Brands Still Haven’t Figured Out How To Talk To LGBTQ Consumers

I hate withdrawing money from ATMs in June. Virtually every bank branch in Manhattan slathers itself in rainbow flags and some sort of abstruse tagline about being “open to all.” It’s always struck me as a cheaply exploitative move, and it turns out I’m not alone. In a recent survey of marketers and consumers by INTO, Grindr’s digital magazine, and market-research firm Brand Innovators, only 15.6% of the more than 3,200 LGBTQ respondents said they feel “very positively” toward companies that roll out Pride-themed ad campaigns and then leave it at that for the rest of the year. By contrast, over 40% said they feel very positively toward advertisers who work LGBTQ themes into their branding “regularly or continually.” That’s not to say more is always better, though. The commercialization of queer culture is nothing new, after all, and it isn’t especially “brave” for brands to spout inclusive messaging (even with the Trump administration’s civil-rights assaults on LGBTQ people). But while the line between opportunism and meaningful visibility has always been uncomfortably thin, INTO’s new data suggests there’s a better way to walk it. Read more at Fast Company.