June is observed around the world as Pride month; serving to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and promoting the freedom to be ones’ true self. For allies outside of the community, it is a time to show the utmost support, observe, listen, and learn.

We sought out some of the powerful initiatives reaching our Creative Consumers® associates (CCs), asking them to tell us about some of the companies and brands they’ve noticed making a positive impact for the LGBTQ+ community this month and all year long. Here are some of the companies they had to highlight:

Bath & Body Works:

Donating to causes that support the LGBTQ+ community is just one way that companies and brands can show support during Pride month. ITG CC Kelly brought up how Bath & Body Works has been giving to the community, stating that:

“Bath & Body Works has a display in store with a new body care line called Rainbow Waves that says, "Love Always Wins." The display also had candles, sanitizer, wallflower plugs, etc. with LGBTQ+ colors. Not only did they do some branding, displays, and social media posts to show their support, but they actually put some money behind it, donating $150,000 to It Gets Better.”

Converse:

ITG CC Amy added onto this and shoutout both Bath and Body Works and Converse saying:

“Bath and Body Works has fun pride soaps and candles. Converse has fun pride shoes. I would pick both of those companies because I know that part of the money from sales goes to charities that support the LGBTQ+ community.”

Creative Consumers® associates member Danielle cited Converse, stating that, “Companies that donate the profits to LGBT organizations are important to me”.

Bombas:

Another company spoken of highly by our Creative Consumers® associates that has been giving back to the LGBTQ+ community is Bombas. CC Kara:

“They have a pride collection and every time an item is purchased from it, they donate another item to a specific LGBTQ+ charity”

Creative Consumers® associates member Kate added onto this by commemorating that Bombas is, “putting money where their mouth is; not just for pride month, but to give back to the community.” ITG CC Derek also mentioned that:

“Bombas is doing a great job - they feature information about how they support communities and organizations that they partner with, etc., and I think they do a great job highlighting how these items help (the community).”

Target:

We had many Creative Consumers® associates express their love for the support Target has shown for the LGBTQ+ community. CC Lloyd mentioned the year-round efforts they make towards greater representation:

“They are definitely doing a great job of inclusive and self-expression for all genders and self-identifying consumers. They have inclusive ads and products and have represented models from all walks of life.”

Not only does Target make strides in their representation, but also their support of creators in the LGBTQ+ community. CC Shaneia:

“Target does a great job at supporting ALL. They give creatives and small business owners opportunities. They don’t appropriate, become culture vultures, or try to capitalize off of people’s struggles.”

CC Jesse jumped in to express the support Target has repeatedly shown over the years saying:

“Target has done it longer than any other I can remember, but their clothing collection for Pride has smaller designers do collaborations where they actually promote the small business. They’re queer run and inclusive of size and many other factors not usually represented on shelves. We buy something every year from the collections, and they keep getting better and better!”

CC Ken specifically referenced Target’s collaborations with TomboyX explaining that, “Target partners with a brand called TomboyX; a gender-neutral underwear brand that has been generally well regarded for their product quality in the community.”

Aston Martin F1 Racing:

Creative Consumers® associate Ben gave us insight into the educational campaign Aston Martin has been running and how it’s impact will span beyond June:

“The Aston Martin Formula 1 Racing Team is running a month-long educational campaign on being an ally and the importance of allyship. It is a rare example of a corporate effort that doesn’t seem designed solely to sell product or pander towards a certain audience, but to actually educate their fans and change some hearts and minds. Motorsport is not known for its diversity and Aston Martin, especially its driver Sebastian Vettel, are doing their part to promote diversity and allyship among their fans.”

Levi Strauss & Co:

ITG CC Becca spoke to both Levi’s external and internal support of the LGBTQ+ community as well as the initiative they’ve always taken:

“Levi Strauss & Co has done a remarkable job in supporting the LGBTQ+ community during pride month, and during the rest of the year. The philanthropic company not only donates money to LGBTQ+ groups, it also was the first Fortune 500 company to give domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples.” 

