A new Pride marketing survey reveals a generational split in terms of its perceived effectiveness, as tokenism and caricatures continue to dog outreach.

Winnipeg-based marketing and PR agency UpHouse and Toronto research consultancy Mat Meir conducted a study comprising 500 self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ respondents across North America, who shared their views on Pride marketing, including perspective on its authenticity, effectiveness, representation and relevance.

The numbers reveal that 30% of respondents found Pride marketing “very effective.” On average, Gen X found Pride marketing most effective, while Baby Boomers found it the least effective. Canadians viewed the effectiveness of Pride marketing more positively than Americans.

The numbers reveal a split regarding whether community issues were being addressed in Pride marketing. Slightly more than half of respondents acknowledged the positive effects and increased awareness, while appreciating the community support and brand acknowledgement, with just under half saying marketing seemed forced, superficial and profit-driven, while noting a lack of representation and intersectionality.

The biggest critique in the survey responses was that brands overemphasize stereotypes and caricatures of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The data also shows the two other negative elements of Pride marketing are the lack of diverse 2SLGBTQ+ community representation and the inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+ people only for token representation.

UpHouse co-owner Alex Varricchio says if your brand is being called out for rainbow washing, there’s a good chance it’s because that’s what you’re doing.

“At Pride, it’s best to focus on sharing stories of positive actions you’re taking as an organization, and demonstrating real, tangible efforts,” Varricchio notes. “As a company dedicated towards elevating messages that need to be heard, we know that when you listen and meet community expectations, you’ll be able to build that trust with your customers.”

In more favourable responses, people enjoy thoughtfully executed and creative marketing campaigns during past Pride months, such as those by Mars’ Skittles, Absolut Vodka and Nike, citing how the brands seamlessly blend advertisements with a genuine effort for advocacy and inclusion. Respondents also gave kudos to inclusive representation by Oreo, CIBC, TD Bank and Apple.