Every Single Company in June TASTE THE PANDERING brands gone bad
The image features a bold, colorful graphic that parodies corporate branding during Pride month. At the top, a rainbow, symbolic of LGBTQ+ pride, bends as it bears the text “Every Single Company in June.” The rainbow's colors spread downwards like an outstretched fan or perhaps beams of light, occupying most of the image's space, which may be reminiscent of company attempts to include rainbow motifs in their branding or products.
Below the rainbow, overlaying the bottom part of the color beams, is a contrasting white banner with the words “TASTE THE PANDERING” in capital letters, suggesting a bitingly satirical tone. The choice of words plays on marketing slogans that usually entice consumers with phrases such as “Taste the feeling” or similar. The twist here subtly critiques companies for their perceived ingenuity and pandering to consumer groups during specific moments, implying the taste here is not of a product but of a disingenuous marketing strategy.
The humor in this image arises from the satirical take on how some companies approach Pride month. The image implies that every company jumps on the bandwagon during June, adopting the rainbow as a temporary symbol of support for the LGBTQ+ community. This widespread practice has sometimes been criticized as superficial or opportunistic, rather than representing a genuine commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and issues, and the image plays on that criticism.
The concept of "pandering" is often associated with actions that are seen as insincere and done only to gain approval or benefit. By declaring that consumers can "taste" the pandering, the image humorously equates the corporate shift to rainbow branding in June to an artificial flavor in a product, thereby critiquing the depth of corporate engagement with Pride.
The image's humor connects with a skeptical audience that may view corporate participation in Pride as more transactional than transformational. There's an underlying message that despite the colorful displays, the true colors of these companies might be revealed once the month ends, and the rainbows fade, indicating the temporary nature of this support.
Finally, the presence of a small attribution to a social media source, “@brands_gone_bad,” along the bottom edge adds to the satirical flavor. It suggests a broader commentary on brand behaviors and indicates that the image is likely part of a larger discourse on the authenticity of corporate social engagement practices. People who share this view may find the image both funny and a valid expression of their skepticism towards corporate motives during cultural events like Pride month. Every Single Company in June TASTE THE PANDERING brands gone bad
