We celebrate inclusivity and equality year-round, but as you all know by now, June is officially designated as “Pride Month.” Last month we shared the blog “BKN’s Guide To DEI Holidays,” outlining the best practices for brands supporting DEI and “heritage holidays,” such as this. We fully support brands using their voices to advocate for inclusivity and fight bigotry. The only question is: What’s the best way to do so respectfully?
As the CEO of GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis, explains, “Brands need to approach Pride, not as a marketing moment to sell products and profit from LGBTQ people, but [as] a time to loudly use their reach and influence to affirm our community and support advocacy organizations in authentic and impactful ways.”
We could not agree more!
Now that Pride Month has ended and many rainbows have vanished from companies’ windows, we’re reflecting on the campaigns that had a positive impact.
Happy Socks
The Campaign (or lack thereof)
Instead of launching a large-scale campaign, Happy Socks donated the campaign’s entire $20,000 budget and 10% of profits from their new Pride collection to InterPride, an organization promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex communities around the world.
Skittles
The Campaign
For the past few years, Skittles has replaced its iconic rainbow candies with a limited-edition gray pack during June, with a message that says, “Only one rainbow matters during pride month.” For every Pride Pack sold, the brand donates $1 (up to $100,000) to GLAAD.
This year, Skittle’s annual Pride Packs hit the shelves again, but they featured artwork by six LGBTQIA+ artists for the first time, representing how they “see the rainbow” every day. Each pack features a QR code that takes the purchaser to a website offering more information on the artists. Learn more here: https://pride.skittles.com/
Bombas
The Campaign
In addition to donating a pair of socks to homeless shelters for every one sold year-round, Bombas created a special Pride collection and will donate items specifically to LGBTQIA+ organizations. For every Pride collection item purchased, Bombas donates an item to CasaRuby, MoZaic, and the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico organizations, all of which advocate for people without housing in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Yankee Candle
The Campaign
The new limited-edition Love is Love Collection from Yankee Candle is a “fragrance of love lighting the way to safe passage,” according to the brand. The brand is donating $100,000 to Rainbow Railroad, a non-profit that helps LGBTQIA+ people escape state-sponsored violence. The candle was designed to raise awareness of the Rainbow Railroad’s mission to provide pathways to safety for LGBTQIA+ communities worldwide.
Yankee Candle’s parent company, Newell Brands, was named a 2022 Best Place to Work for LGBTQIA+ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign.
Calvin Klein & TOMMY HILFIGER
Educational Campaign
Instead of offering a product or service to consumers to celebrate Pride Month, PVH Corp., the parent company behind Calvin Klein and TOMMY HILFIGER, focused on internal education and awareness through company-wide initiatives.
The company sponsors six Pride-focused events during the year, including two in June; Calvin Klein will provide its associates with education through a partnership with the Trevor Project.
Why These Campaigns Worked
These brands did not make Pride Month about themselves but about affirming the LGBTQIA+ community. They’re putting their money where their mouth is and giving funds to organizations that can make a difference and save lives.
What other campaigns hit the mark this Pride Month?
Pride Shouldn’t End in July
Keep celebrating diversity and supporting underrepresented groups year-round! Work with LGBTQIA+ businesses (like BKN Creative!), partner with organizations, and keep leading by example.
LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Nonprofits to Support:
- The Trevor Project provides life-saving counseling, support, and mental health services to LGBTQ+ youths (ages 25 and under) across the country.
- GLAAD is a non-governmental media monitoring organization aiming to reshape how the LGBTQ+ community is portrayed across media while creating a platform to share individual stories and experiences.
- The Human Rights Campaign is dedicated to the fight for equal rights and fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.
- GLSEN focuses on creating a supportive and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ youth (grades K-12).
- NGLCC, the “business voice of the LGBTQ community,” is a not-for-profit advocacy group aiming to expand economic opportunities and advancement of the LGBT business community. BKN Creative is proud to be a certified LGBTBE business through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
We believe brands are responsible for using their platforms to raise awareness and cultivate truly inclusive content that resonates with the audience. As Shira Kogan, Director of Corporate Development at The Trevor Project, said, “Beyond the essential financial support, there’s also a direct benefit for the community when brands are loud about their support of Pride. More than half of youth said brands who support the LGBTQ community positively impact how they feel about being LGBTQ.”
Learn more about the importance of recognizing DEI holidays as a brand in our last month’s blog: https://bkncreative.com/2022/06/19/dei-holidays/.
Looking for ways to incorporate more diversity, equity, and inclusion into your brand? Give us a call today!
