HelloFresh has stirred up quite a reaction across social media platforms with its latest Pride Month campaign that cheekily suggested ‘prepping’ for intimate moments with high-fiber meals.
The meal-kit provider took to Instagram last Friday, posting a message that read: “We understand that eating might not be your top priority this month. We respect that.”
“However, for those of you who are… getting ready… we offer a wide selection of high-fiber recipes. Happy Pride,” the post continued.
The message quickly gained traction online, with many users expressing support while acknowledging the bold humor of the ad. One commenter playfully suggested, “How about a Pride Month discount code?? BOTTOMSUP.”
The following day, HelloFresh embraced the suggestion, responding to the user with: “Use code BOTTOMSUP for a Pride Month discount @yourguymattyry. You ask, we deliver. Literally.”
The company further promoted the discount code in a subsequent post, highlighting the original user’s comment that sparked the idea.
Although the ad initially received praise, once it began spreading to other corners of the internet and other social media websites, it became clear that the campaign offended many people, even within the LGBTQ+ community.
In a lengthy post on X, a self-identified lesbian named Ani O’Brien wrote: ‘HelloFresh decided that the best way to celebrate Pride Month was to post jokes about preparing for anal sex and offering high-fiber recipes to help people “prep.”‘
A Pride Month advertising campaign by meal-kit delivery company HelloFresh has sparked outrage online. People are pictured holding a rainbow flag at the Utah Pride rally last week
Hello Fresh posted this ad recommending high-fiber recipes for people ‘prepping.’ Reception to the original post was largely positive
The next day, HelloFresh made this second post on Instagram promoting the discount code ‘BOTTOMSUP.’ As this post and the original post spread across the internet, the backlash grew
‘The thing that frustrates me is that people like me have spent years defending gay rights against accusations that we are hypersexual, inappropriate, and incapable of ordinary family life,’ she continued.
‘If you wanted to design an advertisement that would make ordinary people roll their eyes and think Pride is ridiculous, or shield their children’s eyes in horror, you would struggle to do better than this.’
Wade Miller, executive director of Center for Renewing America, likewise posted about the ad on X 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 s***. Bold strategy. Unsubscribed.’
On the HelloFresh Reddit community, a user wrote: ‘Am I the only one who finds this vaguely offensive? to reduce a celebration and awareness month of queer love, identity, culture, art, history to… just f***ing?’
The outrage even spread to the comments of HelloFresh’s second Instagram post promoting the discount code, with several users saying they would cancel or not renew their subscriptions in light of the ad campaign.
‘I was getting ready to start my deliveries again. Well, that will not be happening,’ one commenter wrote.
‘Subscription. Cancelled,’ another said.
Wade Miller, executive director of Center for Renewing America, shared this post criticizing the ad
This commenter on the second HelloFresh post, as well as the commenter below, said they would stop giving the company their business because of the ad
On the other hand, this commenter and the two below said they would support HelloFresh because of the ad
This user recognized that the post went viral and said that made it a successful ad campaign, even if much of the attention was negative
But on the flip side of the outrage, many people also said the ad inspired them to give the company their business.
‘Literally just reactivated my subscription for the first time in five years because of this,’ a commenter said.
‘About to place my first GAY order,’ said a second.
‘Never been a subscriber…. But as a parent of an LGBTQ+ kid… I will be now,’ said a third.
Others also recognized the way the ad campaign went viral and brought a great deal of attention to HelloFresh. Even if much of the attention was negative, that represented a successful marketing campaign, according to some commenters.
‘If a campaign has people talking, sharing, and arguing in the comments, it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do. You stopping your scrolling to comment, means they already won- seems pretty genius to me,’ a user wrote.
