Expressing Inclusivity: How Do Brands Celebrate Pride Month With AR?

While changing the company’s logo for 30 days and calling it a day has become the most popular way for brands to celebrate Pride Month, we’re definitely past the time when it’s enough.

So what should brands do instead? There are many ways to support the LGBTQ+ Community, not only during Pride Month but all year round. One of the most important, however, is to take action. You can donate to one of the many charity organizations, give a platform to Creators representing the LGBTQ+ community, or simply speak out, spreading awareness.

Many brands show their support through dedicated campaigns that use different tools and platforms to reach their audiences, and one of the best ways to do this is to take advantage of what Augmented Realty has to offer.

Why Augmented Reality?

The main reason augmented reality works so well is that this form of campaign shifts the focus from the brand directly to the user. Putting the real person in the spotlight and giving them tools to express themselves is exactly what the Pride campaign should be all about.

AR Filters are also building a sense of community. Thanks to the global reach of the Augmented Reality Campaigns, it’s easier to spread awareness and encourage even more people to speak out. With the easily increased UGC (user-generated content), hundreds or even thousands of people can express their support for the same cause using one filter.

AR Pride – how do brands do it?

As an extremely universal tool, Augmented Reality offers a number of creative solutions to captivate social media users with the most inspiring experiences. There are many ways to celebrate diversity, from makeup reflecting virtual pride flags to randomizers with empowering affirmations.

Makeup transformations

The idea of beauty comes with a focus on self-expression. After all, each day, we make little choices to show the world who we are. You can say a lot about a person through their makeup or how they style your hair, but during Pride, the idea of self-expression becomes more than how we want to be perceived.

Brands, not only from the beauty industry, allow social media users to join Pride Month’s celebration through vibrant digital makeup looks in colour palettes reflecting LGBTQ+ flags.

Empowerment

Whether you want to support the LGBTQ+ Community or identify as part it, you can use AR Filters to speak out and invite people to express their support. Brands encourage users to be proud of who they are with so many creative AR Filters equipped with empowering, strong affirmations dedicated to Pride Month.

Visual

We mentioned before that simply changing the brand’s logo is no longer enough. But what if it’s a complex experience for the user to interact with, allowing them to place the 3D logo in real-life space, record it, and post it on the internet, drawing attention?

Visual, artistic experiences that impress social media users can, by themselves, be a bold statement of support. Even better, if they can be followed by other people wanting to try them out in their own area. The more complex and creative, the better!

Educating tool

With Augmented Reality, social media users can educate themselves about the story and importance of Pride directly from those who represent the LGBTQ+ Community.

Immerse yourself in the history of the movement, and use this opportunity to ask important questions and start conversation: Why does it matter? What can you do to help?

Some brands even take a step further, making Augmented Reality a part of a bigger, more complex campaign. For example, in 2022, Skittles collaborated with Blippar to create a web-based AR campaign that spotlighted small Creators representing the LGBTQ+ Community and designed a dedicated space for them to share their stories and experiences.

Users could enable the experience after scanning the QR code on the limited edition packaging designed by six talented LGBTQ+ artists, sharing their inspiration and stories in the experience.

With all of its broad possibilities, incorporating Augmented Reality into Pride campaigns represents a bold step towards a more inclusive and interactive celebration. AR provides a unique platform for self-expression, allowing individuals to share their support and own experiences and encourage others to do the same through easily accessible social media.

This innovative approach celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community and highlights technology’s limitless potential to drive social change. There’s no need to stick to the outdated rules: using each platform’s best technological qualities, brands can amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of diversity.