Successful Pride Campaigns: Sharing Values Is Key

Every year, allied brands launch campaigns that promote diversity, freedom and respect. Next, we’ll tell you about some of the most successful campaigns to celebrate Pride Month, as well as some key points to become a true ally brand.

On June 28th, 1969, the police raided a gay bar called Stonewall in New York. It was not an isolated event: back then, persecution and harassment of this community was common, but this time it would be very different because they decided not to flee from the police. Upon witnessing and suffering the attacks of the police officers, attendants began to throw coins and bottles to defend themselves. And so a revolt that changed history for the LGBT+ community and for the entire world started.

The following nights people returned to the streets to protest with banners and shouting “gay power”. What happened in Stonewall was the outbreak of decades of discrimination against this community and struggle from different fronts. Stonewall was the powder keg that triggered the beginning of a more organized and open fight, which over time has achieved great changes in favor of the LGBT+ rights.

Pride Month is perfect to express the values ​​that a brand applies every day in both its internal and external processes and the goal should be to communicate these. The affinity to the brand due to this is only one of the positive consequences of carrying out a campaign to celebrate love and diversity.

Seven Eleven

In Stockholm, during the pride festival, the famous chain transformed one of its stores into a wedding chapel, where people could actually get married. The campaign was carried out by the advertising agency Wenderfalck and was a great success.

Calvin Klein

One of the most recent and successful campaigns was carried out by Calvin Klein in June 2020. Due to the pandemic, it wasn’t possible to celebrate in the streets, so all of the events were online. This brand launched a collection inspired by Pride Day, but this time it went further: they sought to make the entire community feel represented by collaborating with models, activists and artists to give the collection a face. “We wanted to make sure the entire community feels represented, included and celebrated,” said photographer McGinley. Additionally, the brand partnered with the Global LGBT+ COVID-19 Emergency Fund to provide financial resources.

IKEA

This brand was a pioneer in using advertising to express their support for the community for years. In 1994 they launched a TV commercial with a gay couple, which caused a lot of commotion and was attacked by conservative groups, but they didn’t stop broadcasting it. Their 2020 campaign, #BeSomeonesHome, focuses on delivering a message of respect and love. The brand masterfully used the concept “home” to refer to a place of freedom and security.

Doritos Rainbow

In 2016, Doritos launched a campaign to support the LGBT+ community and became the first fried food brand in Mexico to promote a message in favor of the LGBT+ community rights. Since then, their campaign has added a support platform and donations. In 2020, Doritos Rainbow focused on a donation campaign with the hashtag #1Beso1Donación, where for each digital kiss uploaded to the platform, a donation was made to Cuenta Conmigo, Diversidad Sexual Incluyente, AC.

The most important thing is that the brand really promotes and spreads a message in favor of freedom and respect for diversity. That is, a campaign focused on Pride Month must have true arguments; it shouldn’t arise from an occurrence or for profit.

If your brand genuinely supports the community, it has to communicate it the right way. We share some keys to achieve it:

It promotes these values ​​throughout the year. June will be the ideal time to celebrate the actions carried out or to produce inspired articles.

Use clear language. Don’t resort to euphemism or ambiguities. Calling everything by its name is key to avoid misunderstandings.

Build trust and transmit transparency. Especially if it’s the first campaign for Pride Month, so that the audience can check the consistency between speech and actions.

Collaborate with people who support the community such as activists, influencers, or artists.