Dentsu is reminding people that “Pride was always a protest” in a new campaign which was devised in collaboration with major brands including Co-op, Holland & Barrett, Santander, Mastercard and Wickes.
It marks the fourth year of the agencies ‘dentsu and Friends’ campaign, with OOH space secured from JCDecaux.
The move will place the pride flag on billboards across the UK, with the design now on display throughout London for an estimated 10 million people to see.
The campaign aims to highlight that Pride was always a protest and ,despite progress in recent years, hate crimes have remained a prevalent issue with 24,102 offences committed between 2022 and 2023 (a Gov.UK report found).
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Further creative work around Pride from Dentsu included a short film from Dentsu EMEA last year which followed the lives of four LGBTQ+ members of the team, and the challenges they face navigating political tensions in today’s world.
“It’s been an absolute honour to work on the dentsu and Friends campaign this year. As a gay woman it means a huge amount to me that our place of work, as well as our clients, recognise the importance of standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community,” said iProspect head of planning Libby Darley.
“This is one of those moments at work that really deserve to be celebrated. The work we have done this year is vitally important, and we look forward to working on equally ambitious and exciting projects for dentsu Proud in years to come,” she continued.
Holland and Barrett head of wellness and belonging Melissa Sterling added: “At H&B, wellness and belonging are fundamental to our business and to our colleagues. We believe in the power of inclusivity and celebrating diversity in all its forms.”
“We’re very proud to be a part of the dentsu & Friends campaign and unite with partners and industry in support of Pride, and in support for the LGBTQ+ community, as we all work to create a more inclusive future for everyone.”
