Vegetarian food brand Sojasun released a promotional video mocking masculinist streamers by using the pejorative term “homme-soja” against them [1].
The campaign marks a rare instance of a corporate brand directly engaging in a cultural conflict by weaponizing a slur used by its detractors. By appropriating the language of the masculinist movement, the brand attempts to neutralize the insult and shift the narrative surrounding soy consumption.
The video was shared across French social-media platforms this week [1]. The strategy focuses on turning the “homme-soja” label back on the community that popularized it to describe men perceived as lacking masculinity due to soy intake [1].
Sojasun officials said the decision was based on a desire to play the streamers at their own game [1]. The promotional content targets the specific rhetoric used by these online personalities to discourage the consumption of plant-based diets.
This approach reflects a broader trend of brands utilizing "rage-bait" or subversive marketing to capture attention in highly polarized digital spaces. Rather than ignoring the criticism from the masculinist community, the company opted to embrace the pejorative term as a central theme of its marketing [1].
The campaign has sparked discussions across French networks regarding the boundaries of corporate humor, and the effectiveness of using irony to combat online harassment. While the brand seeks to project a bold image, the use of a slur—even in a mocking context—highlights the volatility of current social-media discourse [1].
“Sojasun released a promotional video that trolls masculinist streamers”
This campaign demonstrates a shift in corporate branding where companies move away from neutral positioning to actively engage in culture wars. By reclaiming a gendered slur, Sojasun is not merely selling a product but is attempting to dismantle a specific masculinist trope through irony, signaling a more aggressive approach to brand identity in the French market.
