Beyond rainbow washing – how brands are taking Pride allyship to a new level

Pride 2020 is certainly looking like a different celebration this year. What was once marchers and bystanders in their thousands, confetti and parade floats, is now Zoom parties and boozy brunches at home. This huge event in the LGBTQ+ community’s calendar has taken on a new form and is evolving for our changing world.

Pride took its roots from righteous anarchy, when trans black women stood up to police brutality leading to the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York City. So, from this landmark origin, how does the community feel about the commercialisation of their culture?

Credit: Absolut (left) & Levi’s (right)

Pride Pioneers

Well, when it comes to LGBT brand allyship, someone had to be the first to blaze a trail for others to follow. San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co have fought for the equality of their employees and neighbours longer than most. Their activism is a huge part of the fabric of their culture and they were the first brand to contribute money and resources during the AIDS crisis in the 80s - at a time when it could have arguably been damaging to their brand image. In 2007, Levi’s was the only corporation in California to file a brief with the California Supreme Court to support same-sex marriage. In 2015, hundreds of companies followed.

Cosmetics brand MAC have been longtime supporters of Pride. In 1994 they launched VIVA Glam lipstick when the industry was idolising supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum. Their initiative was anything but mainstream, so they chose Ru Paul as their first spokesperson for the campaign. It benefitted the MAC AIDS fund of which over $480 million has been raised to make a difference to those living with HIV/AIDS.

In the spirit of being ‘the first,’ Vodka brand, Absolut, created a year-round Pride bottle, which was the first spirit to feature the rainbow design. It was created in collaboration with the flag's original creator, Gilbert Baker.

Credit: Burger King

Allyship or marketing?

Every June, more reliable than any natural rainbow ever could be, streets and shop windows are given a colourful glow-up. Flags, pedestrian crossings, t-shirts, logos and more, proudly adorn rainbow and LGBTQ+ iconography.

Representation is always bolstering to see. It wasn’t long ago that brands would be shy to hop on board the rainbow express. However, after so many began looking for a marketing opportunity, the backlash began. Who is really benefitting from a Burger King Proud Whopper? The LGBTQ+ community, or Burger King?

Now more than ever it’s come into sharp focus that disingenuous, demonstrative displays of allyship are transparent and rightly called out. Recently, as we become more open to listening to the communities at the heart of these initiatives, we’ve seen brands take on board the criticism of previous years’ campaigns and do better.

Going above and beyond the rainbow

If you’ve seen our take 5, we’ve highlighted some brands who we think are doing a cracking job both in terms of the creative, the message and follow through to truly support the communities they’re championing.

Bathing Culture’s ‘Love is Rad’ Enamel Pin donates $5 of each pin to a local Transgender Employment Program in the San Francisco LGBT Centre. Happy Socks have joined forces with the Phluid Project, a gender-free brand for their Pride collaboration. Brew Dr. support The Trevor Project who provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth, with a special edition of their Love kombucha. Beauty brand NYX Cosmetics have swapped out a month-long campaign, for a yearlong celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Their support for the LA LGBT Center is year-round - and it’s not just with donations. They volunteer the time and expertise of their makeup artists too.

Here’s our advice. Imagine you’re throwing a birthday party for a really good friend. It’s a celebration for them – don’t make it about you. As long as brands align themselves to a real cause, reach out to an existing initiative and partner with them, then their take on Pride will instantly have more credibility and authenticity. Of course, it’s not all about what you say, it’s about what you do. And, if they’d like to check the box of integrity too, they should look internally at ways of championing LGBTQ+ rights every day of the year, not just for the month of June. Brands could start by diversifying their workplaces, their boards and listening to those within the community, allowing them to lead the conversation. It’s an amazing way to learn.