Hey,

Companies have been prrreeeeettttyyy quiet this Pride Month.

A decade ago, you couldn't scroll your feed without seeing a flood of rainbow logos — now most brands don't acknowledge the month at all. DEI rollbacks, rainbow-washing anxiety, and a far-right emboldened to boycott brands that participate (see: Bud Light) have all played a role.

Corporate Pride peaked in the 2010s, when it also became clear that most companies simply saw an opportunity to cash in—rainbow-izing their logos for the month and releasing vague statements of support.

Despite this, a few Pride campaigns have managed to make some noise this year. I've rounded up a few and ranked them based on no criteria aside from my own queer lens.

Levi Strauss & Co’s Together, We Ride campaign
10/10

Photograph: Levi Strauss

Starting strong with a company that represents the gold standard in LGBTQ+ corporate advocacy. For Levi's, supporting the community has never been about gaining social capital—it's baked into their brand's legacy:

1992 - Levi's became one of the first companies to extend employee benefits to domestic partners of their queer employees — a brave and honourable move when the AIDS crisis still had years to peak and many queer folks faced discrimination or total abandonment.

2005 - They were the only company in California to file an amicus brief with the state Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage.

2026 - They launched Together, We Ride (shown above), drawn from the legacy of motorcycle clubs that formed in the 1950s and exploded in the 70s, providing safe haven and chosen family for queer folks. Their Pride collections drop annually, with 100% of proceeds to Outright International.

They also remain a primary sponsor for major Pride parades, international advocacy organizations

Because Levi’s has walked the walk for over three decades, their Pride campaigns radiate authenticity.

Hello Fresh
6/10

Hello Fresh scored points for bringing unhinged levity to their Pride efforts with a gay-coded IYKYK post. I'd be shocked if this copy wasn't written by a queer person—so, credit for amplifying queer voices, and for pissing off the far-right and refusing (at least right now) to apologize.

That said:

• The post primarily caters to gay men and ignores the rest of the community
• Hello Fresh has seemingly made no commitment to LGBTQIA+ organizations this month, or any other for that matter
• The cheeky tone is a departure from their usual brand voice, so the landing is especially awkward

Blue Apron
0/10

Dishonourable mention to Blue Apron, who saw the sapphic community Hello Fresh left behind and tried to step in.

Zero points for originality.

More troubling, this copy reads like it was written by someone whose favourite movie is The 40-Year-Old Virgin, because no queer woman I know refers to female anatomy as "box."

At least Hello Fresh managed to avoid reducing queer folks to body parts. Blue Apron couldn't, so the copy reads as just… vulgar.

Mother Nature
10000000/10

Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

The real winner of Pride Month was a guerrilla campaign launched by Mother Nature herself.

Last week, a federal judge ordered the removal of Trump's name from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and as crowds gathered to see his name fall, a rainbow appeared overhead.

For queer folks who've always relied on looking for subtle signals of safety, belonging, and hope, this moment feels significantly more meaningful than it does coincidental.

I'll leave you with something to chew on (and no, it’s not “box”):

82% of consumers say they want to support brands whose values align with their own—what those values actually are is another conversation. But what consumers are really saying is that they trust companies that consistently demonstrate those values, even when it's to the brand's detriment.

If a brand truly gives a shit about the LGBTQIA+ community, they'll show up every damn day of the year. They'll hold firm under pressure.

And when this administration inevitably falls, and humanity is restored, we'll remember who stood beside us even when it was a risk to their bottom line.

And no amount of fibre will help the ones who didn't.

Happy Pride,

Ines

‍