Automic Gold:

Creative Consumers® associate Kayla spoke seriously about the negative way in which many companies use Pride month to their advantage and highlighted a brand that celebrates their inclusion all year long – Automic Gold:

“So many companies miss the mark by just turning pride into another profit-seeking exercise. Automic Gold champions their Queer and Trans ownership/founder year-round, and ensures their jewelry is marketed by and two folks of all gender expressions, sizes, etc. Automic Gold shouts out other organizations doing work for the LGBTQ+ community and highlights other cool Queer owned business on the website.”

Ben & Jerry’s (Unilever):

Another company showing support positively is Ben & Jerry’s. As CC Shaneia mentioned, “Ben & Jerry’s is an awesome company when it comes to human rights, equality, and being a voice in the fight.” Creative Consumers® associates member Wendy added onto this to compliment Unilever’s efforts as a whole stating:

“I believe a company/brand that is doing a great job of supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month (and every other month) is Ben & Jerry's (Unilever) because they consistently lead campaigns for change in the world, in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it be the signage we see at the parades and storefronts or the flavors that highlight support - I have grown up knowing Ben & Jerry's will take a stand to help us face discrimination head-on and fight for justice. Not just a spoonful of something tasty - a spoonful of SUPPORT, a spoonful of PRIDE, a spoonful of ACTION!”

Our CC Michelle also mentioned Ben & Jerry’s continued support year-round, saying:

“Ben & Jerry's ice cream co. continues to stand out at anytime - not just for the month. Love their product names in honor of several LQBTQ+ events/occasions.”

Dove (Unilever):

CC Wendy also mentioned Dove, another Unilever brand, and their “Proud to be Me” tool expressing that:

“I believe a company/brand that is doing a great job of supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month (and every other month) is Dove (also Unilver) because of the introduction of the Proud to Be Me body positivity tool for LGBTQ+ youth through the Dove Self-Esteem Project. Dove continually supports PRIDE and includes members of the LGBTQ+ in advertising campaigns. 365 days a year, Dove honors the voices of the LGBTQ+ community - washing away what does not matter and showing us what does!

Associated with companies/brands like Ben & Jerry's and Dove, Unilever is a member of TeamPride supporting the Rainbow Laces campaign - being a beacon of inclusion, amplifying voices, and enabling LGBTQIA+ to be their true authentic selves. Lace-up those shoes and let's get running in the right direction with the help of Unilever. Put your money where your PRIDE is.”

Skittles:

Creative Consumers® associate Bela had this to say when we asked her to give us an example of a company showing valuable support:

“Skittles! Their approach was to “give the rainbow back to the Pride community.” It’s gimmicky at first, but after you listen to their reasons it’s actually pretty cool. Plus, they donate some proceeds to projects to support LGBTQ members in need and I think that’s very important!”

CC Valerie went onto explain the reasoning for the Skittles color change stating, “Skittles is doing the gray packaging and candies with the ‘only one rainbow matters’ motto.”

Lego: 

Lego has also been approaching their support of Pride in a fun and unique way! Creative Consumers® associate James brought this up in his response:

“The Pride Month advertisement I noticed first was an image of a line of Lego minifigures, all identical, featureless, but in a rainbow of colors. The image spoke to the diversity that we as humans all share, while still conveying the principle that we are all, at our core, the same. A rainbow depicted in a row of simple figures standing side-by-side against a plain white background spoke volumes while communicating a simple idea: That we are all equal while celebrating our unique individuality.”

Peloton: 

CC Andrea explained how Peloton has stood out to her: “I think Peloton is doing a great job this year highlighting the contributions of LGBTQ+ folks over the years historically, musically, and athletically! It’s been a lovely opportunity to learn without feeling heavy handed. They’re also giving some portion of proceeds to the Trevor Project.“

Savage X Fenty:

ITG CC Sulia commemorated the undergarment brand Savage X Fenty by saying:

“The releases have been so inclusive and creative and included tons of queer people (along with tons of other identities that also intersect with queerness). Rihanna just stands by her values of inclusivity and actually makes amazing products that aren’t just random rainbows on a shirt - very thoughtful.” 

