What happens when you mix real insight with a lot of heart

Starting with authentic viewpoints and an idea to address a real need

Did you know 56% of 18-24 year olds across the UK don’t identify as 100% heterosexual ? Or that 45% of LGBTQ youth have seriously considered suicide ? Yet we also know that queer-inclusive content helps build positive connections for all (with those exposed to LGBTQIA+ people in ads and media more likely to support LGBTQIA+ equal rights )

At distillery, we’re driven to make content for positive impact, so in January, our Director of Strategy Lucy Rennie and Creative Director Adam Kirby designed and facilitated a collaborative half-day workshop with a group of young people from akt , (a charity supporting the UK’s LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25), brought together by the British LGBT Awards team & hosted by Google.?

We reviewed ‘inclusive’ ads with the LGBTQIA+ youth and asked what they and others really wanted to see in advertising or any content during Pride. The answer? They didn’t need more cliche Pride glitz, or sentimental survival story ads. Instead, they wanted to actually see and hear authentic and relatable older queer role models ‘who’ve been there, done that’ and are still smiling! Without it, it’s hard for young people to see what their future may hold.?

We not only did a public call out to find and represent as much diversity of resilient queer joy in front of the camera as we could, but maintained representation ‘behind the camera’ too. With queer representation from all of the enabling partners, and the use of distillery’s studio d , we’ve been able to raise up and ensure queer people were at the helm behind the scenes with allies throughout.

Five months later, with a group of pro-bono project partners, we’ve just launched #QueerJoy in time for Pride season to add more diversity of representation and joy with it. We’re practising what we preach and standing by the recent ad industry’s rallying cry with Outvertising to invest in inclusive content this Pride season (and always!)???

We’re proud to share the #QueerJoy project with you: transmitting words of resilient wisdom from one generation to the next. We’re on a mission to spread #QueerJoy across the UK for everyone’s benefit.

Now we need you! Please check out the QueerJoy.org website and YouTube channel . However you identify, please share your favourite piece(s) of content on your own social channels with #QueerJoy . Your contribution will build a movement of good vibes, providing hope to young queer people who need to see more of it in real life!

And a shout out again to the heart and energy shared already from the many people involved to launch this - from the akt youth crew, the content’s cast and crew, and the the pro bono partners enabling alongside us as the creative partner across it all:

Charity partner: akt?

Outreach partner: British LGBT Awards

Media partners: YouTube & Brand Advance

Supporting partner: Amazon