100+ organisations tell brands to stand behind their campaigns this Pride Month by endorsing our intervention
Backers include leading agency networks, advocacy groups, media owners, charities and Pride organisers
We’re thrilled to report that over 100 organisations have endorsed our Pride statement, calling for businesses to stand behind their campaigns this Pride month.
The statement has been endorsed by industry networks, agencies and advocacy groups including the WFA (World Federation of Advertisers), ISBA, Advertising Association, DMA, The Marketing Society, IAB UK, The Alliance of Independent Agencies, dentsu, OMG UK, Mindshare, EssenceMediacom, adam&eveDDB, Ogilvy UK, Grey London, Publicis Egalite, VMLY&R, The Social Element, The&Partnership, RAPP UK, D&AD, WACL, Pocc, WPP Unite and Trans+ Adland.
There has also been an outpouring of support from other advocacy and community groups, charities and Pride organisations including Pride in London, InterPride, Queer Britain, GLAAD, Stonewall, Galop, Switchboard, TransActual, Trans In The City, DIVA magazine and Gay Times.
By endorsing our statement, each organisation has committed to stand firm in their commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community, as we call on advertisers to persevere with their Pride campaigns, and recommend a number of measures to demonstrate authentic, effective allyship. This involves braving an organised campaign of backlash, and then substantiating pledges with meaningful action, including divestment from media that profit from disinformation.
“Active allyship is a year-round task, not just for Pride. The LGBTQIA+ community is facing unprecedented, coordinated attacks so it’s more important than ever that advertisers stand by their messages of inclusivity and support. Actions, however, should go beyond ad campaigns and we urge advertisers to review internal practices and ensure LGBTQIA+ staff are supported and included in boardrooms, photo-shoots, creative spaces and decision-making areas to provide input and have visibility.”
“This past week has shown us just how vital this widely endorsed intervention is. We’ve continued to see brands like Wickes face coordinated attacks from those wishing for our community to be made invisible in the media. I’ve had personal conversations with those working in the industry that have found the statement has helped to influence the clients they counsel. And I’m certain that there are many brands sitting on campaigns. Our advice remains: run your campaigns and stand behind your work.”
To view the full list of organisations who have signed the pledge, please visit the Outvertising statement here.
Outvertising tells brands: Stand your ground this Pride Month
Outvertising remains resolute in continuing our pursuit to make marketing and advertising completely LGBTQIA+ inclusive. With Pride Month upon us, we invite the industry to join us in that pursuit.
Anti-LGBTQIA+ groups are relentlessly attacking brands that demonstrate allyship with our community.
As part of their efforts to halt and roll back LGBTQIA+ inclusion in society at large, these fringe groups are attempting to erase our community in the media, including in the ads people see.
The Trans+ community are weathering the brunt of this targeted campaign of hate and they must be protected. But this hate is not limited to our Trans+ friends – the whole LGBTQIA+ community are feeling the effects.
There’s no room for performative gestures or empty commitments in 2023: love is love, but money talks.
Our message this Pride Month, and every month, is clear:
The LGBTQIA+ community will not be silenced, and we will not be erased.
Our community will remain visible. LGBTQIA+ people belong in ads. Trans+ people belong in ads.
How to stand your ground:
Brands with Pride ads: Run them.
Brands working with LGBTQIA+ talent: Protect them.
Brands with Pride event plans: Keep them.
Brands with Pride products: Display them.
Brands with rainbow logos: Back up this declaration with meaningful actions.
Brands that come under attack: Brave the backlash.
Brands with media spend: Invest in media that match your values. Divest from media that spread disinformation.
This is a time that calls for commitment and courage.
If your brand’s allyship comes under attack this Pride Month, we advise you not to waver in your resolve because of a hateful few. Your action can be made in the sound knowledge that you have the majority behind you. 2 in 3 under 60s (66%) think it’s important to fight discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.*
Stand your ground.
