Before we delve into some impactful pride campaigns, we’ll quickly recap why pride month is such an important event in the calendar. Since 1969, June has been Pride Month and began in memory of the police raid at the Stonewall Inn, which led to riots across the neighbourhood. Fast forward to now and pride is celebrated all over the world and not only by the LGBTQ+ community but also by brands and allies.
Here are a few of our favourite Pride campaigns of 2021…
Apple Watch Pride Edition
Slightly newer to the LGBTQ+ scene, Apple has officially been taking part in pride campaigns since 2014. Off the back of releasing their rainbow Apple Watch band to employees who partook in pride events, they released it to the general public the following year.
This year Apple bought out The Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop and The Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop, both with matching watch faces. All proceeds from the sales of the bands will go towards relevant charities and organisations that Apple partners with.
Reebok’s All Types of Love
This year, footwear giant Reebok relaunched their ‘All Types of Love Collection’. First released in 2020 the range includes footwear, apparel and accessories. Reebok also announced that they will be donating $75,000 to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, a charity that supports low-income people who are transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming.
Furthermore, Reebok also wrote a love letter dedicated to their LGBTQ+ friends, family and community. Supporting the campaign, ‘Proud Notes’ provides a platform for individuals of the community to share their stories and journeys through notes.
Lego’s Everyone is Awesome Set
2021 saw Lego celebrate pride for the first time! For the occasion, they released a set of 364 pieces dressed in 11 vibrant shades to reflect the iconic pride flag. The campaign aims to celebrate the diversity within the company.
Skittles Pride Packs
For the second pride season running, Skittles has given up the rainbow in celebration of Pride. The limited-edition Skittles packs feature grey packaging on the outside and all grey sweets on the inside. Throughout the celebrations, $1 of each pack gets donated to GLAAD.
The colourless skittles symbolise the businesses commitment to shaping a world that is more connected, caring and celebratory.
Over the past decade, the Pride celebrations have scaled up more than anyone could’ve expected with brands putting intense efforts into showing solidarity to the LGBTQ+ community, whether that’s through products, collaborations or marketing efforts. A successful pride campaign means matching the commercial aspect with the initiatives that enact change!