BKN Creative has been at the forefront of innovative, inclusive, and impactful design work across various industries since our inception. One of our most meaningful collaborations in the past few years has been with our friends at Equality Florida, the state’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s LGBTQ+ community. This incredible partnership has not only showcased the power of creative thinking, it also underscores the importance of inclusivity, representation, and advocacy in design.
In 2023, BKN Creative had the honor of joining forces with Equality Florida in multiple impactful ways, contributing to their mission to ensure that no one suffers harassment or discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. Since then, Equality Florida has become a valued retainer client, entrusting us with a wide range of graphic design projects that support their ongoing mission.
Equality Florida approached BKN Creative with a design request to create a brochure highlighting sponsorship opportunities for their 2023 fundraising efforts. The final brochure would be distributed at Equality Florida’s various galas and events that bring the LGBTQ+ community, allies, and organizations from across Florida together. After our initial discussions, it was clear that Equality Florida was ready for a creative glow-up, and we were ready to collaborate!
While the brochure was our starting point, our conversations quickly shifted toward a more expansive and creative vision that would incorporate inclusivity, embrace diversity in all its forms (including disability, gender identity, race, and more), and reflect the spirit of Equality Florida’s mission. Our task became not just to design a brochure, but to create a broader creative ecosystem that was not just visually appealing, but genuinely meaningful.
The first key deliverable was the sponsorship brochure. We didn’t just design a typical promotional piece. Instead, we focused on creating a powerful visual narrative that aligned with Equality Florida’s values. Our design embraced vibrant colors, dynamic typography, and inclusive imagery while also highlighting diverse individuals from different gender identities. This brochure became more than just a marketing tool, it served as a reflection of the unity and collective power of the LGBTQ+ community.
In addition to the brochure, BKN Creative handled the design and printing of various marketing collateral for other Equality Florida galas, including those in Broward, Tampa, First Coast, Orlando, Suncoast, Palm Beach, and Tallahassee. Our team produced eye-catching graphics, programs, welcome slides, posters, invites, emails, social media posts, and more, all aimed at promoting Equality Florida’s critical work. Whether promoting gala tickets or advocating for Equality Florida’s policy initiatives, each piece of collateral we designed conveyed a clear message: Equality is for everyone.
One of the most exciting parts of our partnership was creating a new promotional hype video for Equality Florida. Not only would this new video be launched at their 2025 Tallahassee Gala, it would run for the next two years across the state of Florida. This project started with a simple idea – create a dynamic, engaging video that captures the heart of Equality Florida’s work. But, like all great creative projects, this video grew into something much more impactful.
At the onset of this project, Equality Florida mentioned that they had always wanted to use a well-known song, but were never able to make it happen. We told them, “We got you.” We then got to work. We storyboarded, scripted, and sourced the perfect music to underscore the emotional impact of the video. We landed on “Brave,” by Sara Bareilles.
Not only is Sara Bareilles an incredible human, but she is also a powerful LGBTQ+ ally. And, her song “Brave,” pays homage to the LGBTQ+ community offering the perfect messaging throughout the lyrics. Our team worked directly with Sony Music to secure a 2-year license for use. And, most importantly, we were fortunate enough to secure the rights for a low cost due to Sara Bareilles offering her artist’s rights at no cost to Equality Florida, which is a true testament to her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. Sending a special thank you to Sara!
After securing the necessary licenses for music and visuals, we worked closely with Equality Florida to craft a piece that would resonate with audiences for years to come. The result? A powerful, heartfelt video that encapsulates the strength, resilience, and unity of the LGBTQ+ community in Florida—one that will be featured at future galas, helping to raise awareness and funds for critical advocacy work.
As a Silver Sponsor of the 2023 and 2024 Equality Florida Galas, BKN Creative has been proud to stand alongside other prominent organizations like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Disney, and the Tampa Bay Rays, all of whom share a true commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. We didn’t just see this sponsorship as an opportunity for brand exposure; we saw it as a genuine partnership in the fight for equality.
Our involvement in the Gala itself was a fantastic way to connect with other like-minded organizations and individuals. The evening, which honored the Ybor City Nine, a group of drag artists and political activists who have made outstanding contributions to LGBTQ+ equality, was a moment of celebration, advocacy, and solidarity. We couldn’t be prouder to have played a role in that.
And, not to toot our own horn even more, but this video also brought us several awards. Check ’em out below! ⤵️
🏆 Bronze Telly Winner: Non-Profit Branded Content
🏆 Bronze Telly Winner: Social Impact Branded Content
🏆 Gold Addy Award Corporate Social Responsibility Film, Video & Sound
🏆 Addy Best of Bay
Equality Florida approached BKN Creative with a design request to create a brochure highlighting sponsorship opportunities for their 2023 fundraising efforts. The final brochure would be distributed at Equality Florida’s various galas and events that bring the LGBTQ+ community, allies, and organizations from across Florida together. After our initial discussions, it was clear that Equality Florida was ready for a creative glow-up, and we were ready to collaborate!
While the brochure was our starting point, our conversations quickly shifted toward a more expansive and creative vision that would incorporate inclusivity, embrace diversity in all its forms (including disability, gender identity, race, and more), and reflect the spirit of Equality Florida’s mission. Our task became not just to design a brochure, but to create a broader creative ecosystem that was not just visually appealing, but genuinely meaningful.
The BKN Creative and Equality Florida partnership has been a true testament to what can be achieved when creativity meets purpose. It’s been a privilege to contribute our expertise to an organization doing such important work, and we look forward to being a part of the ongoing fight for equality through design, storytelling, and community engagement.
We’ll end this with a few words from our client and friend, Equality Florida’s Development Director, Mark Puskarich.
“BKN Creative is the best agency I’ve worked with throughout my roughly 20-year career in corporate marketing and nonprofit fundraising. The team is energetic, patient, and thoughtful, and they deliver projects on time and within budget. Their designs are compelling and some of the most creative I’ve ever seen. And don’t just take that from me. We’ve won awards for a publication and a video we created with them! I’m proud of our collaboration with BKN, and I look forward to many more years of developing beautiful work together.”
Are you ready to elevate your commercial video and photo production? We’d love to collaborate. Say hello! We would love to hear from ya!