Magnet #53

Written by Lydia Bell, Content Writer

Welcome to this weeks Magnet. We have the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the long bank holiday (enjoy everyone!) and it is also the beginning of Pride month- two big reasons to be celebratory!

Pride Month & Brands

Pride month is here, which commemorates the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, where members of the LGBTQ+ community protested for their rights, igniting a movement that has affected significant changes to laws and legislation.

In the  marketing world in recent years the term ‘rainbow- washing’ has come to the surface, as more and more brands make a show of supporting Pride for the month of June, but then taking contradictory actions or staying silent.

A big and recent example of this was: Disney pushing inclusivity but the company actually supporting Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.

The issue is that brands have realised that the queer community and allies have strong purchasing power, and now when June rolls around each year, there’s competition between brands to display as much support they can- but only for 30 days.

By now, we know the newest generation- Gen Z- are savvy when it comes to obvious marketing, and they won’t hold back in calling out brands if their pledge or messaging isn’t authentic and  could be seen as problematic. But the same can be said for people seeking out brands who say they support Pride and the queer community. As a queer woman, I know I am.

We  want brands and campaigns to  show their support in authentic and genuine ways, and actually mean it.

Here’s a few campaigns and brands that have done it well in the past:

International fashion retailer H&M used tech for their pride campaign, utilising scanning software to recognise the pride rainbow flag. Users could download the “Beyond the Rainbow” app and scan any pride flag to see real LGBTQ+ stories and read people’s experiences. 

Their pride collection included colourful t-shirts, and  baseball caps which they released at the same time, and This capsule collection  had substance, as the brand was making LGBTQ+  perspectives and raise awareness of a multiplicity of LGBTQ+ experiences. 

Indeed made a  heartfelt ad that was both emotional and educational. Pushing employers to respect people’s identity is essential, as the queer community are still fighting for equality in the workplace. Indeed recognised this struggle in their campaign, and sought to make a difference.

Actor River Gallo (they/them),portrays a nervous interviewee for a new job role. The ad finishes on a meaningful moment where the interviewer asked the actor “are you comfortable in sharing how you would like to be addressed?”. The character “Taylor” replies: “Thank you for asking. I use They/Them pronouns” with a smile. 

Indeed called the commercial “A New Beginning” and combined it with a page on their website on Empathy at Work to teach employers how to be inclusive in the workplace.

In celebrating  Pride 2021, Vans donated $200,000 to four organisations  that support the community : GLSEN, Casa 1, Where Love is Illegal and Tokyo Rainbow Pride.  In its Pride collection, Vans reintroduced classic silhouettes in a rainbow checkerboard pattern. But this campaign went further than just  aesthetics: by working with the LGBTQ+ community to design, model and shoot the campaign, Vans supported creatives in the field, while its donation to LGBTQ+ charities helped make a meaningful difference.

The Platinum Jubilee

To mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which is celebrating Her Majesty’s 70-year reign this bank holiday weekend, brands have gone all out.

PR agency Ready10 and Leo Burnett have partnered McDonald’s to create a multichannel campaign, which puts a twist on the brand’s classic slogan and jingle. “One’s lovin’ it” brought in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to record a new, epic, five-note sting jingle fit for a Queen. The royal branding will run across TV and out of home as well as 1,400 UK restaurants, with the work at the sites handled by design agency Linney, throughout the bank holiday weekend.  To mark the celebration, the Evening Standard will publish on a weekend and bank holiday for the first time. The newspaper will be available to the crowds of people expected to fill the capital’s streets during the long weekend. Sponsored by Lloyds Bank, the one-off special edition provides details on everything readers need to know about the celebrations and reminisces about the highlights of the Queen’s 70-year reign.

 Reed.co.uk went barking mad with its Jubilee celebrations by replacing its usual fluffy Pomeranians with some regal corgis. Six corgis now feature in the careers site’s “Love Mondays again” campaign by Isobel, where some furry friends form the shape of the word “Monday”.

The campaign, running for six weeks across London, will feature a bus and taxi wrap takeover as well as a partnership with the recently opened Elizabeth Line, as one of the five partner brands helping to launch the line.