Campaigning 5 Pride Campaigns That Did it Right Marissa Norton Campaigning 7 mins read Jun 29, 2021 As June comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the countless Pride campaigns brands launched all month long. Some were predictably doing performative allyship, others were downright wrong, and a (very) small few did what needed to be done: acknowledge what Pride really means, celebrate its beautiful diversity, and amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s important to point out that this is marketing after all, and most brands have a vested financial interest in good brand perception. But it also doesn’t mean that they’re not worthy of a kudos. As Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD puts it: 1. H&M Sometimes brand’s come out with a Pride campaign that leaves you with an icky feeling in the pit of your stomach. But not with H&M’s last few Pride campaigns. They’re usually on the positive side, and have even stopped producing Pride-branded merchandise to focus on sharing their support in the means of storytelling, donations and collaborations. 2021 was no exception. The fashion brand produced multiple videos featuring LGBTQ+ members like actress MJ Rodriguez, and artist/activist Chella Man to “inspire individuals to share their own stories and support the core values of diversity, equality and transparency which are the heart of Pride.” The “Beyond the Rainbow” campaign features a web app and an interactive augmented reality (AR) experience where users can scan any rainbow flag to access a branded hub filled with campaign movies, while also giving them the ability to share their own Pride story on social media using their Instagram filters. On top of the immersive experience and beautiful portraits of queer folk, H&M also donated $100,000 USD to the “United Nations Free & Equal” campaign. “Pride is not only a celebration, it’s also a fight. For rights, respect, support, love and life itself. With all of the colour and attitude and passion that comes with Pride, it becomes all too easy to forget the hard parts and focus on the fun. So rather than add to the colourful noise, our aim is to go beyond it and reveal some of the powerful stories that give it such meaning.” – H&M “Beyond the Rainbow” campaign 2. LEGO® This year, LEGO®was one of the first brands to really get a resounding “wow” from the internet. Designed by Vice President of Design, Matthew Ashton, the “Everyone is Awesome” campaign features 11 monochromatic figures, each representing the colours and communities in the pride flag to “symbolize inclusivity and celebrate everyone, no matter how they identify or who they love.” The cutesy campaign stays true to the brand’s child-like wonder, all the while sharing the brand’s commitment to their employees at the LEGO Group and their adult fans. What’s great about this campaign is that it’s more about promoting the LEGO Group’s company culture, and less about the product itself. Their campaign page not only dives deep into the various organizations they work with to ensure all employees feel safe and seen in the workplace, it also includes a link to a detailed press release for added transparency. 3. Bobo’s Snack Bars The Colorado snack brand Bobo’s combines two of my favourite things: queer art and the word “100% of proceeds.” The “Pride” Lemon Poppy Seed Oat Bar is available in three adorable packages by artists Ludi Leiva, Shanée Benjamin and Cheyne Gallarde. With 100% of all proceeds going to PFLAG and The Center on Colfax, Bobo’s gets all the points for keeping it simple, effective and impactful this year. Plus, the bars are amazing! If you’re a small- to medium-sized brand looking for the blueprint to a successful Pride campaign, look no further than Bobo’s. 4. Skittles This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Skittles campaign. Every marketer I know has either shared an article about it on LinkedIn or a photo with their friends on Instagram. For the second June in a row, Skittles brought back their all-grey “Pride Packs” featuring limited edition colourless packaging and grey candies to draw attention to the rainbow symbolizing the LGBTQ+ community. The brand partnered with GLAAD, donating $1 per pack purchased, up to $100,000. Could it have been more? Probably. But did the amplification and virality of the campaign do some good for the community? Absolutely. 5. SKYY Vodka Since their inception in 1992, SKYY has, for the most part, been a solid advocate for the queer community.The vodka brand was the first big spirit brand to feature a lesbian couple in their advertising in 2015, as well as one of the first to use the term “gay marriage.” 2021 was another strong year for the brand. Choosing to forgo your typical rainbow-packaged bottle, SKYY launched their “Coming Out (Again)” campaign featuring popstar Kim Petras, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 winner Symone, and writer, performance artist and all around amazing human, Alok Vaid-Menon. In their press release, they state: “As the country slowly emerges from lockdown, the brand is calling on everyone to come out, safely, and support the LGBTQ+ hospitality industry, one of those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.” The brand has also partnered with NYC Pride to launch the “SKYY Nightlife Fund,” with a starting donation of $25,000 dedicated to LGBTQ+ nightlife workers and performers facing financial hardship due to the pandemic. Special Mentions I’ll be honest, it wasn’t easy building this list. Although there were tons of brands selling products, donating proceeds and providing awareness to Pride, there weren’t many that went beyond selling rainbows during the month of June. Here’s are a few other brands that checked the Pride box this year, but didn’t make the final cut. FENTY by RihannaA not-too-heavy-on-the-rainbows lingerie line with $250,000 donation to various organizations. UGG PROUD PromThe annual celebration sponsored by the brand featured Lil Nas X, Hari Nef and Maya Samaha, limited-edition products and $125,000 donated to GLAAD. Harry’sThe grooming company released a limited-edition razor set designed by queer artist Zipeng Zhu with 100% of proceeds donated to the Trevor Project. It’s time to think beyond the rainbow This article looked specifically at brands that aren’t owned or operated by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Why? Because it’s important for us as marketers to take a look at how brands are leveraging holidays, events and marginalized communities to sell products or services. If their intention appears to be first and foremost about making money (i.e. slapping a rainbow on an existing product with no action to benefit the community), then everything that follows seems shallow and ill-intended. If the intention appears to be primarily about showing support and amplifying the true meaning of Pride, then it warrants a thumbs up (and your support). Before building a campaign centered around Pride, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI), etc., circle back to these 5 brands above to see how to do it right. Share This Article Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email