Tony the Tiger and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney were recently seen posing together at the 76th Tony Awards on Sunday night. The famous Frosted Flakes mascot was seen walking the carpet with Mulvaney at the United Palace Theater in New York, where the two had several photos taken together. Tony was photographed holding the bottom of Mulvaney’s dress and offering his arm as they walked down the carpet.
Reportedly, the mascot was at the awards ceremony to present golden cereal bowls featuring the company’s Frosted Flakes cereal. The senior director of brand marketing at Kellogg Company, Laura Newman, stated, “Tony is thrilled to celebrate all the amazing talent and present them with a new ‘Tony’ moment after the curtain falls.” However, the tiger’s appearance with Mulvaney has drawn questions about whether the Kellogg Company will collaborate in a future marketing promotion with the transgender influencer.
It is surprising to many that a company with such a broad-reaching consumer audience would consider going anywhere near Dylan Mulvaney after the continually unfolding disaster with Bud Light. Subsequently, conservatives have already called for a boycott of Kellogg. Political strategist and fundraiser Joey Mannarino posted a scathing tweet, slamming Kellog’s Frosted Flakes for its association with Mulvaney.
“Folks, we have a new boycott to add to the list and I’m truly sorry to say it because I love this brand. The Frosted Flakes mascot, Tony the Tiger, has just posed for a photo with Dylan Mulvaney and even acted like a fan. That’s always been my line. You associate with Dylan Mulvaney and you’re done with me,” Mannarino said unapologetically. He continued explaining how Frosted Flakes usually is a staple in his morning routine. However, Mannarino said starting tomorrow morning, he would be getting rid of all his Frosted Flakes and bringing Froot Loops into his breakfast.
Dylan Mulvaney recently indicated that if companies and brands want to collaborate with Mulvaney, they must be fully committed to the transgender movement by endorsing other transgender individuals too. “If a brand wants to work with me so bad, then they should work with other trans people, too,” the social media influencer said. “It’s not enough to just hire me, this white, skinny trans girl. I want all the dolls getting all the brand deals,” Mulvaney continued.
As mentioned in this article, Bud Light has faced enormous consequences for its promotion with Mulvaney at the beginning of April. The American Tribune’s latest article on the collapsing market value of Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch reported the cumulative loss in market capitalization at $27 billion. Furthermore, the beer lost its status as the top-selling beer in America, sales have been consistently declining upwards of 20 percent, and some professionals in the beer industry anticipate Bud Light to never recover from the marketing stunt.
After considering the Bud Light outcome, one would think the average consumer brand would distance itself from associating with Mulvaney. Taking a stance in the culture war has proven to be incredibly divisive for brands such as Bud Light and Target who have turned away customers. It will be interesting to see if Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes partners with Mulvaney and if a boycott manifests.
