Disney’s “diversity officer,” Latondra Newton, is leaving the company to “pursue other endeavors.” She has been in the role since 2017, and her stated aim was to produce films that “reflect a global audience and sustain a welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone.” Her departure comes as Disney suffers losses of millions of dollars thanks to increasingly “woke” output that is flopping at the box office.
Most of the movies produced by Disney since 2017 have underperformed but have taken a downward spiral over the past year. The Little Mermaid, in which the central character was black, cost $250 million to produce but took in $95 million on its opening weekend. By the following week, income had dropped to $40 million.
Similarly, Elemental, which features a cross-cultural relationship and is intended to reflect the immigrant experience, suffered the worst opening weekend in the decades-long history of Pixar – an animation studio owned by Disney. Elemental also included the first “non-binary” character in a children’s film.
It is unclear how much money Disney has lost on its “woke” flops, but some press reports suggest it could be as high as $900 million. Many conservatives maintain that the Hollywood elite is out of touch with the mainstream public that wants to be entertained rather than bombarded with political messaging.
Bud Light’s owner Anheuser-Busch also miscalculated in this regard and lost almost 30% of its annual revenue – as well as the responsible marketing staff.
Previously America’s number one beer, Bud Light promotors decided to sign transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote its product. The immediate backlash sent a strong message to the St. Louis-based brewer which cut ties with the marketing company that brought Mulvaney on board.
Attempts to win back its customers with patriotic adverts featuring everyday Americans enjoying the summer have largely been rejected as too little, too late. Alissa Heinerscheid, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, and her boss Daniel Blake were both placed “on leave.”
