Last week local retailer Woolworths made headlines after launching a Pride Month line of clothing to a mixed online reception.
Woolies will no doubt benefit from the attention around the launch and revenue generated from the clothing line and its supporters, but it has also committed to donating funds generated from these products to LGBTQIA+-aligned causes.*
Predictably, the campaign has garnered polarised responses. Many allies of LGBTQIA+ movements and awareness have expressed their support, while others have expressed concern and even outrage aligned with their political views.
Whether you like the campaign or hate it, it’s worth recognising that Woolworths has taken a stand, supported it with action, and held its own against vitriolic opposition. This commitment speaks to character in a world where most brands are terrified of standing for anything, offending anyone, and anything remotely resembling a complaint. I sincerely hope their promise matches their delivery.
I’ve watched as other brands scrambled to jump on the Pride bandwagon, many in direct response to the temperature of conversation around Woolies, and it smacks of desperation. It’s tragic and even pathetic how brands will scramble to cash in on the rainbow flag (or other causes) in the hope of a few extra likes or comments. FOMO is not a strategy.
When clients ask me for advice in these moments - moments when they feel obliged to show support for a cause or movement gathering momentum online, I have one question: What does solidarity look like even (and especially) if you don’t get any credit for it?
What would it mean to the employee who has lobbied for support in the business only to land on deaf ears to see you change your Twitter logo to a rainbow version? What would it mean to the customer who doesn’t feel comfortable in one of your branches?
Having said that, some in the LGBTQIA+ movement will still applaud this brand of woke-washing without interrogating the sincerity or depth of the gesture. In my opinion, this is just as damaging and if anything, serves only to delegitimise the cause.
Before you consider jumping on the Pride solidarity trend (or any other trend for that matter), consider asking yourself and your teams first:
Is this something we genuinely care about? Is this a cause we are in some way contributing positively? What would marginalised employees, partners or customers say about our stance on this topic? Does this matter to us at any other time of the year? Is our primary motivation social credit or kudos?
It’s not lost on me that many brand custodians and agency teams don’t have a choice in this matter, often responding to the panicked request of an executive who, after a cursory scroll through their Twitter feed, has realised they might be missing out. I sympathise and hopefully these questions can be used as fuel for a deeper discussion.
My dad always said that character is who you are behind closed doors. I believe the same to be true for brands, and I really do believe that truly great branding is a creative expression of something true. But maybe I’m an idealist. What do you think?
*At the time of writing, the exact details regarding the donations and the organisations benefiting from them haven’t been disclosed.