These 5 Brands Are Supporting LGBTQ Pride in a Big Way

It’s Pride Month, and companies aren’t afraid to get in the spirit.

Target is leading the charge with its #TakePrideCampaign. The campaign’s tag, “We’re not born with pride, we take pride” is a tear-jerker in itself. Of course, that’s before you lay eyes on their 80-second spot, which mixes adorable dancing cartoon couples, kids holding their parents’ hands, and footage of sunsets, for God’s sake.

Any human with a heart has to support relationship equality after watching this video—and if they’re a little more likely to shop at Target, that’s welcome as well.

Target isn’t the only brand making great content for Pride Month. This makes sense because, as cynical as it may be, it’s the issue of the day—and brands want to be on the right side of history. This fantastic infographic from Adweek shows how embracing the LBGTQ movement is giving big-name brands some big-time buzz.

Here are five other brands that are using creativity to celebrate equality for Pride Month.

1. Hetrick-Martin Institute

Ad space in Times Square has been used to display scantily-clad, underfed models for long enough. The Hetrick-Martin Institute, a non-profit for at-risk gay youth, decided to finally use the NYC marketing platform as a vehicle for change.

As noted in Adweek, the four-level display features gay teens holding empowering messages that they want other people in the LGBTQ community to see. With 15,000 feet of LED, they are hard to miss.

Image via Adweek

American Eagle is getting a lot of great press for donating this billboard— which usually shows their own ads— for one minute every hour. Yet more importantly, HMI is sending messages of support to LBGTQ youth, while also collecting donations for their non-profit.

2. McGann + Zhang

LA-based ad agency McGann and Zhang specializes in creating campaigns that will, it states on its site, “change the world we live in.” This one-minute video for NYC Pride does just that:

This piece isn’t an ad as much as it is a touching short film. The message, “Shout for those who couldn’t,” is a thought-provoking one. It even makes you a little more understanding of the parades that will undoubtedly block your path at some point this month. Remember, Pride celebrates the voices that are still be silenced in other parts of the world.

3. Heineken

Okay, the word “sentimental” doesn’t exactly come to mind when you think of beer. But Heineken managed to tie their brand in with Pride month in a natural way. Its Instagram “Like for Love” campaign, which ran last year and was created with Wieden + Kennedy, features six different couples. Each photo is set against a solid background, which then transforms into a rainbow when users scroll down the screen.

While some might argue that this kind of marketing isn’t making any monumental changes in the LGBTQ community, Heineken is doing more for vulnerable communities than a other beer brands.

4. Lucky Charms

I’ll state the obvious—Lucky Charms is probably the most obvious choice for an LGBTQ-friendly brand. Seriously, their product is full of rainbows. That’s why it was such a smart decision for the cereal company to take part in Pride month last year. Their #LuckyToBe campaign encourages Lucky Charms customers to “share what makes you colorful” via social media.

Glaad, an organization that fights for fair LGBTQ representation in the media, even backed the campaign by posting a collection of their favorite #LuckyToBe moments:

Let’s pause for a collective, “Awww.”

5. Oreo

There are few companies that are better known for their marketing than Oreo. That’s why it was such a big moment when the company gave their iconic cookie a Pride-inspired makeover on Facebook all the way back in 2012:

Sure, the picture is made a little less impactful with the disclaimer, “Made with creme colors that do not exist.” And, yes, there were misguided commenters on social media who vowed that they would never purchase the chocolate and cream cookie again.

But this photo received Facebook activity years later. That’s some serious staying power for a social media post. And as gay marriage and equality continue to gain traction among a majority of Americans, don’t be surprised to see more brands jumping on the pride bandwagon. And if their ads are as good as these, that’s just fine with us.