Since final 12 months, Delight Month marking has gotten quieter. Manufacturers that when loudly waved the rainbow flag, have gone silent, and the LGBTQIA+ group is taking word.
LGBTQ+ audiences anticipate extra from manufacturers than promoting rainbow merch throughout Delight. Manufacturers should present that their assist is genuine, year-round—not simply when it’s time to run a Delight Month advertising marketing campaign.
The LGBTQ+ group holds about $1.4 trillion in shopping for energy within the US (just below the GDP of Spain). Now greater than ever, they’re supporting manufacturers that align with their values, and ditching people who don’t.
Partnering with LGBTQ+ creators and supporting their group past Delight can construct lasting belief and loyalty.
6 Delight Month advertising finest apply
If you wish to join with LGBTQIA+ creators and genuinely assist the group in a significant approach, begin right here:
1. Advocate year-round
When the rainbow flag solely reveals up in June’s Delight Month advertising marketing campaign, it’s a purple flag.
True advocates don’t cease when Delight Month does. Folks will be aware of which manufacturers go silent on LGBTQ+ causes come July 1st.
To indicate your assist is genuine, make a year-round dedication. Listed below are a couple of methods to assist the LGBTQ+ group past Delight:
Characteristic LGBTQ+ creators in your campaigns all year long.
Donate to organizations that commemorate queer tradition and assist LGBTQ+ causes.
2. Put values above revenue
Manufacturers that wish to attain LGBTQ+ audiences should assist them—even when it’s not worthwhile or stylish.
Each June, numerous manufacturers launch Delight collections and rainbow merch. That’s not essentially dangerous. However, if that’s all you’re doing, you then’re simply rainbow-washing (utilizing Delight symbols solely to revenue from the LGBTQ+ group).
At finest, you come throughout as inauthentic and opportunistic. At worst, you lose belief, harm your popularity, and offend the viewers you have been attempting to achieve.
Manufacturers that deal with Delight Month as a approach to money in, in the end lose. In response to Nielsen, 72% of LGBTQ+ shoppers cease shopping for from manufacturers that don’t worth their group.
As an alternative, be clear about your model values and follow them (even when it’s powerful) with constant, significant actions.
Instance: When many large manufacturers caved to political stress and scaled again DEI efforts, Costco doubled down. In January, 98% of Costco shareholders rejected an anti-DEI proposal.
The corporate caught to its values, however that doesn’t imply supporting DEI initiatives isn’t good for enterprise.
It’s had 16 consecutive weeks of elevated foot visitors.
It sparked a “buycott”—the alternative of a boycott. Clients are displaying their assist by procuring at Costco as an alternative of its anti-DEI rivals.
3. Allyship requires motion
Manufacturers maintain monumental energy and could be useful allies to the LGBTQIA+ group. However as we speak, saying you’re an ally isn’t sufficient.
Individuals are noting (and sometimes ditching) corporations that publicly have fun Delight of their advertising whereas quietly donating to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians and causes.
True allies take motion. They assist LGBTQIA+ inclusion and equality in ways in which create significant impression.
Instance: Ben & Jerry’s has been vocal about LGBTQIA+ rights lengthy earlier than it was worthwhile to take action. Right here’s how:
Inclusive office insurance policies – In 1989, Ben & Jerry’s was the primary main firm to offer full worker advantages to same-sex companions.
Monetary donations – In 2015, it renamed the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough taste to “I Dough, I Dough” and donated gross sales to the Human Rights Marketing campaign to have fun same-sex marriage legalization.
Public advocacy – The corporate and its founders constantly converse out towards anti-trans and anti-LGBTQIA+ laws and publicly advocate for trans healthcare and equality.
4. Let LGBTQ+ creators take the lead on Delight Month advertising
LGBTQ+ creators know the right way to converse to their communities higher than a PR crew.
Additionally they have lived experiences and audiences who belief them, so their views are useful.
As an alternative of sending LGBTQ+ creators a short or script, deliver them into the artistic course of early on.
Ask questions like: “What does Delight imply to you, and the way can we assist that story?”
Invite them to collaborate with you in your Delight collections, marketing campaign messaging, and visuals.
Let creators inform their tales in their very own voice. Collaborate intently however give them house to precise themselves.
Instance: UGG co-created its Delight assortment with LGBTQ+ influencer and comic Alok Vaid-Menon. The model additionally confused that it’s a year-round mission, not solely for Delight month.
Then, it backed up its dedication by donating $200,000 to LGBTQ+ organizations It Will get Higher, Pacific Delight Basis, and PFLAG Nationwide.
5. Amplify voices, not labels
Illustration issues, however don’t deal with range like a guidelines.
Being a various and inclusive model doesn’t imply ticking off checkboxes or assembly a quota. LGBTQ+ creators are greater than their id. Lowering them to sure labels can grow to be tokenism.
As an alternative, seek for LGBTQ+ influencers whose values, content material, and viewers align together with your model.
6. Create a response plan
Delight campaigns can invite dialog and controversy. Dialogue is a part of progress, however the web will not be at all times a pleasant place.
Put together your crew with a considerate response plan. It ought to define how your model will deal with questions, hateful feedback, reward, and different reactions.
Make your stance on discrimination and dangerous speech clear.
Resolve when to cover hateful feedback.
For those who reply, put together a couple of messages upfront and thoroughly assessment them.
Planning forward will assist your crew keep constant underneath stress, keep away from missteps, and take motion confidently.
