This situation kind of sums up why corporate pandering during Pride month doesn’t really give me the warm and fuzzies.
In this post:
Rocketmiles apologizes for wishing a “Happy Pride Month”
Hotel booking platform Rocketmiles partners with dozens of airlines, to give people the opportunity to earn bonus airline miles for hotel bookings. One of Rocketmiles’ partners was Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles… well, at least until recently, as flagged by YHBU.
Earlier this month, Rocketmiles sent out an email wishing customers “Happy Pride Month.” For whatever reason, the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles logo was included in this email. My guess is that Rocketmiles sent out this email with the logo for the airline that Rocketmiles customers chose to earn miles with.
Well, I guess someone working at Turkish Airlines really didn’t like that, to the point that Rocketmiles had to send a follow-up email… apologizing to customers for wishing them a happy Pride month. Specifically, the email said the following:
We’d like to apologize for our previous email.
You recently received an email from us that was intended for a different part of our customer base.
Well, that’s not the end of the story. A couple of days after this, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles was removed as a Rocketmiles partner. The company is claiming the partnership is “temporarily suspended,” though no timeline has been provided for when it will be reinstated.
This is why corporate pandering doesn’t impress me
I get a lot of pitches during Pride month, with PR people from travel brands trying to get me to write about Pride related things. But I’ve gotta be honest, companies changing their logo to a rainbow for a month and sending out an email wishing everyone a happy Pride doesn’t do a whole lot for me.
I think this is the perfect example of why. Okay, Rocketmiles wanted to wish everyone a a happy Pride month, which is great, I guess. A mistake was made, and I can appreciate how sending out Pride emails isn’t part of Turkish Airlines’ corporate strategy.
But it’s also disappointing to me how spineless Rocketmiles is, sending out an apology email for wishing people a happy Pride month. Sure, you weren’t marketing to the right group, but what does it say about a company’s stance when they’re apologizing for sending out a Pride email? Was this about trying to save the partnership with Turkish Airlines, and that was more important than standing up for what the company reportedly stands for?
In the end, Rocketmiles apologized and seemingly lost its partnership with Turkish Airlines anyway. Couldn’t the company have told Turkish Airlines “hey, we screwed up, but we’re not going to apologize for this, so if you want to end your partnership with us, that’s fine?”
Even here in the United States, you see airlines constantly highlighting diversity and showing their “Pride,” but then you also seem them making financial donations to politicians who basically want to just erase the LGBTQ+ community, who support gay conversion therapy, etc.
Now, before I sound curmudgeon, let me just say that what genuinely means a lot to me is the growing acceptance of “our” community. So much progress has been made in the past decade, and I’m grateful for that.
I mean, I feel like it shouldn’t be too much to ask let people live their lives the way they want to, but for a long time that wasn’t the case (and for many people in many areas, it’s still not the case, and there have also been many setbacks). So I don’t take that progress for granted, but I also don’t attribute it to for-profit corporations supporting the community through words but not actions.
Anyway, I’ll be getting off my soapbox now…
Bottom line
Rocketmiles accidentally sent out a “Happy Pride Month” email that included the Turkish Airlines logo. The airline seemingly wasn’t too happy with that, so then Rocketmiles sent out an email apologizing for the first email. Nothing shows how much you support the LGBTQ+ community quite like apologizing for… wishing people a nice month?
What do you make of this Rocketmiles situation?
It looks like Rocketmiles and Turkish Airlines has reinstated the partnership quietly. I found out about it by chance today when I was checking the program partners on miles and Smiles website.
It is not just about business and cooperating with the airline, it is also about the laws, beliefs, and values of the other culture.
Why are you dancing around the real issue...... Just say it... Turkish Airlines, their management and probably most of their customers are having a fit with the 'happy pride" message so they cancelled their partnership..... the fact that Rocketmiles screwed up , etc. isn't the main story... there has been a big backlash with pride messaging this year... something all the companies do, just like saying Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, or Happy Eid.... companies do...
Why are you dancing around the real issue...... Just say it... Turkish Airlines, their management and probably most of their customers are having a fit with the 'happy pride" message so they cancelled their partnership..... the fact that Rocketmiles screwed up , etc. isn't the main story... there has been a big backlash with pride messaging this year... something all the companies do, just like saying Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, or Happy Eid.... companies do it to get that 1 percent more sales, from whatever group is out there.... Rocketmiles screwed up by accident, Turkish Airlines was very deliberate with their hate....
Yet the leftists politicians supported by the alphabet community are silent when it comes to sending money to countries who throw them off buildings.
Hypocrisy at its finest.
