Davis Burleson, the TikTok star behind the viral online show “What’s Poppin? With Davis!,” always aims to make others feel seen and heard. That’s a value he shares with Ugg, which tapped the influencer to front its national Pride 2023 campaign. It’s also one that’s especially poignant for Burleson during Pride Month this June, as he recalls only “coming out” as gay three years ago.
“I never would have thought in three years after coming out that I would be in a Pride campaign — and not only be in a Pride campaign, but being completely confident and proud to be in a Pride campaign and not embarrassed in any way, shape or form,” Burleson exclusively shares with FN at the brand’s Pride launch party at The Box in New York City.
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Burleson and Ugg first joined forces in January, when the brand reached out to him — in fact, their “Feel Seen. Feel Heard.” tagline was specifically made with him in mind. Since then, the pair have released a colorful campaign where Burleson models Ugg‘s Pride collection and its multicolored slippers, which you can now shop in Ugg’s boutiques. That moment also marked a pivotal one for the star, who can count the campaign as a new goal crossed off his Instagram-famous “bucket list” — and a personal one he’s celebrated in unity with his family, team and even Ugg’s own store staff.
“Seeing myself in that store was just such a ‘pinch-me now’ moment that I didn’t expect,” Burleson recalls. “I had known that it was going to be in stores, but I really just imagined a small little photo. It was larger than life. I was so excited to see it, I got goosebumps. It reminded me of when I was little, I was auditioning for commercials — I wanted to be an actor, and I wanted to be in campaigns and do all these things. I let that passion go as I got older, and I has all come full-circle for me.”
Burleson’s Ugg campaign isn’t his first taste of the brand, however. In a full-circle moment, the host recalls jealousy over his younger sister wearing Ugg boots to school as a child — though his personal core memory stems from the brand’s other offerings.
“For most people, it’s the Ugg boot, right? For me, for Christmas, I got the Ugg robe,” Burleson shares. “I was never really a robe guy until I got that Ugg robe. It was one of those things when I was packing for college, my parents were like, ‘You don’t need to bring the robe, you have enough stuff you’re bringing.’ I’m like, ‘I’m bringing my damn robe, I need my Ugg robe.'”
Given that Burleson’s Pride campaign has arrived three years after he first came out, it’s become a moment of reflection for the star — who emphasizes the importance of taking action for the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly citing Ugg’s $125,000 donation this month to the It Gets Better Project, which provides resources and assistance to LGBTQIA+ youth. As Burleson prepres to celebrate Pride with his campaign, future online videos and even on a float in New York City’s annual Pride parade, he stresses the importance of inclusivity and being true to yourself.
“When I started TikTok, people in high school were making fun of me, like, ‘What is he doing?’ And now those people are like, ‘Oh my God, wait, you’re doing so well now, and you’re so confident yourself.'” Burleson remembers. “That’s literally because…I’ve avoided people’s opinions of me, and I’ve been my true, authentic self. So, my personal opinion for younger people would be to be your true, authentic self, and it will become normalized in other people’s eyes.”
