It’s Pride Month and we’re seeing it Schrodinger’s marketingas brands look to dip in and out of the closet with their support of the LGBTQ+ community.
It’s no secret that since the 2024 presidential election, corporate support for this community’s 31 million Americans has declined faster than a disco ball on New Year’s Eve. Gravity research Pride Pulse 2025 survey reported that 39% of companies reduced overall Pride Month engagement in 2025, compared to just 9% in 2024.
More recently, only 131 Fortune 500 companies were willing to participate in the human rights campaign.”Corporate Equality Index 2026,” down 65% from 377 the previous year.
On the ground, Pittsburgh Pride organizers expect to raise only 30% to 40% of the sponsorship money they got a few years ago. Tampa pride announced a one-year hiatus after a large number of companies dropped their sponsorships. Phoenix Pride recently filed for bankruptcy and Tucson Pride went out of business. NYC Pride saw a 25% drop in corporate sponsorships.
Speaking about NYC Pride, Matt Skallerud, president of marketing communications at Pink Media, did an in-depth look to the main brands that refused to support the event:
- Mastercard – Platinum last year, due out in 2026.
- Objective: “silent partner”, no public mention.
- Garnier – Platinum last year, releasing in 2026
- Skyy Vodka – Platinum last year, released in 2026, sponsoring a house party.
- Citi: Drastically Reduced Support.
- Nissan: drastically reduced.
- PepsiCo – drastically reduced.
- PricewaterhouseCoopers – drastically reduced.
“What do these brands have in common?” he wrote. “Overall, they were there for the optics: the visibility, the quarterly DEI metrics, the association with a premium cultural moment.”
The rainbow fell, but the targeting remained active
And many of them are still trying to have it both ways, continuing to target the LGBTQIA+ community with low-key marketing.
Mastercard still promotes its True Name program, which it claims “empowers the LGBTQIA+ community to be their true selves.” Target, meanwhile, only has Pride merchandise in a “limited number” of stores, but it remains available online, where it can celebrate inclusion from a safer distance.
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To be fair, Mastercard is still participating in New York Pride, paying a group of employees to carry the company banner in the parade. Similarly, in San Francisco, Starbucks will hand out coffee to Pride protesters, but will skip a corporate donation for the event. This is the corporate equivalent of “Some of our best friends are gay.”
It’s important to note Skallerud’s list of brands that have stepped forward while others have pulled back.
- L’Oréal – only remaining Platinum sponsor
- Deutsche Bank: Upgraded to Platinum, $100,000 commitment
- Marriott — #LoveTravels, long-term LGBTQ+ program
- Hilton: LGBTQ+ Travel Program, Continued
- Wegmans: Consistent Community Presence
- Giant Food: continuous commitment to Pride
- VIDA Fitness: alongside the community
Brands don’t fool anyone
The shift in support for Pride Month is being noticed by consumers, and not just in the LGBTQ+ community. A Omnisend Studio found that 37% of US consumers are very aware that brands have pulled back from Pride initiatives in the past year. The trend is most pronounced among Gen Z (69%-75%), Millennials (66%-78%), and members of the LGBTQ+ community (76%-85%).
Being inconsistent on important issues hurts brands with all consumers, not just the community the company was trying to connect with. Australia search University of New South Wales found that liberal and conservative consumers dislike brands that appear inauthentic or opportunistic in their political positions. This is true regardless of whether they agree or disagree with the brand’s position, new or old.
One problem for brands that follow the direction the political winds blow is that the winds change direction. Frequently.
Mintel’s “Consumer Report on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the United States” found that consumer support for DEI efforts increased from 42% to 56% in just one year, a surprising increase during a time when many brands have backed away. The report also found that brands that followed through on DEI commitments saw their purchase consideration increase, while brands that backed off saw their momentum turn negative.
Furthermore, a Survey commissioned by GLAAD of 5,010 US adults found that 68% believe brands and companies should be able to show support for the LGBTQ community during Pride.
Bottom line: just don’t do it
In the age of artificial intelligence, authenticity is the most important brand value. Companies that blather on about external issues would be better off keeping quiet. AS the Bible he says“Even fools are considered wise if they remain silent.”
Marketers are currently modeling “backlash exposure” to avoid controversy, but they are miscalculating the financial risk. The overlooked and highly loyal audiences of Gen Z and Millennials are actively tracking who resists and who flees – and they have long memories.