Netflix:

Creative Consumers® associate Jenn pointed out the efforts Netflix has made to curate portfolios of Pride-celebrating media within their platform:

“I think one company that is doing a good job is Netflix. They have a "Celebrate Pride" category and within that category, they have separate sub-categories like stories of self-discovery, LQBTQ directors, Out, Proud, and Authentic, Family-focused LGBTQ Stories, LGBTQ Stories from Past Eras, etc. I like that it acknowledges the richness of the LGBTQ stories and the valuable contributions of LGBTQ people.” 

Hulu:

Like Netflix, Hulu has also been spotlighting shows and movies for Pride mentioned by CC Ashley who said, “I feel as though Hulu is doing a great job because they send out emails showing their supporting and by debuting special shows for Pride Month.” 

Barry’s Bootcamp:

Our CC Emma-Kate also spoke seriously on the hollow promises many brands make for pride, and instead turned us towards Barry’s Bootcamp:

“Barry’s Bootcamp is one that comes to mind because in their initial Pride month statement they made it clear that their LGBTQ+ support and activism is a year-round effort and how welcome all people are at their studios. I feel like so many Pride efforts are hollow because they seem like good PR but that is one company I trust to back up what they are saying. If you take a look at their Instagram page there are lots of Pride posts and they seem genuine! And the comments are very supportive too.”

Oreo / Nabisco: 

Creative Consumers® associate Michelle also mentioned the famed Oreo commercial shown during holidays signifying their support for the LGBTQ+ community all year long:

“Nabisco/Oreos commercial during holidays showing same-sex couple visiting old-school parents where dad paints the fence into a rainbow...excellent! (They should replay it for pride month!)” 

3M

Our Creative Consumers® associate Connie spoke to 3M’s diversity and inclusion at an internal level stating, “3M has Chief Diversity Officers who ensure that the corporation is welcoming to ALL people, as employees, customers, etc.” They went onto state, “I have a lot of personal experience with the corporation and would recommend them as places to work for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people.”

Kindheart Designs & Your Authentic Voice:

ITG CC Michelle gave a shoutout to a small clothing and art business called Kindheart Designs making strides by donating a portion of their proceeds, stating:

“Kindheart Designs is partnering with Your Authentic Voice for customized special edition art prints and donating 10% of proceeds to The Trevor Project.” 

Meg Emiko Art:

CC Michelle also wanted to highlight artist and designer, Meg Emiko, who is making donations to LGBTQ+ charities all month long, saying:

“@MegEmikoArt is queer POC clothing designer who provides anti-hate info along with donation receipts so you know that 30% of the proceeds is really going to the fund you designated.” 

Chipotle:

Chipoltle’s ‘Always Real’ campaign spoke to our Creative Consumers® associate Chad:

“One of the companies/brands that are doing a great job of supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month is Chipotle because of the Always Real campaign which deals with food insecurity in the LGBTQ+ community. With a donation of a quarter of a million dollars and focus on continued support throughout the year it will surely make a difference. And who would not want an awesome Always Real garb to show your solidarity.”

Wildfang:

Creative Consumers® associate Sarah expressed the nature of Wildfang’s approach to Pride and how inclusion has been integrated deep into their company’s mission. She said, “This clothing feminist queer run clothing brand doesn’t treat LGBTQ plus pride like a side activity. It’s part of everything they do. The brand creates authentically inclusive clothes, advertising, and marketing outreach.”

Support can come in many forms like donations to LGBTQ+ organizations, educating audiences, representation, promoting LBGTQ+ artists and creators, or spreading awareness. The bottom line is that support of the community needs to take place all year-long.

Through brands like the ones our Creative Consumers® associates have highlighted, we can hope that companies will follow in their footsteps to take continued action for and provide continued support to LGBTQ+ individuals. To support the LGBTQ+ community, please consider donating to any of these organizations: Trevor Project, Pride Foundation, the HRC Foundation, Point Foundation, GLAAD, Family Equality Council, The Ali Forney Center, National Center for Transgender Equality, SAGE, GLSEN, It Gets Better, or Lambda Legal.