Pride 2024—How brands and organizations are celebrating this June

Pride Month is a celebration of love and people being their authentic selves, and historically, brands have celebrated this idea as well as progress in LGBTQ+ rights. However, after a quiet Pride Month in 2023 due to ongoing backlash, and a surge in anti-queer rhetoric in America, Pride Month 2024 has taken more serious undertones. Along with celebratory ads, many campaigns this year directly address stigmas, stereotypes and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and sentiment. Others directly tackle access to medical care for queer people. Also read: How brands and agencies recognized Juneteenth Throughout the month, Ad Age is shining a light on the creative accomplishments and contributions of LGBTQ+ talent in the marketing industry and beyond. Read the essays here. Cannes Lions coverage See all of the Grand Prix winners here Top 5 Grand Prix campaigns Here’s how brands and organizations are celebrating Pride in 2024. Guided by Good “No homo,” “Pause,” “Ayo”—these are all phrases that have become part of society’s vocabulary to correct one’s meaning (and negate any homosexual associations) when saying something that could be perceived as homosexual. In short, it’s a homophobic response to anything said that could be deemed “gay.” A new initiative by Guided by Good and 22squared titled the “No Pause Project” aims to eradicate “pause” and its meaning from society’s vocabulary. A campaign video addresses how “pause,” which was developed by the hip-hop community in the ’80s, has spread homophobic messages and kept men’s masculinity in a rigid box. Guided by Good and 22squared also created a physical and digital card game with prompts to answer or do to break down ideas of toxic homophobia and expand ideas of masculinity. No Pause has partnered with Therapy for Black Men to drive awareness of additional resources for men’s mental health. Picsart Picsart has partnered with queer-owned business resource initiative Everywhere is Queer to launch “Small Business SaturGay” on June 29, calling on people make a commitment to support LGBTQ+ businesses. The Everywhere is Queer app helps people find local LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Picsart created content packs with stickers and backgrounds people can download to show their support on social media. Also read: Cannes Lions 2024—See all the Grand Prix winners It Gets Better From June 6 to June 13, the nonprofit organization It Gets Better, which supports LGBTQ+ youth with mental health and other resources, orchestrated a campaign that invited 35 Minecraft creators to stream on Twitch as they built an in-game Pride Village. The relay event brought together creators and communities across various Twitch channels to help raise funds for It Gets Better, and the virtual space was revealed on June 13. All funds raised (up to $50,000) in June will be matched by e.l.f. Cosmetics. Ad Age Small Agency Conference & Awards Join us July 23 & 24 in Boston Learn more here U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team Florida Citrus Sports had the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) wear Pride-themed jersey numbers for its Allstate Continental Clásico friendly against the Brazilian Men’s National Team on June 12 at Camping World Stadium. The custom jersey numbers are in effect during all June matches for both men’s and women’s national team games. The debut coincided with the eighth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando, Florida that killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. U.S. Soccer and Florida Citrus Sports presented Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings with custom “Orlando United” editions of the game jersey featuring the number 49. Rose Dynasty Foundation The Rose Dynasty Foundation launched a campaign created by Tampa, Florida-based agency PPK detailing the stark realities faced by homeless LGBTQ+ youth. A spot titled “Where Do They Go” depicts a FaceTime conversation in which a teacher shows concern for a student upon noticing the student was in distress. The pro bono campaign comes as, according to the Trevor Project, 28% of LGBTQ+ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives. The Rose Dynasty Foundation and PPK will distribute brochures disguised as report cards throughout downtown Tampa revealing statistics about LGBTQ+ homelessness, and posters will be placed where LGBTQ+ homeless youth statistically reside. The brochures aim to make people stop and question where those children will display their report cards if they don’t have a home. Athletic Brewing Company Non-alcoholic brewery Athletic Brewing Company released its limited-time Rainbow Wall IPA for the fourth consecutive year to celebrate Pride Month. Part of the company’s impact brew series, which donates sales to different causes, every purchase of the Rainbow Wall IPA will support the efforts of the non-profit organization The OUT Foundation’s efforts in championing inclusion in the fitness community and beyond. Visit Seattle Visit Seattle celebrated queer love by inviting couples from across the country to participate in the largest vow renewal of LGBTQIA+ couples ever, on the picturesque Puget Sound. Created with agency Copacino Fujikado, Visit Seattle’s May 30 ceremony set a world record. A total of 56 LGBTQIA+ couples renewed their vows at once, with the mayor of Seattle declaring the day “Love For All Day.” The event was emceed by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star BenDeLaCreme, with vow renewals led by Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu, Washington’s first openly gay Asian American and Latina justice. The organization took over a local boat that was decorated for Pride. NYX Cosmetics NYX Professional Makeup centered its Pride campaign efforts around chosen families, or the people members of the LGBTQIA+ community select as their support system to be their authentic selves without fear of stigma or shame. The brand selected House of Avalon, a creative collective of chosen family members, to showcase NYX’s most colorful makeup products suited for Pride. Social media posts show the members as they show off products. NYX’s ongoing support for the LGBTQIA+ community includes its Proud Allies for All initiative with the Los Angeles LGBT Center. So far it has donated more than $500,000 to various organizations, provided over 4,000 meals, sent five LGBTQIA+ youth to beauty school and provided training for 10,000+ allies via the Allyship Quiz on the brand’s website. Lime Lime has wrapped its e-vehicles and bikes in Pride flags to identify them as a safe mode of transportation to and from destinations. The campaign originated from the insight that third spaces, those go-to spots that are not home or work/school, are essential to the LGBTQIA+ community as safe spaces, and thus they should have a safe means of getting there. Lime is also conducting a social media awareness campaign to let riders know about the opportunity to support local partner organizations including Destination Tomorrow (New York), Our Trans Home (San Francisco) and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Chambord Liqueur Chambord Liqueur continues its partnership with PFLAG—the nation’s largest organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for LGBTQIA+ people and their allies—through donations to PFLAG and by partnering with LGBTQIA+ influencers. Brand activations include the “Blooming With Pride” campaign, featuring pop-up bars where guests can create pressed floral frames and floral drink garnishes to complement Chambord cocktails. NHL/NHLPA This season, the National Hockey League invested more than $75,000 in LGBTQ+ organizations and hockey tournaments, including a donation to the Toronto Gay Hockey Association at the first-ever NHL All-Star Pride Cup presented by Scotiabank. Team Trans, which has more than 500 hockey players around the world, received a donation for its annual Friendship Series tournament with the Madison Gay Hockey Association, as well as funding for the second annual All Trans Draft Tournament in partnership with Twin Cities Pride. During Memorial Day weekend, the NHL once again partnered with the New York City Gay Hockey Association for its Chelsea Challenge. At the start of Pride month, arenas across North America, all 32 Clubs, hosted a Pride Night. NHL clubs also created specialty Pride jerseys and merchandise, and many players used Pride Tape to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. The hockey league, along with other sports leagues, is also a supporting partner of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. Fondation Émergence Canadian organization Fondation Émergence launched a powerful campaign timed to the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (May 17). Created with Havas Montréal, the “LGBTQPhobic Agenda” campaign drew parallels between the discourse and violence against the LGBTQ+ community in the past and modern rhetoric. A hero film juxtaposed 21st-century clips of homophobic and transphobic rhetoric with scenes of violence and witch hunts during the Middle Ages. GLAAD LGBTQ+ media advocacy nonprofit GLAAD and storytelling studio Ground Media launched a campaign introducing trans people and their stories to those who say they have never met a trans person. Filmed in a series of documentary-style videos, “Here We Are” takes viewers through the day-to-day lives of six trans people and how they interact with loved ones. Max Max is spotlighting queer content and curating recommendations on the streaming service that include themes such as “Presenting with Pride,” “Pride in Every Story,” “Beyond the Binary” and “Queer Film Club.” From May 30 to June 3, the streaming platform held virtual and in-person community screenings of LGBTQ+ titles. On June 16, Max hosted a “House of Drag” viewing party for the second season premiere of “House of The Dragon” in Brooklyn, New York. Chispa Match Group’s Latino dating app Chispa launched a Pride profile sticker collection and donated to the Human Rights Campaign. Queer artist and activist Julio Salgado created its collection of five Pride-themed in-app stickers, Fluid, Rainbow Rebel, Panamor, Bisexy and Gender Explorer, designed to reflect the diverse experiences and identities within the LGBTQ+ community. Julio chose to incorporate flowers into the creative approach for the sticker collection as a nod to the subtle language of flowers historically used by LGBTQ communities to broadcast solidarity or personal identity. For each Pride sticker displayed by a Chispa user on their profile, the app will donate $1 per sticker to the Human Rights Campaign during June, with a minimum donation of $5,000. Grindr LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr launched an “all-American gay tour” at the start of the month. The “Grindr Rides America Tour” features a branded tour bus stopping in 10 cities where people can take dating portraits for their profiles, get HIV tested and obtain PrEP resources. The bus tour includes two full-service portrait photography studios on board, bumper stickers, free merchandise and appearances by local drag queens. The Q Care Plus team at all 10 locations talks about HIV and STI prevention, screening and treatment, and access to PrEP and PEP. NWSL The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) launched a “Pride Plays Here” campaign on May 30. With a script adapted from the words of two-time Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach, a 30-second spot voiced by NWSL legend and LGBTQIA+ advocate Megan Rapinoe invites queer soccer fans to bring their full selves to the game. The NWSL also hosted “NWSL Talking Pride,” a panel presented by Google Pixel and featuring former NWSL athlete Ali Krieger and other leaders in the LGBTQIA+ community on June 13 at the Stonewall National Monument Visitors Center in New York. Additional elements include Pride-themed jerseys and limited-edition merchandise. Bobo’s Bobo’s Pride granola bar launched on June 1 with 100% of profits donated directly to PFLAG. 40 under 40 entries are open The final deadline for nominations is Aug. 2 Enter here Skittles Mars Wrigley’s candy brand Skittles partnered with the community-building platform Meetup to create the Skittles LGBTQ+ directory, where people can find LGBTQ+ groups, events, resources and more. Skittles will donate $1 per every Pride candy pack sold (up to $100,000) to GLAAD in support of its ongoing efforts to combat anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. The brand will match all donations up to $25,000, and the first 500 donors to make a matched gift of $75 or more will receive a limited-edition fanny pack featuring the signature 2024 Skittles Pride design filled with Skittles and patches to customize. In addition, throughout 2024 Skittles is sponsoring five local LGBTQ+ community groups to bring awareness to their organizations and show how finding their community has helped them. The five groups are The Queer Big Apple Corps (New York), Reeling Film Festival (Chicago), Urban Bird Collective (Minneapolis), Bay Area Derby (San Francisco) and Las Vegas Gaymers. Elton John AIDS Foundation The Elton John AIDS Foundation has launched a social media call-to-action called “Speak Up Sing Out.” In a time when anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has surged in the U.S., the organization is asking people to share a rendition of the final verse of “Your Song,” along with naming an individual who has particularly supported them and helped them be their true selves. The effort comes from the lesbian-owned advertising agency Invisible Man. “Speak Up Sing Out” will support The Rocket Fund, a $125 million, multi-year initiative launched in 2023 to accelerate the Foundation’s work to tackle rising LGBTQ+ stigma and growing rates of HIV in vulnerable communities. The campaign aims to recognize the unsung heroes who inspire us to embrace our true selves, said David Furnish, chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “It’s about recognizing and honoring the courage and support of those who empower us to stand tall and be authentic in a world too often marked by discrimination and stigma,” Furnish said. */ /*--> */ Subscribe to Ad Age Sign up now for the latest industry news and analysis Click here ~ ~ ~CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to remove erroneous information on Chambord’s plans that was provided to Ad Age.

Pride 2024—How brands and organizations are celebrating this June

Featured Stories