Pride Month is Too Quiet
Here’s how marketers can fight fear and fatigue.
This Pride Month, brand efforts have been quiet – too quiet. While the LGBTQ+ community continues to fight for civil rights in an increasingly volatile political environment, brands seem to have lost their enthusiasm for advocacy. This is especially interesting considering that in recent years, many had been accused of “rainbow washing.”
Two key factors are causing marketers to press pause: fear and fatigue.
Fear of public criticism (and the plummeting stock price that typically follows) has long influenced marketers’ decisions. That fear is further compounded by fatigue as many wonder how impactful past efforts have been, while they take on the new task of mitigating negative responses to their efforts.
But the fact remains that purpose is a consumer priority, and it leads to profit. Now is the time to double down on inclusive efforts – brands that fail to thoughtfully market inclusively will not thrive for long. Marketers who want to be part of this movement must remember three key things:
Allyship is uncomfortable
Allyship – leveraging privilege to work in solidarity with oppressed groups for equality – is an impactful way for brands to advocate for the queer community during Pride Month. But it is often uncomfortable. Backlash, like negative public reactions and even losing customers, should be expected – especially in today’s environment.
Still, those that are doing it right are standing out more than ever. This year, North Face is being praised for standing by their Pride campaign featuring drag queen and environmentalist Pattie Gonia despite a boycott from conservative Republicans. Queer (and value-driven) consumers will remember the brand’s commitment the next time they’re shopping for hiking boots. They also won’t forget the brands that deserted them.
Fight the fatigue: Community advocacy is a long-term commitment
We often refer to Pride Month as a celebration, but at its core, Pride was and continues to be a protest that elevates the voices and efforts of LGBTQ+ activists and organizers. Ideally, brand participation in Pride Month should extend the reach of that work, helping to advance equality for queer people. Despite decades of effort, this fight continues – over 520 new pieces of anti-LGTBQ+ legislation were introduced in 2023 (Human Rights Campaign). Activism is long and tiring work, requiring long-term commitment and investment, and marketers are experiencing the fatigue that comes with it.
Fatigue, like backlash, should be expected, but nonetheless brand efforts should go beyond celebration, raising awareness for issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community, driving funds and other resources to support their needs, and influencing cultural transformation. If brands are fatigued, imagine how the LGBTQ+ community feels. Queer people have carried the burden of this work for decades and brands are the key component in multiplying the impact of those efforts and accelerating cultural transformation.
Inclusivity is the future. Gen Z is demanding it.
Inclusivity is the future of business. Period. Inclusive brands are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors and 61% of people across generations want to see brands take action on societal issues, per McKinsey. This is especially relevant in times of political division, when consumers vote with their dollar and go out of their way to support brands doing work typically expected of the government. Our next largest consumer group, Gen Z, prioritizes inclusion – 49% of Gen-Z consumers have stopped purchasing from a brand that did not represent their values, per DeriveOne. Losing these consumers today could cost brands exponentially in the future.
As our political climate continues to create division and we approach another presidential election, these three lessons will be especially important. Throughout it all, inclusive brands will end up being the most resilient in the long run, and marketers who are unafraid and steadfast will be the most successful among this generation and the next.
