Some media claim brands have pulled back their public support, noting the perceived retreat by Budweiser and Target in response to protests and threats from small but vocal groups.
But have brands diminished their Pride month marketing?
CMI’s chief strategy advisor Robert Rose shares his thoughts in this week’s CMI News video. Watch it below, or keep reading for the highlights:
Just because it feels different doesn’t mean it is
Robert says 2023 does feel different than 2022 when Mastercard hosted Pride Plaza in the metaverse, Peloton featured a new clothing line and highlighted their LGBTQ instructors, and Nordstrom highlighted the Pride campaigns launched by retail brands, such as Converse, Doc Martens, and Vans.
Target, which has celebrated Pride for over a decade, had clothing, events, and other initiatives. Even Bud Light had rainbow bottles, a Bud Light Pride River Parade in San Antonio, and donated $200,000 to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. (And Kid Rock didn’t shoot up cans of Bud Light in protest in 2022.)
But though the numbers are difficult to find, the participation of brands – minus one or two big names – in Pride campaigns hasn’t diminished. In 2023, the perception of greater risk or more challenges when celebrating Pride is the reality.
That and similar perceptions of other communities’ celebrations have prompted many brands to ask this question: How do we create a memorable marketing message (because, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about) that resonates with all audiences?
But is that the goal? Should brands strive to resonate with all audiences? Should they strive to be so unremarkable that no one cares?
Interestingly, Sesame Street received tons of pushback for its “Happy Pride Month” tweet from that small vocal minority. What did they do? Nothing. They just continued with their content plan. Therein lies something all brands can learn.
The celebration isn’t about your brand. The community doesn’t need or want your permission to be them,” Robert explains. “If you do that, you may set your brand up as an appropriator of the community’s identity just to be on the side of something different.
Instead, create messaging that celebrates the inclusion of who the community is. “The point isn’t helping people to become more like your brand. It’s about how your brand supports them in accepting themselves, celebrating themselves, and becoming more of who they are,” Robert says.
You also shouldn’t start that messaging conversation about Pride or other community-focused celebrations by asking, “How will we defend this decision?” If you do, you should think twice about moving forward because your brand clearly doesn’t have or hasn’t established a fundamental belief….Read More