But with consumers giving a more watchful eye than ever to the brands they buy from, it has to go deeper than rainbow packaging, experts say.
As soon as June 1 hit, brands switched social media avatars to rainbow-hued versions, made posts in solidarity and released a slew of Pride-themed products.
“There’s power in brands participating in Pride Month, and it’s important for their employees and their consumers to see support for the community during Pride Month.
Ferrero said Kellogg’s “Together With Pride” cereal is one powerful example of how a brand can help create change.
Kind also says it’s donating $50,000, along with an additional dollar for every “Pride” text it receives at a certain number, to a nonprofit to help homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
So when a brand swaps its social media avatar to a rainbow version of itself, or otherwise shows some support in June, savvy consumers are aware of whether its ads feature the community year-round, whether it hires LGBTQ+ individuals and puts them in leadership positions, and whether the brand actually supports the community with resources and legislative support.
Katherine Sender, a Cornell University professor who wrote “Business not Politics: The Making of the Gay Market,” said brands at the very least need to have corporate policies to ensure management supports a safe and supportive environment for employees.
Tamara Alesi, sector head of agencies and media for the Americas at YouGov, said other brands are honoring Pride in a way that is deeper.
Bombas, a seller of socks and other undergarments, has a socially conscious model for all of its sales: For every item sold, it donates an item to homeless individuals.
we’re focused on black transgender individuals who experience homelessness at a rate five times higher than the general U.S.
“We of course want to lend our platform, but we’re really focused on action,” said Hilary Lloyd, The Body Shop North America’s vice president of brand and values.
A 2020 study by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media found only 1.8% of characters in ads in the Cannes Lions festival were LGBTQ, slightly down from the prior year.
That’s why it’s crucial for those in the marketing sphere to think about hiring and promoting people who are part of the community.
“If you’re hiring these people, if you’re paying the people, if you’re bringing them on board to your teams or…
Through P&G’s own vast portfolio of brands, which include Tide and Charmin, it’s been using its own advertising and marketing to reflect common LGBTQ experiences.
He gave the example of a letter from a young man who was touched by P&G’s 2018 campaign with Gus Kenworthy, an Olympic freestyle skier.