TK managment did exactly what they suppoused to do.
Rocketmiles did exactly the same thing. How?
The world is huge, TK is connecting the world more than any other airline. Majority of the people in the world considering same gender sex discusting(me included, especially between males). Both companies insulted their clients, Rocketmiles did it using name of TK and unwillingly TK did because of Rocketmiles.
Most important question on my behalf: Based...
TK managment did exactly what they suppoused to do.
Rocketmiles did exactly the same thing. How?
The world is huge, TK is connecting the world more than any other airline. Majority of the people in the world considering same gender sex discusting(me included, especially between males). Both companies insulted their clients, Rocketmiles did it using name of TK and unwillingly TK did because of Rocketmiles.
Most important question on my behalf: Based on what so called "Western society" demanding other societies behave like it wants?
You can find it disgusting while still accepting their right to exist and live their personal, consenting lives as they wish. Most sex is disgusting. Should you be illegal just because you're ugly?
... "considering same gender sex discusting(me included, especially between males)" .... another creepy uptight person, so he like female - female sex, because it doesn't "threaten him" but two guys, and he damm near has a heart attack.... oh brother....
Why are you so apologetic when it comes to muslim countries being absolutely horrible regarding gay rights? You always make up some kind of weird excuses ("I can appreciate this is not part of their corporate strategy" - seriously?) with them, but not with other (Western) countries. Very hypocritical tbh.
Exactly. There are no excuses to support policies of those countries who wish, at best, we didn’t exist. Period. Pandering or not, it is amazing for anyone who lived through the ‘70’s and 80’s that mainstream companies even want to show any visible support to the gay community. Shallow as it may be, it is an important element in transitioning our community to exist on the same plain as everyone else. Anyone not yet out...
Exactly. There are no excuses to support policies of those countries who wish, at best, we didn’t exist. Period. Pandering or not, it is amazing for anyone who lived through the ‘70’s and 80’s that mainstream companies even want to show any visible support to the gay community. Shallow as it may be, it is an important element in transitioning our community to exist on the same plain as everyone else. Anyone not yet out that sees the promotion gets one more glimpse into what good be. I know getting those flashes of positivity (which back in the 80’s was far, far more rare) helped me. Turkish’s reaction is very passive aggressive. And shame on Rocketmiles for not standing up to them. It is very well know that in the run up to the recent election cycle, Erdogan spewed increasingly vile epithets to pander the religious right. The NYT recently did a piece on how scary the messaging has been to the local gay community. No secret why the airline wants to distance itself from any gay friendly messaging. Wake up Ben, and call them out. I for one would think twice before flying Turkish, let alone spending tourist dollars in the country.
Absolutely true... the M3 airlines are supported by regimes that have terrible human rights records.... Turkey, with its current leader isn't much better, and , did we mention 1915 in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and what happened then ?
Pride month has become simply a commercial endeavor. In the past the community was fighting for the same rights but that is no longer an issue. Honestly I have never understood why the word "pride" is even used. One should be proud of their accomplishments not simply the way they were born.
As for the Middle East, one needs to be reminded that the US maintains a very hypocritical position - they want the...
Pride month has become simply a commercial endeavor. In the past the community was fighting for the same rights but that is no longer an issue. Honestly I have never understood why the word "pride" is even used. One should be proud of their accomplishments not simply the way they were born.
As for the Middle East, one needs to be reminded that the US maintains a very hypocritical position - they want the Middle East to protect LGBT rights yet they refuse to accept polygamy. I thought the whole point was to have the right to marry the person you love.
If you want to say something, ANYTHING, then say it on behalf of YOURSELF and do NOT get others involved in the message that YOU are sending.
That is the take home message of incidents like these. Not all people agree with Pride month.
I understood the pride movement in the past prior to gay marriage being legal but now it just seems purely commercial. Corporations choose to support pride month solely based on their perception that it will improve the bottom line.
As for the LGTB community being persecuted in the middle east, I will remind everyone that polygamy is still banned in the USA. The idea of being able to marry who you love does not apply...
I understood the pride movement in the past prior to gay marriage being legal but now it just seems purely commercial. Corporations choose to support pride month solely based on their perception that it will improve the bottom line.
As for the LGTB community being persecuted in the middle east, I will remind everyone that polygamy is still banned in the USA. The idea of being able to marry who you love does not apply in these cases. The USA needs to stop the hypocrisy. It should simply stay out of all loving committed relationships!
supporting the flavor de jour by the corporate world annoys me. Do good by all and be inclusive of all.
RocketMiles obviously screwed up without vetting the Ad content with their clients.
