North Face launches “Summer of Pride” with drag video amidst Bud Light and Target controversy.

The North Face Launches “Summer of Pride” Promotion

Despite ongoing customer boycotts against Bud Light and a new controversy with Target’s latest Pride Month push, outdoor sports gear brand The North Face just debuted an over-the-top “Summer of Pride” promotion on social media.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pattie Gonia (@pattiegonia)

The video promo boasted that the event “Summer of Pride” would include “hiking, community, art, lesbians” and “lesbians making art.” The company sponsored the same event last summer in multiple cities.

This year, Summer of Pride will be visiting Atlanta and Salt Lake City. 

“Nature lets you be who you are, so, for the second year in a row [North Face] is hosting Summer of Pride together with [Pattie Gonia] (they/she) to celebrate you and all the beautiful ways you get outside,” the post caption says.

“And because we believe that exploration can take many shapes and forms, we’re making these events so much more than just a hiking tour. We’ll have workshops, panels and activities for all individuals who love to be outside,” it says.

Commenters had mixed reactions to the video.

• “Sexual preference doesn’t need to be showcased in every single brand to sell stuff,” one person wrote.
• “Y’all gonna learn reallllll quick. You push an agenda that goes against THE MAJORITY OF your customers values, you gonna lose customers. You’re digging your own grave that’s what doesn’t make sense to me,” another user wrote.

An official North Face Instagram account, The North Face Trail, addressed the negative comments in the thread.

“We recognize the opportunity our brand has to shape the future of the outdoors and we want that future to be a more accepting and loving place,” the statement said

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases