This year marks the 25th anniversary of Pride Month as officially recognized on June 11, 1999, by President Bill Clinton, 30 years after the Stonewall Uprising that sparked a greater movement for LGBTQ+ rights. But that milestone has been largely overlooked, as controversy clinging from last summer still remains.
Given the grief Target received in 2023 over its Pride merch collection, followed by a much smaller launch this year – as well as the boycott of Bud Light after a promotion featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney – it would be natural to wonder if other brands are following suit.
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Modern Retail reports that some say those protests cast a pall across corporate America, while others say brands are continuing to celebrate Pride with merchandise and promotions, albeit perhaps with less fanfare. But Gravity Research data gathered from corporate executives and Fortune 500 leaders indicates that 78% of companies did not plan changes to their Pride strategy this year.
And it’s definitely big business. More than 1 in 5 members of Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+, according to Gallup, along with nearly 10% of millennials and overall 7.6% of U.S. adults now identifying as a sexual orientation other than heterosexual. That’s more than 18 million people.
“It’s a market that’s a trillion-dollar consumer base,” Joanna Schwartz, a professor of marketing at Georgia College & State University, told Marketplace. “Putting a rainbow on something or donating some money to an LGBT-focused charity has been a way for companies to get an easy win.”
RELATED: Pride Merch: ‘Rainbow-washing’ Or Real Support?
Furthermore, about 7 in 10 of Americans who don’t identify as LGBTQ+ believe companies should publicly support the LGBTQ+ community through hiring practices, advertising and sponsorships, according to a 2023 survey conducted by gay rights organization GLAAD.
While some brands have pulled back from full-throated support, plenty went full steam ahead. Here’s a sampling of the Pride merch brands are offering this year:
The Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBTQ rights organization, sells merchandise year-round, from T-shirts and hoodies to drinkware and pronoun pins, all bearing the group’s equal sign logo.
IMAGE: shop.hrc.org
Marvel Must Haves this year include rainbow-emblazoned tees and collectibles, available at Walmart, Kohls and other retailers.
IMAGE: Marvel/Funko/Walmart
Planet Fitness released a 2024 Pride Collection of tees, hats, bags, drinkware and more bearing the chain’s message “You Belong” in its signature purple.
IMAGE: shop.planetfitness.com
Alamo Drafthouse, the original dinner-and-a-movie theater chain, has featured brunch showings of LGBTQ+ classics like The Birdcage and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert throughout the month and offered a four-piece Pride merch capsule of two T-shirts, a tote bag and a trucker cap.
IMAGE: giftshop.drafthouse.com
Chipotle continued its tradition of allyship with a limited-edition crew uniform option featuring the chain’s “Love What Makes You Real” tagline and The Pride Edit on Chipotle Goods featuring inclusive merch in rainbow colorways. For each item sold, Chipotle donates $10 to GLAAD.
IMAGE: chipotlegoods.com
Walmart doubled down with a new “Pride Always” collection featuring collaborations with LGBTQ+ designers. The retail giant launched this year’s campaign with an Instagram reel featuring those artists and their wares and captioned “Not just a slogan.”
Although significantly scaled back, Target continued to offer a selection of Pride-themed merch in about half its stores, with the full collection available online, including a page specifically highlighting LGBTQ+ owned brands.
IMAGE: Target
The Disney Pride Collection online offers three dozen items, from tees, tumblers, mugs and pins to characters outfitted for the occasion.
IMAGE: disneystore.com
Who knows the rainbow better than Pantone? The color clearinghouse created its Pride collection to commemorate and support the 2021 World Pride Eurogames.
IMAGE: Pantone
Old Navy seems to offer family T-shirts for every occasion, and Pride is no different. The clothier’s 2024 Pride collection includes tees and swimwear for all ages, as well as workout gear and baby creepers.
IMAGE: Old Navy
The Official U.S. Soccer Store offers dozens of branded Pride products, from decals and flags to tees and player-named or personalized jerseys – and of course, supporter scarves. Purchases include a donation to You Can Play, an organization working to increase inclusivity in sports.
IMAGE: store.ussoccer.com
NASCAR released a “Yaaascar” collection of two dozen items, including shirts, hats and flags.
IMAGE: store.nascar.com
The WNBA Store’s Pride collection includes apparel, can coolers, flags and pennants branded with a rainbow take on the league’s logo, as well as those of individual teams.
IMAGE: wnbastore.nba.com
The Levi’s Pride 2024 Collection of tees, tanks and denim draws inspiration from the “Rainbow Rodeos” that originated in Nevada in the 1970s. The brand donates $100,000 annually to Outright International, a global organization advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.
