June is Pride Month. I can’t say it’s internationally recognised, more like ‘selectively recognised’, as some countries prefer to deny the existence of some of its own citizens for who they love. If the sour tone isn’t clear enough, this is not okay.
However, in the countries where Pride Month is recognised, we find some businesses, brands, and companies doing the complete opposite of this. Here I ask: is having a rainbow flag thrown into your face for 30 days and then put back in the closet until next June much of an improvement?
Pride and Marketing: Colours for the Cause?
Unfortunately, Pride Month has become a bit of a competition between brands as to who can care the most, who is the best ally, who is the most inclusive. Pride marketing has become performative and tokenistic. There is the question of what motivates these brands to address the LGBT+ community in their advertising. Consumers are wondering if it’s a genuine desire to communicate inclusivity as a brand value or just trying to benefit from the ‘queer dollar’. This practice is referred to as ‘rainbow washing’.
When asked, 10% of the LGBT+ community think that today’s brands engage in promoting Pride Month only as a way to make money, and 31% feel that Pride marketing portrays them badly.
A Bisexuals Perspective
When researching for this article, I came across a lot of content talking about ‘missed marketing opportunities’, ‘ways to do your Pride marketing tastefully’, and ‘making your workplace and campaigns inclusive’. Whilst I’m sure some of these mean well, I’m of the opinion that the message of Pride in itself is being diluted by even being linked to marketing.
My sexuality is not to make your company money, to sell more of your product, or to help you fill a quota to ‘look better’ than your competitor.
I do not care for the limited-edition rainbow variety of your product, or to only be hired for a job because of who I am attracted to and not my own merits, or to be the face of your brand before being cast into the archives once July 1st hits.
My existence is not your marketing tool.
Your ‘support’, I dislike using the word as it infantilises LGBT+ people, should be a natural part of your company that is already embedded into your culture. You should not be blind to it, nor yell it from the rooftops how ‘accepting’ and ‘progressive’ you are.
You want to do something meaningful for Pride Month? Donate to a charity that supports and works with LGBT people, recognise the LGBT+ community all year around, call out other people on their actions that are harmful to the LGBT community. Familiarise yourself with ‘rainbow washing’ and avoid it like the plague.
Showing Genuine Support This Pride
Whilst having already condemned the idea of marketing and Pride Month pretty heavily, there is an argument to be made that in our society that it is almost a ‘necessary evil’. Whilst historically LGBT+ people have been shut down and away or silenced, there are positives to now being accepted by society enough that big businesses feel the need to ‘placate’ this group of people.
It brings visibility to a community that had little to no representation even just back to the time of our parents. Young people who are still in the process of figuring themselves out are able to see this representation and acceptance. Can it be seen as shallow? Yes. Does it still serve a purpose? Also, yes.
There are ways and means to show genuine support this Pride month in your business practices and marketing. Support should be part of your core business values, not a once-a-year visibility stunt, but something you uphold all year round.
Ways To Show Your Support:
- Hosting educational workshops or panels on LGBT+ issues.
- Donating a portion of sales to LGBT+ charities or organisations.
- Supporting small or local LGBT+ owned brands.
- Gathering feedback from the LGBT+ community.
- Featuring LGBT+ individuals in your advertising campaigns.
Brands and companies that have demonstrated consistent support for the LGBT+ community through hiring practices, internal policies, and community partnership can easily run a more genuine and dedicated campaign during Pride month.
The Levi’s brand, for example, has been an active supporter since 1992. In 1992, Levi’s became the first Fortune 500 company to offer health benefits to unmarried domestic partners, providing gay employees safety and reassurance, setting a powerful precedent for LGBT+ inclusivity. Their Pride campaigns feel more of an extension of that commitment and ongoing efforts rather than following a marketing trend.
Use Pride month to share progress, not promises.
At Dash
Dash Agency is an LGBT+ owned business. We love our black and white logo and have no plans of making it rainbow for one month of the year. At Dash inclusivity is important to us in a variety of ways, through the staff we hire, the clients we onboard, the brands we work with, the industries we serve.
We don’t need to make a song and dance about it to express how ‘loving and inclusive’ we are, we believe it’s shown through our actions, our values, and the way we do business every day.
Dash is for the guys, girls, gays, and theys, and that’s how it always will be.
Whether you’re looking for marketing expertise or have a specific project in mind, we’re here to assist.