• by Tanya Gazdik , 11 hours ago

While some brands have retreated from DEI efforts, including LGBTQ+, HelloFresh is leaning into Pride Month.

“HelloFresh really lived up to its Instagram bio — ‘stop scrolling, start stirring,’” according to PRWeek. “Seemingly referencing the way gay men prepare for anal sex by increasing fiber intake, an Instagram post from HelloFresh said, ‘We know eating isn’t always a top priority this month. We respect that. But for those of you who are … prepping … we have an extensive lineup of high-fiber recipes available. Happy Pride.’  HelloFresh later dropped a Pride Month promo code, 'BOTTOMSUP' at the request of a fan’s comment.”

The suggestive post from the meal kit delivery service has been met with reactions both positive and negative. As of Monday night, nearly 106.9k had liked the Insta post, 6.1k commented and 2.7k have reposted it.  But not all have been positive. Some said it was unnecessarily sexually explicit. 

“Wade Miller, executive director of Center for Renewing America, also shared a screenshot of the post and wrote, ‘Interesting choice by @HelloFresh. It wasn’t enough for them to merely celebrate Pride Month, they went the extra mile in associating their food with human a--holes, enemas, and sh--. Bold strategy. Unsubscribed,’” according to Fox News, which also provided a sampling of positive comments. 

The post has gone viral and “there are calls to boycott the company altogether,” according to The Tab. “The conversation has very much taken a turn into people now using it to pedal their personal opinions about Pride Month, and it’s all escalated quite out of control” with the word "woke" being posted “many, many times.”

Detractors have compared the social media-only campaign to “other recent corporate marketing misfires that became lightning rods in broader cultural debates, including campaigns from Bud Light and Jaguar,” according to GreenProphet. 

On Instagram, many fans were all for the brand’s creative approach. The comment section was filled with praise, with one person writing, “This is what happens when a brand trusts its marketing team. Excellent work.” Hello Fresh’s Pride statement also made its way to X where the reception wasn’t as positive.

“This isn’t the first time a brand has gotten cheeky with its marketing for Pride,” according to Syracuse.com “In 2022, food delivery service Postmates launched ‘bottom-friendly’ menu meant for people engaging in anal sex.”