Through inclusive marketing, companies worldwide have continued to showcase their commitment to diversity, integration, and other problems affecting the LGBTQIA2S community. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted several celebrations in 2020 and the first half of 2021. However, brands have sought to secure the essence of Pride Month through creative ad campaigns.
Inclusive advertising and marketing are also an attempt to expose society to the community to become more accommodating. LGBTQIA2S centric marketing strategies aspires for authenticity, advocating and supporting the population, whether by promoting underrepresented voices or partnering with LGBTQIA2S non-profits.
Before we witness and analyze 2021’s best ad campaigns, here are seven marketing campaigns from around the world that actively promoted Pride month in 2019 and 2020.
Acceptance Matters
The identification on many LGBTQIA2S people’s bank cards does not match their real names. A new feature—True Name, allows chosen names to display on the face of cards. Mastercard unveiled this feature as part of its #AcceptanceMatters initiative. True Name first came into existence in Pride Month in 2019, with an ad film featuring anecdote, where people talked about how debit or credit cards misrepresent their real identity. As per the organization, 32 percent of customers who presented IDs with names or genders that did not match their appearance were mistreated, refused service, and harassed.
Be Someone’s Home
IKEA is a well-known company that has extensively supported the LGBTQIA2S community. On May 17, 2020, they introduced a new Pride campaign, #BeSomeonesHome, to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT). As IKEA traverses through the Covid-19 pandemic, they are also laying a solid base for equality, diversity, and inclusion in India by generating prospects for many, by being fair, equal, and supporting all coworkers. The brand stands against LGBTQIA2S discrimination, wishes to break the silence, and promotes equality.
Unlike Any Other
Unlike Any Other in June 2020, Spotify launched an international Pride campaign honoring LGBTQIA2S artists and connecting them with thousands of fans. Unlike Any Other campaign promoted LGBTQIA2S producers by empowering them to accept their individuality and use music and podcasts to connect with their fans. The Progress Flag, a significant component of the Unlike Any Other marketing campaign, went online in 38 countries. It includes five stripes to the existing rainbow Pride flag to reflect trans and non-binary people, marginalized people of color, those who died from AIDS, and those living with HIV within the queer community.
Proud To Be More
In 2019, Levi’s created the #ProudToBeMore initiative in the hopes of inspiring LGBTQIA2S individuals and busting stereotypes. They stood with representatives of the pride movement who have fought valiantly against the obstacles and achieve more than society has judged worthy of them. By creating and encouraging an inclusive workplace, Levi’s hopes to continue to promote the LGBTQIA2S community. The campaign’s anecdotes demonstrate that “Proud To Be More” is more than just a slogan. It’s a concept, a way of life, that brings together strong, confident people from various walks of life.
Times Out and Proud
In India, there are many negative sentiments toward LGBTQIA2S people. On May 17, 2019, The Times of India, in partnership with FCB India, released the “Times Out & Proud” to challenge this taboo. The objective was to focus on a single goal: acceptance. The mission of this campaign was to encourage LGBTQIA2S individuals to maintain dignified lives full of acceptance and pride. As a part of the campaign, The Times of India offered the LGBTQIA2S group a free three-month classifieds space. This was a safe space for individuals of the LGBTQIA2S community to hunt for a home, a job, or a relationship and tell their stories freely.
Proud Notes
In 2020, Reebok unveiled their new “All Types of Love” collection and “Proud Notes” campaign, highlighting activists and popular personalities in the LGBTQIA2S community working for equality every day. The initiative provided a venue for enthusiastic people to share their unique experiences, which were honored by loved ones through “Proud Notes.” The “Proud Notes” initiative was portrayed as a personal letter to LGBTQIA2S friends or family, highlighting the numerous ways to love unconditionally while also sending messages of inclusion and admiration. The campaign ad tells the tales of five individuals who are paving the path for other LGBTQIA2S champions.
Clothes Reborn With Pride
Polish brand MISBHV in association with e-tailer Zalando, to fight homophobia, launched one of the most riveting pride campaigns named ‘Clothes Reborn with Pride.’ The campaign includes a set of five pieces of apparel constructed from damaged clothing worn by activists during Poland’s long-running anti-homophobia demonstrations. A photo essay and a short YouTube film document the collection. The campaign aims to tell the tales of Polish people who have been victims of homophobic violence to highlight the problem’s scope.
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