Doritos ends association with transgender influencer due to controversial past tweets, sparking online boycott
OAN’s Brooke Mallory
1:54 PM – Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Doritos announced on Tuesday that its social media partnership with transgender Spanish singer and social media influencer Samantha Hudson has come to an end.
Hudson is a biological man who identifies as a transgender woman.
Hudson, the trans 24-year-old singer and online personality who has 396,000 Instagram followers, recently uploaded a 50-second promotional video for the “Crunch Talks” Doritos Spain campaign on the platform. However, as of Monday afternoon, Hudson’s Facebook had taken it down.
Additionally, the entertainer’s Instagram account has no more posts that advertise the Doritos brand like it had previously. A Doritos spokesperson disclosed that Hudson has officially lost the brand ambassadorship as a result of his prior divisive remarks.
“We have ended the relationship and stopped all related campaign activity due to the comments,” the spokesperson said. “We strongly condemn words or actions that promote violence or sexism of any kind.”
Hudson previously made inappropriate, contentious remarks on the nuclear family structure and even child sex assault.
“Some tweets that I posted in 2015 are resurfacing, and honestly, I don’t know what to say, I don’t remember having written such barbarities,” Hudson said, according to Rolling Stone. “At that time, I dedicated myself to saying nonsense, the heavier the better, because I thought that ‘dark humor’ was funny.”
According to the Daily Mail, Hudson supported “the abolition of… the traditional monogamous nuclear family,” among other extreme remarks and posts that have since emerged online.
“As a teen, [Samantha] has also tweeted about wanting to do ‘thuggish things’ to a minor,” the outlet reported, in this case a 12-year-old girl.
In response to reports concerning Hudson, political writers and commentators on X (Twitter) shared posts and videos from the trans influencer. One account, a well-known conservative profile called “End Wokeness,” shared screenshots on Wednesday of posts by Hudson.
“Doritos just picked Samantha Hudson as their brand ambassador in Spain[,]” the account stated. “Samantha Hudson: -Admitted to being a pedophiIe -Identifies as a non-binary trans girl -Openly mocked victims of child r*pe -An advocate for “annihiIating, completely destroying, and abolishing the traditional family.”
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How can brands ensure that their ambassadors align with their values and principles before entering into social media partnerships
Child rape
-An advocate for “annihilating, completely destroying, and abolishing the traditional family.”
Are these the values Doritos wants to be associated with? pic.twitter.com/QtuFPmzzw8
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 5, 2024
The backlash from Doritos’ decision to partner with Hudson was swift and severe. Many consumers expressed their outrage on social media, vowing to boycott the brand and urging others to do the same.
One user wrote on Twitter, “I used to love Doritos, but I can’t support a company that associates with someone who promotes violence and disrespect towards children. It’s a shame.” Another commented, “This is unacceptable. How could Doritos even consider partnering with someone who openly mocks victims of child abuse?”
Doritos, owned by PepsiCo, is known for its bold marketing campaigns and its ability to connect with younger audiences. However, this latest partnership has backfired and damaged the brand’s reputation.
In a statement released after severing ties with Hudson, Doritos emphasized its commitment to promoting inclusivity and denouncing any form of violence or discrimination.
“We pride ourselves on being a brand that stands for diversity, acceptance, and respect. The comments made by Samantha Hudson are completely contrary to our values and we cannot support or endorse such behavior. We apologize for any offense caused and assure our customers that we will take steps to ensure this does not happen again in the future,” the statement read.
As brands continue to navigate the world of social media partnerships and influencer marketing, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough background checks and due diligence. Maintaining a brand’s integrity and aligning with ambassadors who share the same values and principles is crucial.
Doritos now faces the challenge of rebuilding its reputation and restoring customer trust. It remains to be seen how the brand will proceed in the aftermath of this controversy.
Meanwhile, Samantha Hudson has not publicly commented on the end of the partnership with Doritos.
Disclaimer: This article is a work of satire and is not intended to be taken seriously. The statements and events mentioned in this article are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
