Is your Pride campaign paying it back?
LGBTQIA+Stop being shady with your Pride profits
There is a lack of transparency around where the profits generated by Pride campaigns go. It’s not always clear how much actually goes back to LGBTIQ+ individuals or organisations.
No matter your intentions, or contributions, brands that lack transparency are open to washing allegations.
Start showing the digits on those donations
Be transparent about the portion of proceeds going to LGBTIQ+ causes.
Pay LGBTIQ+ voices fairly.
Partner with credible LGBTIQ+ organisations so that proceeds go to those in need most.
Want to earn your Pride stripes?
LGBTQIA+Stop jumping on the Pride wagon only when it suits
Consistency counts when it comes to inclusion.
Don’t release a one-off Pride campaign once year without the intentions for another.
When brands lack consistency, their support comes across as performative.
Start making a real commitment
Inclusion doesn’t have an off switch. Its what you do 24/7, 365 days a year.
Keep that flag up, not just during Pride Month, Mardi Gras or other LGBTQIA+ events.
Inclusions must be integrated into and visible in the business.
Is your campaign aim authenticity?
LGBTQIA+Stop reverting to clichés or stereotypes
Rainbow newsflash!
Fake it till you make it doesn’t apply for LGBTQIA+.
You can communicate more effectively without falling back on old-fashioned gender norms.
Start consulting with the LGBTIQ+ community
Don’t tick the consolation box. Fill that sucker with glitter.
People who identify as transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, or non-binary, want to be seen and respected by society – and that extends to brands and marketing.
Hire LGBTIQ+ creatives to help achieve authenticity in campaigns.
Is your stance the same across all audiences?
LGBTQIA+Stop riding that fence!
Allyship doesn’t have an off switch. It also shouldn’t be geo-targeted.
Some brands might change their logo to a rainbow version on all of their social accounts, apart from the one in a less LGBTIQ+ friendly country.
Start showing off your true colours to all
Be consistent across every market, including those that are less LGBTIQ+ friendly.
If you’re going to change your logo to reflect Pride, do it everywhere. If you’re going to launch a campaign, include less LGBTIQ+ friendly zones in your media spend.
But most importantly, educating yourself about what it means to use the Pride flag.
Launching a Pride campaign?
LGBTQIA+Stop alliances with anti-awesome partners
Don’t launch a Pride campaign if your brand has connections to anti-LGBTIQ+ organisations or individuals.
Brands have been caught proudly running a Pride campaign while also supporting political or public figures with a clear anti-LGBTIQ+ agenda. YIKES.
Start investigating any conflicts of interest
It’s a partnership, not a blind date.
Dive deep into the values of your sponsorships or partners. Look at the discourse online. Double-triple checking for conflicts of interest. Reconsider running a Pride campaign if you find flags more red than rainbow.
Are your carbon credentials legit?
EnvironmentStop making carbon claims without regulatory approval
Unlike ‘most loved’ or ‘Australia’s favourite’, carbon claims must have regulatory approval.
Don’t create your own policies or standards when it comes to carbon claims.
Remember, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Start using real carbon creds
Back your carbon credentials with Govt approved standards.
The real deal are Australia Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). B Corp status is another accreditation your business can strive for.
Both ACCUs and B Corp status are hard to get, but boy – they’re worth it.
Are you greenwashing?
EnvironmentStop greenwashing
Many brands use green imagery to imply environmental friendliness, to attract green-minded customers, but behind the scenes, they still harm the environment.
This misleading practice tricks people into thinking they’re supporting sustainable choices when they’re not.
Start practicing before you preach
If you truly want to go green, start by making systemic changes like reducing overall energy consumption, minimising waste, adopting renewable energy sources.
Be transparent about your brand’s environmental practices and impact.
Are you palming off responsibility to customers?
EnvironmentStop shifting the burden onto your customers
Some brands put too much responsibility on their customers to fix big issues.
For instance, messages like ‘Here are ways to reduce your footprint’ or ’30-day challenges’ suggest it’s up to individuals to stop using our products, rather than businesses to stop supplying them.
Start leading by example
Lead by example by adopting sustainable practices, reducing carbon footprints, and transparently share your efforts.
This not only builds consumer trust and loyalty but also sets industry standards, encourages innovation, and inspires other businesses and consumers to follow suit in protecting our planet.
Want to build authentic relationships?
RaceStop half-hearted partnerships
Authentic relationships aren’t built from box ticking. Consultation is about collaboration – not simply streamlining approval.
When working with people, never expect a single person to know everything about their culture.
Also, don’t use your position in power to direct the narrative. People need to speak openly and honestly without risk of repercussions
Start seeing real relationships as vital for creativity
Authentic collaboration creates diverse perspectives, a cornerstone for impactful ideas.
Build strong relationships with community groups. Start listening to those with lived experiences. Start consultation as early in the project as possible. Consult a group of people ensure you catch all the angles.
Are you using language that conveys stereotypes?
