PepsiCo's subsidiaries, Frito-Lay and Doritos, have been embroiled in a controversy following their recent appointment of transgender activist Samantha Hudson as a brand ambassador.
The controversy stems from the discovery of explicit and inappropriate social media posts made by Hudson, which include references to a minor.
One of the contentious posts stated, I want to do hooligan things, like putting a 12-year-old girl in the a**. Other posts included explicit references to a minor relative and derogatory comments about rape victims.
The controversy led to the hashtag #BoycottDoritos trending on social media platforms, as users expressed their outrage over the brand's association with Hudson.
Doritos is no stranger to controversy. In 2015, the brand began offering rainbow-themed products in support of LGBT issues, a move that was seen as a form of social justice activism within the snack food industry. In June 2020, Doritos was reported to have participated in a boycott of Facebook, aimed at pressuring the platform to ban conservative voices, including former President Donald Trump.
However, the recent controversy involving Hudson has overshadowed these previous issues. The backlash was so severe that Doritos terminated Hudson's contract just two days after her appointment.
According to the Daily Mail, Doritos severed ties with Hudson, who had appeared in one of its promotional videos, after being alerted to her inappropriate tweets. The brand stated to Rolling Stone that it was previously unaware of Hudson's explicit posts.
Hudson, born Ivn Gonzlez Ranedo, has identified herself as an 'anti-capitalist' and 'Marxist' in interviews. She has also expressed her desire to 'destroy and annihilate the traditional monogamous nuclear family.'
This incident serves as a reminder of the potential pitfalls of virtue signaling, as demonstrated by Bud Light's unsuccessful campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which led to a significant drop in beer sales. Similarly, high-end fashion brand Balenciaga faced global outrage after their advertisements, which contained subliminal messages promoting pedophilia and child pornography, were unveiled.
Login