The community initials ‘LGBT’ came into existence in the early 1990s when the world at last upgraded from whispers to open conversations and discussions when it came to this tribe.
‘If you want to see the rainbow you have got to put up with the rain and the LGBTQ community very well did, for many years, until the world came to accept that #loveislove and love is all that matters.’
With the decriminalisation of Article 377, the social stigma against the LGBTQ community was finally put to rest in India. Many countries overcame this much earlier yet some are still facing it.
Despite Article 377, the fight for inclusivity in the society has not ended for the LGBTQ community. The fight for love has not ended!
That is when social media emerges to the tribe’s rescue. Platforms such as Twitter and Instagram have been the epicentre of spreading the LGBT culture and movements. Social media is becoming the tool to encourage the LGBT community to come out and join the movement in order to make their voices heard and wanting other people to accept their choices.
Social media mediums are a judgement-free zone where any type of discussions could be taken place openly. They have played a colossal role in influencing the thought-process of the users and triggering actions in the real world.
In 2017, Instagram introduced Pride Stickers and Rainbow Brush. The Pride Stickers were created by LGBTQ artists from their global community.
In 2016, while believing in the expression and celebration of Pride, Twitter launched a special emoji #LoveIsLove.
In 2017, Facebook mentioned that 12 million people across the globe were part of one of the 76,000 Facebook Groups in support of the LGBTQ community.
Loud and proud, the LGBTQ community marched their way towards freedom to love and be themselves.
This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, widely considered to be the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in the US. Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to commemorate this movement.
Many brands and communities take on to social media to show their apparent support towards the inclusivity of the gay community. They often leverage the Pride month to educate the audience. They take a stance against discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community with Pride month campaigns.
However, throwing a rainbow on something or posting a generic “we support…” message can be a lazy attempt at seasonal marketing. Sunny Sharma, marketing wizard at Blued India, tells you how to make your rainbows visible and make a difference this Pride month.
A representation of information in an entertaining way to the audience, which will not only keep them captivated but also give them an understanding of why acceptance is necessary and why the LGBTQ community deserves it too.
Web series are one such medium to use the infotainment tool. They should be looked at as an important marketing tool to talk about the gay community, keeping the brand tonality and ethos in check.
One way to ensure an effective Pride month is to keep it light-hearted. Media in general has made any conversation around LGBT a rather serious one. Including humour in your content while speaking of and promoting the acceptance of the gay community in the world. This type of content is more relatable with the audience and they tend to have a connection as well as an understanding towards the sensitivity of the topic without hurting sentiments.
Don’t forget to strike a chord with the users. Use real-life stories when it comes to creating content during the Pride month. Internal stories of how an employee or a member partaking in important activities for the brand came out of the closet. How the brand took it upon itself to make sure they address the situation in the most appropriate manner and make them feel more included than excluded. This type of content is value-added and a sure shot winner in the various types of content list for the Pride month.
We still have a long way to go to have a rainbow in the sky perennially but let’s keep the spirits high and efforts on with exceptional content, until the day arrives.
(Sunny Sharma, Marketing ninja at Blued is a beauty and make-up enthusiast. When he's not spreading the word about Blued and crafting creative campaigns and associations, you can catch him experimenting with some amazing makeup on his Instagram page. His recent work won a shoutout by Mario Dedivanovic.)
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of BestMediaInfo.com and we do not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
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