Even sadder though is their failed attempt to CYA. Worse is Turkish response.
I would have to told TK to f**k off and cancel their partnership - But RocketMiles just caved.
Never used them, tried several times and now won't ever bother again.
Then Turkish would have sued you and forced a retraction, making it look even worse. Satisfied?
Turkish Airlines is BASED.
Rainbow colored flag, puppet government in a proxy war flag, etc.
It's all political propaganda. This isn't varsity sports you show all that you can show.
You can support them by minding your own business not promoting an echo chamber.
Ben - I am a follower of your blog. Your position in this case is interesting. How do you justify your most recent glowing review of the Burj-al-Arab in Dubai given that homosexuality is punishable by death in the country? Or was the visit another illustration of wealth and privilege being immune to any injustice?
@ Gesso -- I shared my thoughts on that topic in this post:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/traveling-gay-married-couple/
I respect if others feel differently than me, but hopefully you can see where I'm coming from. I have several friends who are gay and have lived in the UAE for years by choice, and are happy there. And while laws in the UAE are problematic, they're rarely enforced. For example, when is the last time someone has been put...
@ Gesso -- I shared my thoughts on that topic in this post:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/traveling-gay-married-couple/
I respect if others feel differently than me, but hopefully you can see where I'm coming from. I have several friends who are gay and have lived in the UAE for years by choice, and are happy there. And while laws in the UAE are problematic, they're rarely enforced. For example, when is the last time someone has been put to death in the UAE for anything related to homosexuality?
Ben, are you kidding me ??? The laws are "problematic" , rarely enforced ? Until they are.... Planning on a trip to Russia to speak up about things there, I mean, the free speech restrictions are rarely enforced... How about a quick trip to North Korea to review Air Krygo.. or let's go to China to complain about the agitation against Taiwan.... You would probably end up in a suitcase in a million pieces in...
Ben, are you kidding me ??? The laws are "problematic" , rarely enforced ? Until they are.... Planning on a trip to Russia to speak up about things there, I mean, the free speech restrictions are rarely enforced... How about a quick trip to North Korea to review Air Krygo.. or let's go to China to complain about the agitation against Taiwan.... You would probably end up in a suitcase in a million pieces in most of these places, time for a reality check..... Your undying support for M3 airlines is like saying that at least the trains ran on time in Italy during Mussolini.....
Severe punishment and penalties have existed until VERY recently in a lot of western European countries. People conveniently forget this. UAE is surprisingly liberal and the ciuntry as a whole is changing rapidly. And last but not least, let's not pretend we don't understand the point that the author has made, he is not commenting on Turkey, Turkish Airliines or the price of cheese in Guatemala, so let's not just go off on one, he...
Severe punishment and penalties have existed until VERY recently in a lot of western European countries. People conveniently forget this. UAE is surprisingly liberal and the ciuntry as a whole is changing rapidly. And last but not least, let's not pretend we don't understand the point that the author has made, he is not commenting on Turkey, Turkish Airliines or the price of cheese in Guatemala, so let's not just go off on one, he is commenting on the cashing in bybbig corporations who we all know are ruthless and couldn't give a sh1t and the pretend sh1t they do give is fleeting. Rocketmiles handled this very badly. Having said that, Rocketmiles may have handled this particular situation badly but I usually find them to be a worthless company that in all the years I've tried a search with them they have never once had a deal that wasn't just book direct price + twice the cost of just buying the miles direct. Rocketmiles is a waste of Internet.
Ironically, taking governments and corporations in the Middle East to task for their homophobia is exactly what Western corporate and diplomatic entities should be doing, if they care about the well-being of gay people globally.
It's pretty laughable how many people point out that it's punishable by death, and how nobody will acknowledge that it's never actually been done. They're keeping up appearances for their religious base by not changing the law, but they don't actually care.
If you want to virtue signal, you'd be better off pointing out the slave labor.
*wrong thread, meant to reply to other user. Oops.
It's absolutely none of the "Western corporate and diplomatic entities" business what other countries are doing.
Part of why corporations celebrate Pride Month in a public fashion is not just about marketing to customers, it's also to convey allyship to their LGBTQ employees -- this extends to Pride parades, public statements, etc.
But it doesn't look like RocketMiles was doing that here, so yes, just another dimwitted marketing exercise made into a negative with their spineless response.
Isn't such a hypocrisy that companies need to convey "allyship to their LGBTQ employees".
If you treat them fair and equal 12 months a year, you wouldn't need to designate a month to give them special attention.
People are unique and different, there isn't enough months in a year to ""allyship" every unique employee (unless your company is less than 12 people, LOL).
