Beyond the Rainbow [REPORT]

Unite, WPP’s LGBTQ+ community launched Beyond the Rainbow, a new study into LGBTQ+ marketing and its future. The study surveyed 7,500 LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ people in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada to better understand their perceptions and experiences of viewing LGBTQ+ identities in media and advertising. Beyond the Rainbow is intended to equip brands, advertisers, marketing communicators and others in the industry with actionable data and insights to help build a more inclusive future.

Spearheaded by an all-queer team from WPP Unite with representation from BCW, Choreograph, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Hogarth, Landor & Fitch, EssenceMediacom, The&Partnership, VMLY&R and Wavemaker, the study releases insightful new data calling for more authentic representation of LGBTQ+ identities in advertising, the need for long-term support beyond Pride month and the role of queer media in culture and brand communications.

Beyond the Rainbow key highlights include:

• Among young people, queer media has become truly mainstream: 93% of LGBTQ+ 18–24 year olds and 85% of non-LGBTQ+ 18–24 year olds actively seek out queer media, proving its universal appeal
• Despite widespread appeal, the quality and quantity of queer media needs improvement: Just 38% of those who seek out queer content are satisfied with the way LGBTQ+ people are represented, and 2 out of 3 LGBTQ+ people want to see more queer representation
• More than half of LGBTQ+ people are still not completely out at work: Only 40% are completely open about their sexuality with colleagues, while 50% are open about their gender identity
• There’s an income gap when it comes to being out at work: Those on the highest incomes were 37% more likely to be completely open at work than those on the lowest incomes
• The annual change of logo may be where communications start but shouldn’t end: 52% of LGBTQ+ people told us that they do like it when brands change their logos to the rainbow flag colours during Pride month. However, there’s a clear desire for more year-round support, as 3 out of 4 LGBTQ+ people and half of non- LGBTQ+ people think brands should do more to support LGBTQ+ people outside Pride month.

Beyond the Rainbow explores LGBTQ+ identity, media, and communications today, and provides commentary on how that might evolve tomorrow. It offers actionable insights and suggestions from industry experts on how brands can succeed in what will be a more informed future of LGBTQ+ marketing.

As brands look to engage with the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month and beyond, it may help to focus on issues of public interest such as raising awareness of legislation affecting the LGBTQ+ community – which 52% of LGBTQ+ people would like to see in future advertising. The study aims to show how brands can meaningfully acknowledge and connect with the LGBTQ+ people within their audiences – especially brands hesitant to engage – stay up to date with changing attitudes towards sexuality and gender identity, and create more effective LGBTQ+ brand communications which go beyond Pride month.

To download report, CLICK HERE.