June is Pride Month. From logos to websites to social media videos, it seems like everything has turned rainbow. Embracing Pride and profiting off of Pride are two different things. Here are our dos and don'ts of advertising during Pride month to avoid Rainbow Capitalism.
DO: Be Inclusive
I've written many blog posts about why your videos need to be inclusive, but Pride videos get a special shout out. The rainbow flag is a symbol of Pride, but the community is much more diverse than just white gay men (who tend to get the majority of recognition). Many subsets of the LGBTQ+ community have their own flags and need to have their own representation. Some often overlooked groups include Asexual, Aromatic, Genderfluid, Pan/Bisexual, and Transgender. Of course, don't forget about people of color who fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.
DON'T: Be a Performative Ally
It's easy to post a rainbow flag on your Instagram, but it doesn't mean anything unless your brand backs it up. Your brand's support for the LGBTQ+ community should extend past social media. Your company policies, your office environment, and the diversity of your employees should all align with your outward Pride Month posts. This goes for all year around, not just in June. There are a few very large companies in the entertainment industry that have gotten a lot of bad publicity lately for being performative. While in June they post Pride memes on their social media pages, during the rest of the year they actively avoid including any LGBTQ+ characters in their movies. Not only does this bring bad press, it's also not socially conscious.
DO: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Take some of your marketing budget and donate to an LGBTQ+ nonprofit. Creating videos and instagram posts are great for branding, but people want to buy from companies that help the local community. Donating to a worthy cause is both good PR and a good thing to do. We donated to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, but there are many worthy causes that need our help!
Don't Forget: Include LGBTQ+ people in your marketing videos all year long!
Do you have a specific video question? Schedule a free video analysis call at bit.ly/callawv