so hyperbolic, it’s almost parody. Putting the name of your business above the door? Thats marketing. Creating a website where customers can find and engage your services? That’s marketing. A minority-owned business proudly owning that status? That’s marketing. A friend telling you about the great meal they had the other day from a local restaurant? Believe it or not, that’s marketing.
Marketing is not evil in and of itself. Unless humanity returns to a tribal social structure where you can count the number of non-related acquaintances you know on your fingers, it is a necessary component of operating a business. Of course, you’re 100% right that there have been dubious applications of the principle, but again, you’re throwing the baby out with the bath water, and it hampers the salient point that you’re trying to make.
Zorque@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Sure, if you only take it at it’s most extreme and dont use a little bit of critical thinking. I specifically referenced companies in a thread about large corporations manipulating social issues for their own gain. I also gave wiggle room with the 99 out of a 100 reference.
I think you also cast far too wide a net with your definitions of marketing, especially in the context of the conversation happening.
I’d check your own sky to be absolutely sure it’s falling before throwing aspersions like that around. You may have a hysterical over-exaggeration of your own there.
Flames5123@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
So there shouldn’t be a poster on a wooden pole for a new corner store? How about fancy signs? No happy hours either?
Zorque@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I’m perfectly fine without those, yeah. Though you seem to be taking my meaning to a more extreme degree than was inferred.