Oreo Cookie may have attempted to signal a boldly virtuous statement for social justice by proclaiming that ‘trans people exist’, but while the message struck a chord with some it fell flat and many have it. denounced as a public relations movement.
Watchers on the left and right also agreed that Thursday’s three-word Twitter post from Oreo, a unit of snacking giant Mondelez International, was focused on marketing – not a sincere campaign for social change. And most were willing to forgive the rudeness of the business, rather than giving up their iconic cookies.
Trans people exist.
– Cookie OREO (@Oreo) 25 February 2021
“Superb and courageous to emphasize the obvious,” Conservative commentator Ian Miles Cheong responded on Twitter. Another observer said: ” Thanks for reminding me. I forgot I existed for a second.
Superb and courageous to emphasize the obvious.
– Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) 25 February 2021
thank you for reminding me that i forgot i existed for a second
– cam – selfie???? (@dreamssroadtrip) 25 February 2021
Jeremy Hambley, who calls himself TheQuartering on social media, was among the many observers who saw only dollar signs in Oreo’s strategy. “Trans people exist. . . as a marketing tool for companies, ” he said. “There I finished the sentence for you.
Trans people exist… as a marketing tool for businesses.
There I finished the sentence for you
– TheQuartering (@TheQuartering) 25 February 2021
Political cartoonist Stonetoss Comics agreed, tweeting a photo of an executive asking employees in a meeting room, “How can we attract children?” The following scene shows one of the puzzled employees looking at his smartphone showing a pig in a top hat giving the answer: “Global corporate hegemony says, trans rights.”
https://t.co/VVey15bpzC pic.twitter.com/NsDQHhGZN6
– stonetoss comics (@stone_toss) 25 February 2021
Left-wing commentators seemed unsure how to take Oreo’s unchallenged position. “Thank you, company,” a Twitter user said. “Happy to be validated by a cookie company. “ But another joked that such an interpretation could be presumptuous: “Whoa, woah. Hey, they never said we were valid. They only said we exist. Don’t put the cart before the horse here.
Whoa whoa hey they never said we were VALID, they only said we existed, don’t put the cart before the horse here!
– Erica ||| Erika (@Kangaesugiru) 25 February 2021
Another observer said: “It’s a marketing strategy, but cool nonetheless. “ Another commenter replied: “Or maybe just tell the truth. I take it. ”
or maybe just tell the truth. I take it
– kc layne (@FITFUNFREE) 25 February 2021
Some observers, like Canadian writer Karen Geier, have tried to catch Oreo on a possible disconnect between his seemingly pro-trans talk and his actions. “Maybe pay for trans health care”, This Vulture.
Maybe pay for trans health care
– I’m cold, Bitch Li’l listen to @onbeliefpod (@karengeier) 25 February 2021
One of the few seemingly angry reactions was apparently sarcastic, from a Twitter user known as the Italian-American Advocate. “I open my guts and remove the cookies I had for breakfast and lunch – I don’t feel like politics” he said.
Cut open my insides and remove the cookies I had for breakfast and lunch. I don’t have a taste for politics
– Italian-American lawyer (@TheEpicDept) 25 February 2021
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