During Pride Month we reflect, celebrate, and recognize the contributions and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride Month can also present a potential minefield for organizations as they craft messages of support without taking advantage of the celebration for their own gains. A thoughtful Pride campaign involves a lot more than a brightly colored logo. Whether you are a part of the community or consider yourself or your business an ally, an understanding of the history of Pride and its purpose is valuable for anyone planning a Pride campaign. Brands that prioritize profit or optics over activism and allyship fall into the trap of rainbow washing or trying to gain social capital. Pride event organizers and charity organizations also take note of brands that are just looking for social capital, so it’s even more important for businesses to put action behind their words. Let’s take a look at five dos and don’ts for your brand’s Pride Month campaign. Don’t just update your logo. Yes, the Pride flag is arguably the most recognizable symbol of Pride Month; however, displaying a rainbow logo doesn’t necessarily make you an ally. To show your support in more thoughtful ways, here are a few ideas: Promote queer and trans content creators, customers, and users of your product or businessDonate to LGBTQIA+ charities and nonprofitsReadily promote your diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies on your company’s websitePermanently incorporate equality into your brand messaging and public platforms To make an impactful statement that exhibits allyship all year long, consider taking the Safe Spaces Alliance Pledge and displaying their “YOU ARE WELCOME HERE” decal on the front door of your business. Do spotlight the actions your company is taking to support inclusive values. Saying your company supports Pride Month and the LGBTQIA+ community is one thing. Actually doing it is another. Your brand’s Pride Month messaging should include information about the tangible things you do regularly to support the community. One of the simplest moves is to share information about your involvement in or donations to LGBTQIA+ charities and organizations on your website or social media platforms. Bring attention to organizations and their missions while also showing your audience that there is action behind your words. Alternately, sharing content from these charities and organizations on your own platforms amplifies their message without hijacking it. In addition to volunteering and donating, evaluate and amend your policies to foster an inclusive and safe work environment for LGBTQIA+ employees. Get to know the challenges current and potential employees face and how you can accommodate them, and incorporate that messaging into your website and social media. Don’t force LGBTQIA+ employees to be the face of your campaign. There are more creative ways to celebrate Pride Month in the workplace than employee spotlights. Although this idea may be rooted in good intentions, it can often be perceived as tokenizing members of marginalized communities. If you want to feature your employees, first, make sure you have their permission. Second, make sure the context you put them in is authentic to their own experiences. And always remember ⁠— some employees may not publicly disclose their sexual orientation to everyone. Approximately 40% of LGBTQIA+ employees are not out at work, and 54% of employees who are out at work remain closeted to their clients or customers. If you want to encourage individuals to support Pride Month, suggest employees add their pronouns to their email signatures or instant messaging profiles. If your workdays are still filled with Zoom calls and video chats, you can always update your virtual background to show your support remotely. Additionally, take this opportune time to encourage employee engagement through education and inclusivity training or hosting a lunch-and-learn that focuses on important topics in the LGBTQIA+ community — and even shows employees how they can get involved. Do make your message about the LGBTQIA+ community, not your product or service. You’ve probably encountered your fair share of attempts by brands to celebrate Pride with limited-release products — think rainbow-hued mouthwash and greyscale candy. These marketing tactics reveal a lack of understanding of what Pride Month is really about as brands chase clout and viral moments over awareness of the challenges the community faces. Brands should focus on messaging that highlights the LGBTQIA+ community — rather than products and services — unless they are directly related to the cause. For instance, our 2021 Pride Month campaign centered around iconic figures in LGBTQIA+ history that we shared across social media with unique illustrations and captions geared toward education and awareness. Don’t stop supporting the LGBTQIA+ community after Pride Month ends. Pride Month is a great way to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community. However, it’s important to make sure your efforts are genuine. A firm commitment to DEIA practices is essential to creating and maintaining safe spaces for every employee. Make sure your values and policies are easily accessible year-round. This can also include tracking your progression toward your commitments.  As you approach Pride Month, take time to think about how you can support the LGBTQIA+ community — not just in June, but all 12 months of the year. Your charitable efforts, DEIA education and training, and other dedicated actions for inclusivity should make it clear that everyone who does business with you, from staff to clients, should feel safe to show up as their authentic selves.