Doritos has recently cut ties with a Spanish transgender influencer, Samantha Hudson, following the resurfacing of old controversial tweets. This move comes in the wake of calls for a boycott, reminiscent of a similar situation involving Bud Light.
Key Takeaway
Doritos has severed ties with transgender influencer Samantha Hudson due to the resurfacing of controversial tweets, leading to a swift response and termination of their partnership to mitigate potential backlash.
Controversy and Backlash
The 24-year-old influencer, Samantha Hudson, who had recently featured in a Doritos advertisement in Spain, faced criticism after right-leaning individuals brought attention to a past social media post. The post allegedly contained inappropriate content, leading to backlash against both Hudson and Doritos for their partnership with a transgender woman.
The controversial post, dating back to 2015, was reportedly deleted from Hudson’s account but had been circulated online. Following the public outcry, Doritos removed their promotional content featuring Hudson, and she subsequently lost a significant number of followers on social media.
Boycott and Response
The hashtag #BoycottDoritos gained traction online, prompting Doritos Spain to terminate their collaboration with Samantha Hudson. The company stated that they were unaware of her previous tweets when they initially engaged her and emphasized their condemnation of any form of violence or sexism.
Amid the controversy, Samantha Hudson issued an apology for the resurfaced posts, expressing a lack of recollection of writing such content almost a decade ago. She acknowledged her past behavior as “nonsense” in the context of dark humor.
Similarities to Previous Incidents
This incident draws parallels to a previous boycott involving Anheuser Busch and Bud Light, which faced backlash after appointing a transgender individual as an ambassador. Unlike the prolonged situation with Bud Light, Doritos swiftly opted to end their association with Samantha Hudson to avoid potential repercussions.