LGBTQ+ influencer advertising marketing campaign examples
When planning your subsequent Delight Month advertising marketing campaign, look to manufacturers that LGBTQ+ creators and their communities belief. Listed below are a couple of genuine and impactful influencer marketing campaign examples.
Converse
Converse has lengthy collaborated with LGBTQIA+ influencers—and never only for the sake of Delight Month advertising. Like many manufacturers who do Delight proper, Converse companions with LGBTQ+ creators all year long.
Just lately, it ran a Valentine’s Day marketing campaign with transgender mannequin and content material creator Alex Consani.
For this 12 months’s Delight, the model additionally invited members of its LGBTQIA+ group to put in writing letters to their future selves. Their tales are shared prominently on Converse’s web site and social media.
The shoe model additionally pledged over 3.4 million to donations and grants to LGBTQ+ organizations and causes.
Wildfang
@wearewildfang
VIVIAN WILSON FOR WILDFANG
♬ unique sound – wearewildfang
Wildfang is a queer-owned, female-founded clothes model from Portland. It’s recognized for its inclusive, gender-fluid merchandise and unwavering assist of LGBTQ+ rights.
It usually companions with LGBTQ+ creators and activists. For Delight this 12 months, the model partnered with trans mannequin and activist Vivian Wilson. Wildfang and Vivian co-created a restricted assortment, together with a tee with 100% of earnings going to The Trevor Venture.
MAC Cosmetics
MAC is one other model that focuses on supporting the LGBTQIA+ group past June. Though it has seasonal Delight drops, its influencer technique focuses on year-round impression.
The sweetness model donated 100% of the earnings from its 40 Shades of Delight Eye Shadow Vault for Delight 2024. It additionally companions with LGBTQ+ model ambassadors like transgender influencer and singer Kim Petras.
By way of its Viva Glam fund, it has raised over $520 million to assist well being, equality, and LGBTQIA+ initiatives.
Prime LGBTQ+ influencers to contemplate to your Delight Month advertising marketing campaign
Profitable campaigns begin with choosing the proper LGBTQ+ influencers who align together with your model values and voice. For those who’re on the lookout for your subsequent model companion, these are some high LGBTQIA+ influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
1. @cyrusveyssi – Cyrus Veyssi
@cyrusveyssi
😩😩😩
♬ unique sound – Cyrus
Kissy Duerre is a rising TikTok influencer with 600K followers. She usually shares “Get Prepared With Me” (GRWM), magnificence, and style movies. Nevertheless, a lot of her content material focuses on advocating for Black transgender ladies and educating others on trans points.
6. @kevinyeedotcom – Kevin Yee
@kevinyeedotcom Labubu @POP MART US #crochet #labubu ♬ unique sound – Kevin Yee
Kevin Yee self-identifies as a “depressed homosexual uncle”. He shares quirky crochet tasks and comfy life-style content material on TikTok and Instagram.
7. @heycolanda – Col and Ari
@heycolanda
Sorry babe… daddy cooked and this weekend is BOOKED 🤝🦋🦋🦋
♬ unique sound – Col & Ari
Col and Ari run the artistic studio and social media account Hey Colanda. The couple posts movies of their enjoyable, generally chaotic house renovation and DIY tasks. They’ve round 500K TikTok and Instagram followers.
Their model partnerships usually embrace a DIY twist that aligns with their artistic voice. For instance, they made a DIY lava lamp with Laborious Mountain Dew and partnered with Mau Pets to furnish their self-built catio (a cat patio).
8. @cristiandennis – Cristian Dennis
@cristiandennis like she even wanted my assist 👏🏾😭 @denise (◕‿◕✿) #fyp ♬ Tshwala Bam (feat. S.N.E, EeQue) – TitoM & Yuppe
Cristian Dennis shares high-energy dance and lip-sync movies with 9 million TikTok followers. He’s an LGBTQ+ advocate who talks to his viewers about queer id and life along with his companion.
Cristian usually companions with magnificence and style manufacturers together with NYX Cosmetics, Loreal, and Sephora.
9. @rawlinsness – Rawlins
@rawlinsness One other BANGER that I’m simply BOY CRAZY for @Kesha DC: me! #kesha #boycrazy #dance #newmusic #fyp ♬ BOY CRAZY. – Kesha
Rawlins identifies as cisgender male however is open on TikTok and Instagram about his experiences being misgendered. Movies of him dancing whereas spinning a Swiffer like a colour guard baton went viral. Now, he’s a rising LGBTQ+ influencer with 500K TikTok followers.
10. @zachwillmore – Zachary Willmore
@zachwillmore He beloved it!! @tyler.dept pleased commencement!! #commencement #confetti #suprise ♬ unique sound – ★ Star Boy ★
Zachary Willmore is an LGBTQ+ creator and advocate with over two million TikTok followers. He’s recognized for being clear and trustworthy along with his viewers.
After being identified with HIV at 19, he shared his journey on social media to destigmatize HIV and lift consciousness. Along with his advocacy efforts, he posts movies about day by day life and experiences as a university scholar.
How GRIN can assist your Delight Month advertising campaigns with influencers
Manufacturers that wish to attain LGBTQ+ audiences should present assist each day, not simply in June. Those that collaborate with LGBTQ+ creators and provides them artistic freedom to form campaigns usually tend to earn the belief and loyalty of their group and in the end run robust Delight Month advertising campaigns when the time comes.
GRIN’s Creator Discovery Suite makes it simpler to search out and collaborate with LGBTQ+ and different influencers who align together with your values.
