Is Pride a brand or just other brands' best friend?

Now in June, we once again see the short-lived rebranding of companies with cheerful Pride colours. Everyone, absolutely everyone wants to show to the world how inclusive they are when Pride hits home. If it’s real engagement, then that is a welcoming and worthy contribution. But there are reasons to believe that many brands just use this as a way to earn kudos.

Last year, Pride festivals around the world celebrated that it was 50 years since the riots at the Stonewall nightclub in Greenwich Village, New York City. This police raid was to become the starting point for a protest movement consisting of gay men and women not only in New York, but soon in cities across the United States and Europe. The first Pride parade took place already in 1970, and since then, we have seen proud, fearless gays, lesbians and transgender persons and others in parades around the world, just about this time of the year.

Is Pride simply other brands' best friend?

The colourful and distinctive identity of Pride today is often linked to the Gilbert Baker's Pride flag from 1978. This rainbow flag has become the very icon of a multi-faceted and complex movement and a favourite symbol used by LGBT people as well as others who want be a part of it. Throughout history, homosexuals have had many symbols and signs such as the pink triangle , the lambda character of Greek alphabet and others to seek one another out. But it wasn’t until the Pride flag we had a symbol that shouts out, loudly clearly and proudly: Here I am. Take it or leave it.

Brands, large and small, pride themselves with the colours of the rainbow from May to July to show their support for Pride. Without it Pride would not have been the success it is. Global companies such as Nike, H&M, Disney, Google and others put a lot of money into showing their solidarity with their own LGBT employees and customers, or to renounce regimes that do not accept them. The latter is often a charged topic because many international companies have financial interests in countries with lousy records to show for the protection of minorities.

When contributions from brands are authentic, it not only provides Pride with much needed financial help. It also contributes to spreading the message in a way that only marketing campaigns with big budgets can do. In this way, we can argue that this type of branding helps change the world for the better for LGBT communities around the globe.

According to the sponsor of London Pride, Dan O'Gorman, Pride cannot cope without commercial supporters, but London Pride works meticulously to make sure participation is sincere and long-term, and not just a short-lived stunt during the Pride season.

"So many brands have taken on a false identity to appear cooler, smarter, more exotic. Purpose comes from within, it is about being true to oneself. In that way, it helps to create an authentic brand. "

Bård Annweiler in the book Point of purpose

Authenticity or pinkwashing?

If you look at H&M for instance, they put a lot of money into LGBT organisations. It's a welcome contribution. But it is also a fact that H&M has plants in developing countries that have few laws for the protection of minority groups, including LGBT persons. Moreover, H&M is a representative of an industry that in recent years has received a lot of negative attention due to low production costs in developing countries. Through documentaries and reality series we have seen the cruel reality of sweatshops that serve our non-stop craving for cheap fast fashion.

H&M does a lot of good towards LGBT people, but must endure criticism for double standards.

When H&M and other companies adorn themselves with Pride colours, it is appropriate to question how real this is. Are we witnessing an example of pinkwashing and short-term campaigning aimed at a well-heeled target audience, or is it a well-thought-out brand strategy based on the company's purpose ? If the latter is true, this commitment to LGBT issues must go far, far deeper than cheerful Pride gadgets for sale in H&M shops and advertising banners at Pride parties. Pinkwashing accusations also affect travel destinations such as Tel Aviv, a popular city for many LGBT people. But this year, many, also from within the LGBT community, think we that should boycott the Tel Aviv Pride altogether because of Israel's policy towards Palestinians.

Only a few years ago, we saw more companies exploiting Pride as a short-term marketing strategy. Professional brands today often have a far more nuanced view of it. They see an outreach to the LGBT community as just one of several deserving causes they wish to support. And they do it all year round, but with an intensified focus during Pride season.

The rainbow sandwich from British Marks & Spencer has garnered mixed reviews.

But some brands still don’t get it right. Earlier this year, British retailer Marks & Spencer launched a sandwich in Pride packaging. Although M&S donates money to LGBT charities chosen by its LGBT employees, we have to ask if this is a smart move. Are rainbow sandwiches what the world needs?

Adidas has its own Pride collection, with a portion of sales going to LGBT groups. However, in 2018, Adidas was one of the main sponsors of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Russia has a history of discrimination against LGBT people, and in 2013, Russia passed the controversial law banning information about homosexuality to minors. Such unfortunate collisions of interests make it necessary to ask where Adidas has its heart.

The model is taken from the book Point of purpose by Bård Annweiler

So is Pride one brand?

It is not possible to offer a simple answer to this. What started out as a protest movement in New York City 50 years ago has grown into a movement that consists of a myriad of organisations, groups, associations and clubs across countries and across cultures.

For many of the people who consider themselves LGBT, Pride is an experience. They find that their communities are in line with Pride's purpose: to be a protest movement to fight for the inclusion of all. For many more, Pride is a distinct culture that links members together emotionally.

It is when Pride only acts as an identifier that it loses much of its authenticity. When this happens, I suspect Pride to be one big self-glorifying party. Feather boa, sequins and glitter, more concerned with its image than what's going on inside.

And then there are the cases where Pride is only used by companies and organisations as a decoration, to seemingly support LGBT for a short period without any long-term strategy for really getting involved in the complex issues of the movement.

Remember why we celebrate Pride

There are still some serious issues to be dealt with: Lesbian and gay youth commit suicide four times more often than others. Young transgender people 10 times more often. And there are still many countries in the Middle East and Africa where people end up in jail or fear being sentenced to death because of their sexual preferences. So, during Pride it is therefore important to remember all those that are prevented from marching. That said, naturally Pride is a terrific reason to celebrate the many victories we have had in our fight for equality, both in Norway and in many other countries. The world of today is quite another than that of 1969.

LGBT members in high-risk groups for corona

Because of the higher number of people with cancer and HIV amongst LGBT members, many have a higher risk of contracting the corona virus. Therefore, let’s make sure we send our heartfelt thoughts to these members of our community when we celebrate this year’s digital Pride.

Happy Pride!