Comedian Shane Gillis stirred controversy after his recent Saturday Night Live monologue included jokes about women’s gym attire that many found offensive. While much of the backlash targeted Gillis himself, the spotlight also fell on SNL and NBC for choosing to feature and promote his performance, including publishing it online. This decision highlighted the broader challenge for brands about whom they give a platform to and how those choices align with their values, especially when contentious content risks alienating parts of their audience.

A similar episode occurred in August 2025, when E.l.f. Cosmetics faced public criticism for featuring comedian Matt Rife in an advertising campaign despite his history of jokes related to domestic violence. Although E.l.f. was not responsible for Rife’s prior remarks, their decision to collaborate with him led some consumers and influencers to boycott the brand or withdraw support, as they saw this as contradictory to the values they expected from a women-focused company. This underscores that brands do not need to create controversial content themselves to be associated with it; simply lending a platform to certain individuals can impact customer perceptions.

Data from a 2022 Harris Poll commissioned by Google Cloud reveals that 82% of U.S. shoppers want brands to share their values, with three-quarters willing to abandon companies if those values clash. Consumers evaluate brands holistically—not just by their marketing messages but through the experiences and choices those brands make. This means that a brand’s selection of spokespeople, entertainers, or content can deeply influence loyalty, particularly among women who are not a monolithic group and may respond very differently to the same material or collaborators.

Ultimately, brands must carefully weigh whether the potential benefits of controversial partnerships or content justify the risk of alienating customers. This involves consistently aligning decisions with the brand’s core values and clearly identifying the audiences the brand wants to serve. The SNL case demonstrates that even established platforms must accept the consequences of their choices. For brands aiming to win and maintain women’s loyalty, it is crucial to remember that truly making women feel welcome involves far more than marketing alone; it requires thoughtful, values-driven decisions about every aspect of the customer experience.