WPP Unveils Beyond the Rainbow, a New Global Insights Study on LGBTQ+ Marketing and its Future
Research suggests LGBTQ+ self-identity is advancing beyond rigid societal definitions
Organizations have a strong role to play in furthering inclusive representation in workplaces, media, and communications to meet shifting consumer attitudes
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:
- 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.
Please follow this link to download the Beyond the Rainbow report.
About the Research and Methodology:
WPP Unite partnered with Choreograph to design and field a bespoke mixed method survey. 3,500 LGBTQ+ people and 4,000 non-LGBTQ+ people were surveyed across
About
About WPP Unite
WPP Unite is the LGBTQ+ community living across WPP’s network of 100,000+ people worldwide. We are focused on driving insightful and authentic representation of LGBTQ+ people within media and promoting greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ people within the work and workplaces of the marketing and communications industry. For more information, visit www.wpp.com/unite.
About Choreograph
Choreograph is a global data products and technology company, built from the legacy of
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221129005990/en/
Further information
+1 917-456-5049
Martina.suess@wpp.com
+1 646-574-7749
Kevin.walther@bcw-global.com
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