In the wake of Target abandoning its values on LGBTQ inclusion this Pride Month, we wanted to make sure you saw the strong showing from The North Face, a brand targeted by a handful of extremists. The North Face did not back down from its Pride campaign, as shown here.
GLAAD COMMENDS NORTH FACE’S DECISION TO CONTINUE PRIDE CAMPAIGN AFTER FACING CALLS FROM EXTREMISTS TO BOYCOTT
Statement from GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis:
“Including LGBTQ people and holding true to your corporate values is good for business. The North Face is following hundreds of other businesses that include and stand with LGBTQ people and our allies. At a time when over 20% of Gen Z is LGBTQ and a supermajority of Americans support LGBTQ people, The North Face’s decision should be a signal to other companies that including LGBTQ people and allies is better for business than siding with a small number of violent extremists who want to keep LGBTQ consumers and employees invisible.”
Of note, a few more examples of brands sticking to their values and NOT caving to the handful of extremists attempting to undermine business decisions:
CNBC
Nike CEO John Donahoe says brands need to stand by their values amid DeSantis, Disney feud
Nike CEO John Donahoe said during the inaugural CNBC CEO Council Summit it’s important for corporations to fight for the values integral to their brands.
Ad Age
The North Face continues Pride push amid LGBTQ+ marketing backlash
The North Face is continuing its Pride month collection and campaign despite calls for a boycott.
Los Angeles Times
Dodgers apologize and invite Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to Pride Night
The Dodgers responded to criticism for their decision to exclude the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from their June 16 Pride Night by reversing course.
Swatch Dares Malaysia to Confiscate Rainbows After Pride Watches Raid
Multiple raids on Swatch Group AG’s stores in Malaysia over their sale of Pride-themed rainbow watches has sparked a furious response from the watchmaker and raised renewed doubts about the commitment of the nation’s six-month old coalition government to LGBTQ rights. (83 kB)
Facts about LGBTQ inclusion in ads/marketing and about anti-LGBTQ violence today:
More than 160 LGBTQ community events have been targeted with violence and threats in the past year. Everything from firebombing a donut shop to armed militias showing up at public libraries of all places.
Gallup found over 20% of Gen Z are LGBT, that number has grown each year.
For four consecutive waves, fielded annually, GLAAD has found that non-LGBTQ people’s level of comfort seeing LGBTQ people in ads has remained stable at 75% (3 out of 4 non-LGBTQ people). You can see the original question in the link below and here
A report released in December 2022 by GLAAD and the Edelman Trust Institute found:
If a brand publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights, Americans are 2x more likely to buy or use the brand and ages 18-34 are 5.5x more likely to want to work at a company if it publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights. Additional findings here.
- More than half (54%) of transgender and nonbinary people feel unsafe walking in their own neighborhoods, compared to 36% of all LGBTQ adults, as well as less safe in various environments, from work, to social media, or in a typical store.
A 2020 GLAAD and P&G poll of U.S. consumers found:
- 75% of respondents were comfortable seeing LGBTQ people in ads.
- Respondents also looked favorably upon companies that included LGBTQ people in their advertisements.
- 85% of respondents believe it reflects the company’s commitment to offering products to all types of customers.
- 82% of respondents believe that it reflects the company’s value for all kinds of diversity.
- 80% of respondents believe that it reflects that the company is making a statement about the importance of recognizing LGBTQ people.
- More info from the poll here.
