Marsha P. Johnson, 1968

Saks off 5th, Pride History

NeilsonIQ: Understanding the LGBTQIA+ consumer in Australia

OGX Beauty, Love is in the house

Equality starts at home

The Australian Workplace Equality Index was launched in 2010, initially working closely with Stonewall UK to ensure a localised starting point within an Australian context. AWEI is now considered the national benchmark for LGBTQIA+ workplace inclusion and comprises the largest and only national employee survey designed to gauge the overall impact of inclusion initiatives on organisational culture, as well as identifying and non-identifying employees.

The 2022 results, in line with global trends, found education, tech, IT and consulting organisations at the top of the charts with fewer bricks & mortar retail brands making a presence; with the exception of Woolworths & Coles making the hit list over the last few years. This leaves a huge gap in the market for retailers to dedicate more efforts to representation in their outward campaigns as well as their internal training, culture and inclusion; showing  a commitment to under-represented groups 365 days a year.

Macy’s, Stonewall 50 yrs Anniversary

Lendlease won ‘Platinum Employer of Choice for LGBTI Inclusion’ at the 2022 Australian Inclusion awards.

In collaboration with the Stonewall no-bystanders campaign their ongoing initiative deploys thousands of rainbow laces to their construction workers to wear in their site boots as a mark of solidarity and acceptance throughout the workplace.

NeilsonIQ: Understanding the LGBTQIA+ consumer in Australia

Nike, Be True

The Proud network exists to create a supportive environment across Woolworths Group for their team who identify as LGBTQIA+ or who are supporting allies of the community. Believing in diversity, acceptance and equality in the workplace the network host educational events, awareness training and social events all around Australia. Starting as an idea from two Graduates, Proud has now grown into a thriving network with a membership just shy of 3000 team members in 2022.

Target collaborated this year not only with queer identifying artists from the community on the design of their own pride range, but also included partnerships with inclusive brands TomboyX & Humankind. Both are queer-led, female founded brands who feature binders, compression tops, packing underwear and all inclusive swimwear. Partnering with Target brings these harder to find gender affirming products into a more visible mainstream spotlight - demonstrating a deeper understanding of the needs of the community above generic rainbow adorned products.

Gender Fluid Fashion

The demand for genderless retail has steadily increased over the last decade, largely due to an increase in visibility of gender fluid as the norm. Harry Styles donning a Gucci dress on the cover of Vogue made headlines from all sides, even though he was by no means the first to do so. There has been a major shift in how society defines gender with the younger generations leading this change. With so many experiences of gender out there, the traditional binary has been challenged in a big way by millenials and Gen Z.

For brands this means over-simplifying their offering by gender risks alienating a demographic that has just overtaken Boomers as Australia’s largest generation.

Back in 2015 Selfridges launched a pop-up concept store in partnership with designer Faye Toogood - stripping back all marketing and merchandising to create a unique genderless shopping experience. Organised by fit, colour and style, the space also displays ‘genderless’ abstract sculptures that emulate the universality of form and silhouette in fashion. Earlier this year the renowned department store announced the next phase in this project, extending the idea across its three floors of mens and womenswear in celebration of pride month.

Ugg, Feel Heard

Selfridges, Agender

Wunderman Thompson, Gender Identity Report

Skittles marked Pride month this year by releasing custom designed packs created by six LGBTQIA+ artists in a show of solidarity with the community. Traditionally dulling the famous rainbow colours to a monochromatic scheme to give space to the vibrancy of pride month, this year in association with Charity & rights activists ‘Glaad’ they brought back the rainbow, reimagined by those it represents.

American Bank BMO Financial found a way to utilise the massive influx of rainbow images flooding social platforms and other brands campaigns to create their own activation that pays off in a substantial way. Consumers downloaded BMO’s ‘Rainbow Deposits’ app to trade in pictures of rainbows in order to make donations to Rainbow Railroad, a nonprofit that helps LGBTQIA+ individuals living under oppression. For every rainbow “deposited,” BMO donated a dollar. While finding pictures of rainbows isn’t hard during pride month, the app also helped users locate rainbow images nearby with its map feature.

Absolut, Coachella Pop Up

Getty Images’ 2021 Visual GPS survey

Corporates & companies weren’t responsible for making same-sex marriage legal, and they can’t provide protections outside of their own workplace, but the platforms brands provide are invaluable to creating change for all minorities. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce didn’t get pied in the face for nothing, but he did see a huge rise in Qantas shares post vocalising the companies stance on the marriage equality vote in 2017.

The government and politicians matter. Corporations have often been there for LGBTQIA+ communities first, and the support pays off. A recent Washington post survey in the US reported 76% of LGBTQIA+ respondents would take more of their business to companies that support LGBTQIA+ equality.

Check out our material inspiration for your next Pride Campaign