It looks like another company found out the hard way that prioritizing politics over the company's own product and culture is a great way to suddenly find yourself with a bad reputation and a shallow pool of money to boot.
Victoria's Secret has now figured out that being political isn't good for business, and is now pushing away its hyper-feminist message after it resulted in a "significant revenue drop," according to Fox News. Instead, it's now going to move back to being the sexy lingerie it's known for:
As such, it has looked to revamp itself and bring back "sexiness," the outlet noted in a piece that was also published by editorial partner CNN on Tuesday.
Cathaleen Chen reported that the brand’s efforts to promote inclusivity – which included making LGBTQ pro women's soccer player and outspoken leftist Megan Rapinoe, as well as a transgender woman, brand spokesmodels and getting rid of its famous "Angels" supermodels – gained "favorable reviews from online critics [but] never translated into sales."
According to the numbers, the lingerie brand’s projected revenue for 2023 is $6.2 billion, which is 5% lower than it was last year, and even lower than 2020, when the brand’s revenue was $7.5 billion.
The drop in Victoria’s Secret’s sales also followed the company’s move to make its board of directors mostly female.
Through the influence of U.S. women's soccer player and radical leftist activist Megan Rapinoe, Victoria's Secret took on the idea that they focus too much on the male gaze and that the company's message to girls was "really harmful" and focused on "patriarchal, sexist, viewing not just what it meant to be sexy but what the clothes were trying to accomplish through a male lens and through what men desired."
(Mass Layoffs: Victoria's Secret Is Going Broke After Making the Mistake of Going Woke)
Listening to Rapinoe ended up being a mistake.
"Despite everyone’s best endeavors, it’s not been enough to carry the day," said Chief Executive Martin Waters.
It's now launching what's called "Tour 23" which will bring back the runway show, but will still try to marry the sexiness the brand is classically known for with the inclusivity it wants to embrace.
"Sexiness can be inclusive," said Victoria’s Secret and Pink brand president Greg Unis. "Sexiness can celebrate the diverse experiences of our customers and that’s what we’re focused on."
According to CNN, Victoria's Secret attempts to merge inclusivity with sex appeal means making lingerie for women with disabilities, which will include "magnetic closures, sensory-friendly fabric, fully adjustable and convertible front straps and panties specially designed with magnetic side closures."
This is a move that actually will add to the company's consumer base, not subtract from it, which is what embracing hyper-political messaging does.
Victoria's Secret isn't the first company to learn that plunging into the culture war and taking a radical leftist stance results in a loss of goodwill with customers who take their money with them. Disney also has indicated that it wishes to pull itself out of the culture war after embracing radical leftism.
However, Victoria's Secret is likely going to be far more successful in pulling itself away from the edge than Disney will.
(READ: No Mercy for Disney or Bob Iger)
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