Ultimate Guide to Pride

Brands and marketing agencies all across the country are adorning their logos in rainbows and showing their support for the LGBTQ+ Community for pride month… but in the age of rainbow capitalism and promotional clutter, you may be wondering, “How can my brand or agency get it right?”

During my time with AGAR, I have found myself most fond of the events I have helped produce for the LGBTQ+ community. Through our experience working on everything from internal HR initiatives for large companies to high-energy, in-person activations at community events, AGAR has gained insight into the key elements of an impactful LGBTQ+ initiative.

While it’s easy to have fun in June with the rainbows and the parties, it’s important to remember that pride is not only part-celebration but also a time to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, recognize the LGBTQ+ leaders such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera who pushed the movement forward and honor the journey of the LGBTQ+ community.

While participating in pride month, brands, experiential producers, and content creators alike should keep the following in mind to stay true to their intention and create impactful and meaningful engagement with consumers.

Make an effort to prioritize representation and diversity in perspective.?

Widen your lens and consider the perspective of the audience you are speaking to. Is your message for allies? Or members of the community? Or perhaps it’s a call to action to those who are typically apathetic to the cause?

When considering these perspectives, it’s important to have people from the community on your team and involved in the planning process. Representation matters. It’s not only inclusive in practice, but it will also help you get the messaging right.

Create an action-oriented initiative.

Of course, you want people buying to feel positively about your brand throughout pride month… but what are you contributing to the community in return? Some examples of significant ways to support the community during pride month include donations, a connection space, education, and a platform to amplify the voices of LGBTQ+ people. “Awareness” is a passive goal, and something as simple as this is no longer a meaningful contribution to the community. It is time for genuine support and action.

Expand your initiative beyond this month.

LGBTQ+ people do not stop existing after June. Being fully immersed in and dedicated to this community all year round will expand your knowledge and enable you to create more successful events in the future.?

There are many ways you can uplift LGBTQ+ people through your work moving forward. For example:

• Support LGBTQ+ creators all year. For example, next time you need a high-energy host for an event, consider a drag performer! You can draw from local, queer spaces to employ and amplify LGBTQ+ artists and musicians.
• Continue to prioritize how you can include the LGBTQ+ perspective in your marketing and messaging moving forward.?
• Build a diverse team where this community is not only supported- but represented.

Ultimately, it’s crucial to participate in pride month with truth and authenticity in mind. Build a base of knowledge through research and representation, and lean on this base to establish a clear initiative with a goal. Respect for the community and a genuine interest in learning and contributing will go a long way and keep the momentum going for months to come. Happy Pride!