Big brands are pulling back on Pride merchandise and events this year.
For the last several years, Pride Month was a splashy marketing event for big brands. Stores adorned windows with rainbow flags, displayed LGBTQ-themed t-shirts and coffee mugs at their entrances, changed their logos on social media accounts, and spotlighted donations to LGBTQ rights groups.
But this Pride Month, many retail chains and brands are going quiet.
Companies are treading lightly, avoiding prominent campaigns and visible public support. Thirty-nine percent say they plan to scale back public Pride Month engagements this year, according to a survey of more than 200 corporate executives by Gravity Research, a risk management advisory. That includes sponsoring Pride events, posting supportive messages of LGBTQ rights on social media and selling Pride-themed merchandise.
Consumer brands are wary of provoking right-wing customers and activists, and they fear reprisals from President Donald Trump’s administration. Federal agencies have threatened to investigate companies with diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Many businesses are tightening their advertising spending due to economic uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs. Butbusinesses cited pressure from the Trump administration as the primary reason for changing their Pride Month approach, according to the survey.
“It’s clear that the administration and their supporters are driving the change,” said Luke Hartig, the president of Gravity Research. “Companies are under increasing pressure not to engage and speak out on issues.”
The subdued approach marks a shift for businesses, which used to turn the annual June celebration of LGBTQ Americans into a branded holiday. It’s part of a broader pivot in corporate America, with many businesses scrapping some of their programs to advance diversity in the workplace under pressure from the Trump administration and Republican activists.
Advocates for gay, lesbian and transgender Americans say the Trump administration’s opposition makes it harder for businesses to compete, innovate and attract talent. They also warn that companies risk losing business by downplaying support for their growing number of gay, lesbian and transgender customers and workers. The proportion of American adults who identify as LGBTQ has risen to 9.3% of the population.
“By weaponizing federal agencies like the EEOC and the Justice Department to intimidate companies that support LGBTQ+ inclusion, this administration is creating an anti-business, anti-worker atmosphere,” said Eric Bloem, the vice president of corporate citizenship at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
Many businesses have stopped participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s scorecard on corporate policies and benefits for LGBTQ employees due to backlash.
“Companies that show up only when it’s convenient, or backtrack the moment there’s political pressure, risk losing trust and credibility,” Bloem said.
