Companies are running away from DEI. One of America’s biggest beauty brands is standing firm
CNN
Some of the biggest brands in America, including Amazon, Meta, Walmart and McDonald’s, have recently changed or ended their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. But e.l.f. Beauty, a popular cosmetics brand, is a rare company vocally touting its diversity efforts and inclusive marketing like its “So Many Dicks” campaign.
Some of the biggest brands in America, including Amazon, Meta, Walmart and McDonald’s, have recently changed or ended their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. But e.l.f. Beauty, a popular cosmetics brand, is a rare company vocally touting its diversity efforts and inclusive marketing like its “So Many Dicks” campaign. The provocative advertising campaign last year highlighted that nearly as many men named Richard, Rick or Dick served on public US company boards as women altogether. “There’s nothing wrong with being Richard, Rick or Dick, but we wanted to shine a light on ‘let’s give other people a chance’ because we’ve seen the benefits in our own business,” e.l.f. CEO Tarang Amin said in an interview last week with CNN. E.l.f is one of only two publicly traded companies with a board that’s more than 78% women and 44% people of color. E.l.f, which stands for “eye, lip, face” and sells at Walmart, Target and Walgreens is making the business case for diversity efforts at a moment when these initiatives are under attack across the country. DEI, or diversity, equity and inclusion, has become a dirty word on the right. Many companies are pulling back on DEI programs and socially driven marketing, fearful of becoming the next Bud Light. Bud Light’s parent company A-B InBev lost as much as $1.4 billion in sales because of backlash to Bud Light’s brief partnership with a transgender influencer. Other companies have altered DEI programs in response to opposition from right-wing activists, lawsuits from conservative legal groups, demand from conservative-leaning customers and other factors. President Donald Trump this week also placed employees in any federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility offices on leave, and the Trump administration plans to take further aim at diversity programs.
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