You can find more advice on how to confidently stand your ground in the Outvertising Guide, in The Media Guide and in the Employer Guidance on the resources section of our website.
*Portland - Generation A - Z report
Organisations calling on all brands to stand their ground this Pride Month:
Advocacy group
Bloom UK
Brixton Finishing School
Media for All
WACL
Agency
Across the Pond
BCW
Born Social
Bountiful Cow
Carat
dentsu X
distillery
EssenceMediacom
EssenceMediacomX
Grey
LondonHarvard PR
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
Lightboat Media
Mindshare
mSix & Partners
Ogilvy
RAPP
SHARE Creative
Teamspirit
The&Partnership
the7stars
TransMission PR
VMLY&R
Wavemaker
Mullen Lowe
Havas London
The Social Element
Pocc
Landor & Fitch
iPROSPECT
Propeller Group
CMI Media Group
Barkley
OMG UK (including agencies OMD, PHD, Hearts & Science, MG OMD, DRUM and Fuse)
Media Bounty
Weirdo
Be The Fox
D&AD
CLICKON
adam&eveDDB
Gaybors Agency
The 3% Movement
David&Goliath
We Are Rosie
TMW Unlimited
Media.Monks
We Are Social
Weber Shandwick UK
Association
Advertising Association
Conscious Advertising Network
DMA - Data and Marketing Association
IAB
UKISBA
The Alliance of Independent Agencies
The Marketing Society
The World Federation of Advertisers
Charities
Mermaids
NABS
Not A Phase
Stonewall
The Film and TV Charity
#TransPeopleAreLoved Campaign
Switchboard LGBTQ+ Helpline
Community Groups
Global Butterflies
InterMedia UK
Intersex
Equality Rights UK
Queer Britain
Trans In The City
Trans+ Adland Community
TransActual
GLAAD
DEI Consultancy
Indigo Inclusion
Creative Equals
Do the WeRQ
Diversity Role Models
The Unmistakables
ERG
MRSpride
OPEN Pride UK (The Omnicom LGBTQ+ ERG)
Publicis Groupe Egalité UK
TruePride Alliance at McCann Worldgroup UK
WPP Unite
Havas Pride
Holding Group
dentsu
OOH Specialist
Kinetic
Pride
Medway Pride CIC
Pride in London
Rainbows Over Medway
Platform
Queer AF
Medway Pride Radio
Good-Loop
Union
Creative Communications Workers
Publications
WARC
Diva
Gay Times
Media Owner
Clear Channel UK
Supporters
Interpride
European Pride Organisers Association
Galop
Asians in Advertising
Recruitment
Major Players
Production Studio (OOH)
DOOH.com
Specialist Research Agency
The Diversity Standards Collective
If you are interested in endorsing/supporting please drop us an email.
Outvertising Welcomes a New Director
Cassius Naylor (he/him/they/them) - Advocacy Co-Director
Cassius is an independent D&I advisor and freelance software engineer, with a diverse client-facing career history spanning journalism and publishing, communications, consultancy and enterprise technology. Most recently he was global communications coordinator at the Financial Times, where he also led the organisation's award-winning LGBTQ+ employee network Proud FT. He served on the steering committee of Intermedia UK in this capacity, and has advised media, advertising and technology sector decision-makers on LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace throughout. He has been working with Outvertising in various capacities since 2018, including having helped launch the second edition of the Outvertising Guide in 2019.
“Outvertising has always, to me, been an organisation with two aspects. One points inwards, towards the community and the membership, and forms the beating heart of our group. The other points outwards, towards the industry and the public, and represents our ability to guide the sector towards an inclusive future. We are entering a new phase in corporate D.E.I. strategy, where the expectations of the community towards business are more robust. Love is love, but money talks, and an ever greater population of consumers are becoming wise to that. The advocacy team exists to help leaders and allies in brands, agencies, adtech and media to disempower bigotry in the advertising supply chain, and I’m thrilled to be leading this critical work alongside Ant Jackson.”