As Pride is back in full swing in 2022, it's time we talk about the elephant in the room - rainbow washing. Companies are hoisting up their Pride flags and changing their logos on social media, but the silence is deafening when it comes to anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and even worse, the amount of companies exposed for funding that legislation.
This year marks 50 years since 2,000 participants marched down the streets of London demanding gay rights and in 2022 - and we're still fighting. As a record number of people identify as LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, +), brands need to use their influence to drive further acceptance of the community.
Brands Need To Step Up To Help
This month, companies have rebranded so that rainbows are on every inch of their merchandise to show their solidarity with their LGBTQIA+ staff and consumers, but several have been exposed to fund anti-LGBTQIA+ politicians.
The Community Is Under Attack
Back in March, Disney received an immense backlash for their silence and alleged donations to every sponsor of the "Don't Say Gay" bill - a bill designed so that Floridan schools may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identiy at primary grade levels, or for older children in a manner that is not considered age-appropriate.
After numerous protests and pushback from long-time Disney enthusiasts, the company released a statement supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. While it's clear Disney failed with their first response, they have since tried to redeem themselves with their latest stance: Disney's CEO Bob Chapek pledged the company would donate $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign and other organisations protecting LGBTQIA+ rights.
Not only this, Disney is now taking a firm stance for the LGBTQIA+ community by finally showing a same-sex kiss after censoring same-sex affection in the past. Lightyear has been banned in 14 countries because Disney has refused to edit out the same-sex kiss:
It's without question that Disney has learnt a tough lesson about authentic allyship, but their journey should be a key case study for other companies grappling with how to step up for the LGBTQIA+ community.
As the passing of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation is on the rise, the community needs influential industries to take a clear stand.
Who is doing it well?
So which brands have got it right? Well, in 2020 Pantene partnered with Good-Loop and Gendered Intelligence, a trans-led UK charity on a mission to help people better understand gender diversity. The campaign was a follow-up to Pantene's 2019 campaign "Hair Has No Gender" campaign, which gave transgender and gender non-conforming advocates a safe platform to share their stories.
Pantene wanted to raise awareness of their message and to celebrate and encourage allies to show support and create new allies. Building on their partnership with Gendered Intelligence, Good-Loop was able to bring this partnership to life, while turning every viewer of the ad into an ally and a donor, raising over £25k for Gendered Intelligence, paid for by Pantene.
The campaign was a massive success, not only in terms of performance, but driving more brand love and creating a 13x greater impact vs standard video advertising. The campaign, more importantly, had a real impact on real people's lives as shown by the feedback given in Pantene's post-campaign analysis from an anonymous viewer:
What can brands do?
At every event, you'll hear about the importance of celebrating DEI in our work and within our companies.
So, how can brands authentically approach Pride, and year-round allyship for the LGBTQIA+ community? Here's some suggestions:
- Listen and keep listening - It's the basics of marketing, but stay informed with the needs of your audience. Listen to their experiences and include them in the conversation.
- Inclusion is everyone's responsibility - From the representation in your advertising campaigns to supporting LGBTQIA+ employees, at every level of your business, inclusion should be a central pillar.
- Allyship doesn't expire after 30 days - Be an ally year round, not just for Pride month.
Be bold, be visible and remember to give back to the community where you can. We can help with this with our Watch To Donate ad format, or our new suite of "This Ad Does Good" such as our "This Ad Supports Pride" model which can help raise money for LGBTQIA+ charities and build brand love. Organise a meeting and let's talk about how you can support the community year round.
Remember don't just say it, but say it with pride.
