Sponsored by
In alphabetical order
This category celebrates the brands that have successfully promoted to or are popular with the LGBT+ community.
No Stopping the Real You
The AA
The AA’s “No Stopping the Real You” is a celebration of individuality. We identified that the car represented a safe space where people were able to be their true selves. By pooling our audiences popular in-car behaviours we made 4 tribes, all of which were celebrated in social first short films.
We have Secret Squeakers, who love to let rip into soft seats, Front Seat Feasters, who gorge on fast food, Embarrasses, who love butchering ballads, embarrassing their little ones, and The Fashionably Laters, who see the car as an extension of their dressing room (and for whom time is but a construct).
At the AA we are passionate about celebrating all things that make us unique and we encourage the Nation to lean into being “The Real You” – both in the car and out in the world.
Born to Mix / The Absolut Choir
Absolut
Absolut is a brand that has long been associated with the creative set, including Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, and was the first brand to support the Queer community in advertising in the 1980s. Fast forward 40 years, Absolut launches the Absolut Choir, fronted by trailblazer popstar Olly Alexander, bringing together inspiring changemakers and creatives. With a new arrangement of ‘Shine’, and a through-the-line campaign including content, billboards and events, Absolut uses the power of the collective to turn up the volume on equal rights, body positivity and better representation – proving we are #BornToMix and together we can drive positive change.
Bombas Pride
Bombas
Bombas is a comfort-focused, premium basics brand with a mission to help those in need. Bombas creates small improvements that make a big difference in the clothes that you wear closest to your body every day through engineered comfort and design. Bombas was originally founded because socks are the #1 most requested item at homeless shelters across the country. Underwear and t-shirts are #2 and #3 respectively. The brand’s One Purchased = One Donated model serves as an engine for good. For every item purchased, a specially-designed item is donated to the homeless community. To date, Bombas has donated more than 75 million items to those in need, at risk and experiencing homelessness.
For Pride 2022, Bombas’s Pride Collection was what the LGBTQIA+ community inspires: being true to yourself. Having the freedom to express yourself, to own your passion, and to embrace whatever it is that drives you to do what you do best. To be original, authentic, and real. The collection featured a vibrant assortment of socks and underwear, and Bombas donated to organizations supporting those who need it within the LGBTQ+ community, such as Stonewall UK, for every Pride item purchased as part of its One Purchased=One Donated mission.
#JoyForAll
Boots
For Christmas 2022, Boots Joy For All campaign let the UK know that they could find perfect gifts for everyone, showcasing how Beauty and Wellness bring joy to people’s day-to-day lives. The TV advert stars Lydia West (It’s A Sin) and follows her as she finds a pair of magical spectacles, letting us see what really brings our diverse characters true joy. One of these is Kyle (Tomás Azócar-Nevin, also a drag artist in real life), who we see transform into their drag persona, adding glam final touches to hair and make-up in a magical moment of joy.
Gym Face
The Gym Group
The Gym Group have a mission to break down barriers to fitness for all. They champion gym goers with a simple message that “we’re with you,” giving you encouragement on your fitness journey. One barrier to fitness is ‘gymtimidation’ – people feeling self-conscious when working out. Rather than shy away from this truth, Lucky Generals created a memorable and amusing music-led campaign that centres around a simple fact: we’ve all got a gym face. From red-face and sweaty-face to I-just-broke-up-with-Brian-face and have-I-changed-my-tampon-face, every grimace, grin and gurn is championed within a catchy track that belongs on everyone’s workout playlist.
Pride in Progress
Gymshark
As a brand, Gymshark exists to unite the conditioning community. To them, that means belonging. And Gymshark is there for anyone who finds belonging in it. It’s not always visible and it definitely isn’t easy, but they says that progress is the most valuable thing they can achieve. As individuals and as a brand, it’s something they’re always striving for. That’s why their Pride campaign celebrates the Gymshark LGBTQ+ family, their unique journeys of identity and love, their battles, successes and progress. Because if there’s one thing that unites everyone on their journey, it’s that we all take Pride in Progress.
To New Memories
Hilton Hotel
“To New Memories,” encompassed heartwarming TV ads, online videos and digital and social content. Launched in 2020, the campaign depicted a series of reconnection moments consumers had missed during the pandemic, highlighting the new memories waiting to be made with Hilton. The ad nominated for this award depicts a gay couple trying to quietly check into their room while not disturbing their sleeping child. Hilton has been recognized for its ongoing commitment to being an LGBTQ+ affirming corporation for the LGBTQ+ community and has earned excellent scores on the Human Rights campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for several years as an affirming and safe working environment for LGBTQ+ employees.
She, a J&B Tale
J&B
Christmas is the most emotional and celebrated season in Spain and a time when consumers are receptive to brand messages.
To ensure no one was left out, and to highlight the experience of the LGTBIQ collective, J&B launched “She”, a film about how a grandfather prepares to welcome his granddaughter during her first Christmas as a trans woman.
The campaign triggered social conversation and received the support of politicians from all factions, including traditional ideological personalities such as Macarena Olona.
The UN congratulated J&B for eliminating gender barriers and shared the campaign through its internal UN Women Generation Equality media.
Masthead Updated to Pride Logo to protest Qatar World Cup
Metro
Metro took the decision to update their mastheads across Metro.co.uk and the newspaper to the logo they traditionally run throughout Pride during the World Cup.
Reaching a young, mobile-savvy metropolitan audience, Metro has long been a champion for gay rights and given a positive platform for issues around LGTBQ+ topics. Following the success of the Rainbow Laces campaign, Metro reflected the mood of its readers by changing its mastheads in a bid to show solidarity with those audiences and people around the world who felt similarly conflicted with the event.
Be Yourself: Updated Gender Identity Policy
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin cemented its position as the most inclusive airline by listening to its people and re-writing its gender identity policy to offer the option to wear the Vivienne Westwood-designed uniform they identify most with. In addition, the company has introduced pronoun badges, gender-neutral ticketing systems and further inclusivity training for its people. The news was announced to the world with an inclusive, stylised fashion forward ‘runway on a runway’ content campaign, fronted by Drag Race legend and long-time LGBT+ ally Michelle Visage, alongside influencers, trans and non-binary pilots and crew.