As June approaches, marking the onset of Pride month, many brands are rolling out special collections and campaigns designed to support the LGBTQ+ community. The results have been a mix of applause, confusion, and backlash. Here’s a rundown of some notable 2023 Pride campaigns.
1. Controversy over Adidas X Rich Mnisi’s “Let Love Be Your Legacy” Collection
This Pride month, Adidas joined hands with queer designer Rich Mnisi for a new collection. However, their decision to have a male model showcase women’s swimsuits sparked outrage on social media, leading to calls for a boycott of the brand.
2. Revolut X Oogachaga’s Diversity Card – A Novel Approach
This year, the fintech powerhouse Revolut chose to show its support for Pride Month through a unique collaboration with Oogachaga, a local non-profit organisation dedicated to offering emotional support and counseling services to the LGBTQ+ community. Together, they launched the Diversity Card, a special-edition pride-themed card.
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As part of this initiative, customers are invited to make a minimum donation of SG$10 to Oogachaga, and in return, they will receive this limited-edition card featuring the vibrant colors of the pride flag. Moreover, customers have the option to arrange for recurring donations to continue their support through the use of this card.
3. Apple’s Pride Edition Bands – A Technicolor Celebration
In honor of Pride Month celebrations, Apple, the renowned tech company, has launched two distinct Pride Edition watch bands, each showcasing vibrant Pride-themed watch faces, as stated in a recent company announcement.
The first band, a sports loop, is a result of a creative collaboration with members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community at Apple. Tasked with bringing a fresh expression of pride to life, they developed a unique design featuring a double-layered, nylon-woven band with ‘pride’ stylishly scripted in cursive.
Complementing this is the second band, a Nike sports loop that stands out with its vivid rainbow strap and a coordinating rainbow-colored Nike Bounce face.
Taking inspiration from various pride flags, Apple has also introduced a novel pride thread watch face. This intriguing design features all the colors of the rainbow that dynamically shift as the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch is manipulated.
4. The Seizure of Swatch’s ‘Love Is Love’ Watches in Malaysia
Swatch’s ‘Love Is Love’ watch collection, inspired by the Pride flag, encountered trouble when Malaysian authorities confiscated rainbow-colored watches from the collection, citing violation of race relations norms.
5. Calvin Klein’s Black and White “Let It Out” Campaign
This year, the fintech powerhouse Revolut chose to show its support for Pride Month through a unique collaboration with Oogachaga, a local non-profit organisation dedicated to offering emotional support and counseling services to the LGBTQ+ community. Together, they launched the Diversity Card, a special-edition pride-themed card.
As part of this initiative, customers are invited to make a minimum donation of SG$10 to Oogachaga, and in return, they will receive this limited-edition card featuring the vibrant colors of the pride flag. Moreover, customers have the option to arrange for recurring donations to continue their support through the use of this card.
This review of Pride campaigns is based on an article by Marketing Interactive.
