To celebrate Pride, we ran some research with our community of ‘bees’ to understand how today’s consumers define Pride month, how they feel about brand engagement with Pride and what they expect from brands (apart from the common logo change) during June and beyond.
(A quick note on the methodology: We used our agile insights tool, SBX to conduct conversational surveys with 1,067 people in the UK who are aware of what Pride month is to capture both quantitative and qualitative insights.)
When asked to share in their own words how they’d define Pride month, 81% mentioned LGBTQ+ advocacy, followed by celebrating individuality (46%), community support (42%), celebrating freedom (26%) and acceptance (22%).
Are brands getting their engagement ‘straight’?
22% of consumers feel brands engage with Pride month very positively, while 53% feel engagement is somewhat positive. As such, 3 in 4 have generally positive sentiment towards brand engagement. On the flip side, 5% see brand engagement as somewhat negative, and 1% see it as very negative. 19% are neutral.
What makes a brand’s Pride month engagement meaningful and authentic in the eyes of consumers? LGBTQ+ support tops the list at 31%, followed by rainbow branding (27%), donations (22%), awareness campaigns (19%), and pride-themed merchandise (14%). Logo alterations only make the cut for 5%, while discounts and freebies barely register at 4% and 1% respectively.
In contrast, 39% of consumers perceive rainbow marketing as ‘disingenuous’ and ‘inappropriate’, showing some polarisation on the topic of the rainbow flag. Profit-driven support (31%), performative allyship (28%), inauthentic support (21%), and exploitative practices (14%) are also seen as ‘disingenuous’ and ‘inappropriate’. Only 3% mentioned overpriced merchandise.
Which brands ‘came out’ on top?
Nike, Apple, Skittles and Adidas are considered to be top brands that engage positively with Pride month, driven largely by their authentic engagement (39%), LGBTQ+ support (27%), community engagement (22%), awareness promotion (21%) and representation focus (17%). Educational approach (4%) and advocacy efforts (2%) are less prominent drivers.
Consumers mentioned Primark, Tesco, Bud Light, Starbucks and Amazon as top-of-mind brands that miss the mark when it comes to engaging with Pride month. This is mainly due to superficial engagement (34%), insincere engagement (25%), inadequate visibility (21%), exploitative commercialisation (20%) and financial motivations (19%).
How can brands show their ‘true colours’ when it comes to Pride?
A simple logo change isn’t enough. When asked what they expect from brands, genuine support tops the list at 38%, followed by rainbow branding (32%), promoting awareness (27%), pride-themed merchandise (21%), charitable contributions (19%), and inclusive advertising (15%).
How do consumers feel brands can improve their engagement? Year-round engagement is a big winner, with 40% of consumers desiring consistent support. LGBTQ+ support (31%), inclusive practices (29%), charitable contributions (22%), and inclusive advertising (20%) are also high on the list. Lesser-mentioned themes include inclusive promotions (5%) and event organisations (4%).
What does this mean for brands?
1. Charitable contributions and partnerships
Donations are considered one of the most meaningful and authentic ways a brand can engage with Pride. This is also something brands can do year-round and is an effective way to avoid concerns about superficial engagement or financial gains. Consider looking into charitable contributions or partnerships that align with the values of the brand and show authentic support for the LGBTQ+ community.
2. Inclusive advertising and representation
To better resonate with the LGBTQ+ community, brands should prioritise inclusive advertising that authentically represents Pride, avoiding stereotypes and tokenism. This also aligns with consumers' expectations for meaningful awareness campaigns and improved year-round engagement. Brands can achieve this by casting diverse LGBTQ+ individuals in their advertisements, collaborating with LGBTQ+ influencers to create relatable content, and incorporating LGBTQ+ themes into their brand storytelling.
Brand Spotlight
1. Converse
2. Bluebella
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