This Pride Month, we’re launching a new, more-focused purpose for Outvertising. To do this, we’ve teamed up with director Daisy Gaston to create a film celebrating adland’s queer community and challenging every brand and agency to join our fight for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
So why do we exist? We have a simple but ambitious goal to make UK advertising and marketing completely LGBTQ+ inclusive. From the work we produce to the experience of queer people in the workplace, we’re resolute in driving change that improves the lives of our community. As an industry dedicated to the art and science of communication we’re in a unique position to lead the charge.
This matters now more than ever. Recent progress is at stake and every day we are witnessing growing hostility in the UK media towards LGBTQ+ people — in particular our trans siblings. A 2021 report from Trans Actual found 93% of UK trans people believe that media transphobia had translated into real world discrimination when out in public and 81% reported it has impacted their experience with colleagues.*
Our new film features a joyous selection of the people that make up Outvertising – LGBTQ+ advertising professionals and allies from agencies, brands and consultancies actively working for better representation and truly inclusive workplaces. In the words of our Joint-CEO Lucy McKillop, “by purposefully putting people at the heart of our film, we’re taking a confident step forward. This is a representation of all that Outvertising is and does - huge props go to our volunteers for making such an authentic and joyful piece.”
The film also follows the release of the All in Plan’s new LGBTQ+ action** to welcome the use of pronouns in the workplace, with research showing LGBTQ+ employees are more than twice as likely to have a mental health condition (28% vs 12% industry average*** and experience higher levels of stress (45% of LGBTQ+ report higher stress levels vs 30% of heterosexuals).
Watch the film below, and please share far and wide.
* Trans Lives Survey 2021, Trans Actual
** All In Action Plan, June 2022
*** All In Action Plan, April 2022