What you can do is doing your best to...
Isn't such a hypocrisy that companies need to convey "allyship to their LGBTQ employees".
If you treat them fair and equal 12 months a year, you wouldn't need to designate a month to give them special attention.
People are unique and different, there isn't enough months in a year to ""allyship" every unique employee (unless your company is less than 12 people, LOL).
What you can do is doing your best to treat everyone fair and equal.
It's one thing to hold parades or public statement to raise awareness or remind us of history. It's a whole other thing trying too hard to be a fake wanna be.
You don't celebrate Presidents day by putting Donald Trump's face (or Washington or Lincoln or Biden depending on where you are) on everything from cupcakes to underwears every third Monday in February right?
Turkish Airlines's largest shareholder is the Turkish Government, whose leader openly states'We're against LGBT'. For those TK execs, it's a political mistake to NOT end partnership with Rocketmiles
I've never understood why some people look to for-profit companies for thought leadership or values signalling. Expecting businesses to do what advocacy groups and politics are for is a near-guarantee for disappointment all around. At the end of the day businesses are going to (and should) follow the money, not your or my or the zeitgeist's ideas of virtue.
One just wonders what these companies will do when the far-right radical Republic party starts supporting the murder of gay and trans folks.
It always starts slowly, until it’s fast.
I can’t tell if you are truly stupid, just ignorant or actually just a bigot
Alcoholism is a serious problem it seems.
When TravelinPenis opens his mouth, stupidity reigns supreme. Every. Single. Time.
Seems to me the letter from RocketMiles should have apologized for inadvertently including the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles logo. Problem solved
I’m not sure what’s so newsworthy here.
Corporations pander to their clients. If one group of clients is unhappy then you try to keep them by apologizing to them.
If this offends the other group, feel free not to buy the product (or travel to that country).
But all of us (myself and the OP) utilize selective outrage in deciding where we spend our money. There are plenty of Turkish airlines and Turkey (and Middle East) reviews here.
It’s news worthy as in to stir the pot and get more views on controversial topics, this will drive more views and cash flow. But your point stands as in reality nothing is out of the ordinary here. Rocket miles depends a lot more on Turkish and not the other way around. Someone at rocket miles ducked up and didn’t realize or understand American views aren’t universal. Better luck next time for rocketmiles
This year is definitely very different. Up until the last couple of years, companies were trying so hard during pride month (like you said the logo changes and other super performative stuff), that it was almost comical. But this year, everything is incredibly subdued and many companies don't even seem to bother. It looks like the pressure from the far right is working and corporate is caving, showing they have no spine and never really...
This year is definitely very different. Up until the last couple of years, companies were trying so hard during pride month (like you said the logo changes and other super performative stuff), that it was almost comical. But this year, everything is incredibly subdued and many companies don't even seem to bother. It looks like the pressure from the far right is working and corporate is caving, showing they have no spine and never really stood up for those values. It's actually very alarming and this is yet another example.
@Clem
So if the far right is working and companies cave means no rainbow colors.
What if the far left is working then companies fly rainbow colors year long?
Isn't the whole point about awareness?
Either far left or far right you are now aware, good for you. Doesn't matter flags or not.
It's the wanna be PC that is ruining everything.
You can support the community by minding your own...
@Clem
So if the far right is working and companies cave means no rainbow colors.
What if the far left is working then companies fly rainbow colors year long?
Isn't the whole point about awareness?
Either far left or far right you are now aware, good for you. Doesn't matter flags or not.
It's the wanna be PC that is ruining everything.
You can support the community by minding your own business and treat everyone equally.
Hiding behind a rainbow flag, preaching about equality but still have biases (i.e. the far right) will only make you a bigger hypocrite.
I think the disastrous Bud Light campaign has woken up a lot of corporates that their virtue signaling isn't appreciated by everyone and that going too far off the deep end might alienate a lot of your customers, without that number being replenished by new ones attracted through the campaign.
It is a shame that corporate self-interest pandering is all that any of this pride "support" is. But its certainly all that it is. Fake.
IMO the idea of "pride" is nowadays a mere marketing strategy to ensure that big corporations (i.e., airlines, banks, pharma, alcohol) extract as much money as possible from as many people as possible.
true.... all of these corporations are chasing the last few customers out there, and they wish everyone a Happy Whatever.... and then you go out and buy there stuff because they made you "feel". good, or proud... its just corporate crap to sell one more widget....
I came here to read the comments but I realized that this article was posted a few moments ago so there aren't any... I will come back here later tonight with popcorn lol