RaceStop overgeneralising
Terms like ‘minority’ or ‘other’ are too vague. They refer to a nonspecific group label often used to describe subgroups that are too small for meaningful analyses.
Even with good intentions, referring to marginalised groups as “vulnerable” or in need of “empowerment” could imply that a community isn’t already standing in their own power.
Start using more inclusive language
Language is powerful. It shapes how we share our identities and how we view others.
Instead of using “empower,” consider “enable” or “uplift,” and replace “vulnerable” or “minority” with “underserved communities.
One size doesn’t fit all. Language is always evolving, so be open to learning and unlearning, as times change.
Want comms that are culturally authentic?
RaceStop inauthentic representations of cultures
Cultural representation isn’t authentic if you simply switch a white person with a POC.
Many ads look like pages of the pale section in the Pantone book, or if they do feature a POC talent they are often ethnically ambiguous.
For campaigns to be culturally authentic, they need to built from diverse perspectives.
Start adding diversity into the creative process
There’s a huge advantage in having diversity as part of the creative process.
Different viewpoints and perspectives mean more fresh and innovative solutions to problems.
And the more innovation equals more chance of campaign success.
How to DE&I properly
RaceStop reducing DE&I to a simple stat
DE&I is more than a number in your annual report, and a brand’s effort on DE&I shouldn’t only be through campaigns.
Low DE&I priority means higher risk at gender washing, pay gaps or lack of representation in management.
Start putting DE&I policies into practice
Make DE&I a priority at all levels of the organisation, including the board.
Develop policies and practices that support DE&I, such as paid parental leave.
DE&I empowers people to reach their full potential – who doesn’t want that?
How loose are your claims?
EnvironmentStop making unsubstantiated claims
Eco-friendly? *Immediate eye roll*
Avoid unregulated terms like “Green, Eco-Friendly, Sustainable, Carbon Neutral or Climate friendly”.
It’s incredibly hard to reduce your emissions while fossil fuels power the economy.
Start backing up your climate claims
To ensure you are walking the talk, try these tips.
Back up your environmental claims by an accredited third party i.e Energy Star, Forest Stewardship Council, or Fair Trade.
Don’t make any claims if you’re not prepared to be transparent about your brand’s environmental practices.
Are your products or services gendered?
GenderStop assuming you know what women want
The “pink it and shrink it” mentality lacks imagination and creativity.
The “pink tax” refers to the phenomenon where products marketed to women are priced higher than comparable products marketed to men.
Start digging deeper into your audience
Less pink. More think.
Instead of focusing on gender, target consumers based on their values, personality, traits, and interests.
Do your casting choices lack an inclusive look?
GenderStop gender stereotypes when casting
Stereotypes go both ways – Mums do the washing. Dads are depicted as idiots, stupid and careless.
People have wised up to the fact that gender shouldn’t be a key defining features of your spending behaviour, lifestyle or personality.
Be aware of your unconscious gender bias and casting around particular genders.
Start being aware of the characters you create
Ensure you are casting diverse talent in a respectful way.
We need to get into the habit of showing underrepresented groups in a positive way.
The narrative can’t just include people from diverse backgrounds and different walks of life, the stories also need to resonate and be relevant to the people you are casting.
Do your comms alienate the audience?
GenderStop using gender exclusive language
How we speak is more important than you think.
Using gender exclusive language can alienate your LGBTIQA+ audience, limit your brand’s appeal, and overlook the diversity that’s all around us.
Start using gender inclusive language
This means talking and writing in a way that includes everyone, no matter their sex or gender identity, and avoids reinforcing gender stereotypes.
Inclusive language in advertising creates equality, broadens appeal, and shows respect for all identities.
Does your campaign rely on gender stereotypes?
GenderStop reinforcing gender stereotypes
Gendered advertising runs the risk of alienating or offending, leading to backlash and negative publicity.
Younger generations are starting to push back on unnecessarily gendered products as part of a greater resistance to patriarchal ideals. This extends to campaigns and promotions.
Start breaking gender stereotypes
Advertising has a powerful influence on culture and can play a role in driving social change.
By challenging gender stereotypes, advertisers can contribute to shifting societal attitudes and promoting greater equality and acceptance.
Is your Pride campaign paying it back?
LGBTQIA+Want to earn your Pride stripes?
LGBTQIA+Is your campaign aim authenticity?
LGBTQIA+Is your stance the same across all audiences?
LGBTQIA+Launching a Pride campaign?
LGBTQIA+Are your carbon credentials legit?
EnvironmentAre you greenwashing?
EnvironmentAre you palming off responsibility to customers?
EnvironmentWant to build authentic relationships?
RaceAre you using language that conveys stereotypes?
RaceWant comms that are culturally authentic?
RaceHow to DE&I properly
RaceHow loose are your claims?
EnvironmentAre your products or services gendered?
GenderDo your casting choices lack an inclusive look?
GenderDo your comms alienate the audience?
GenderDoes your campaign rely on gender stereotypes?
Gender
