Key Insights
- 72% of brands reduced or pulled Pride campaigns in 2025 due to growing political risk and backlash.
- 3.96M Pride-related social media posts were recorded in June 2025, a drop from 4.42M in 2024, but engagement intensity increased.
- 64% of global consumers still say LGBTQ+ rights are a positive force, yet 36% of Gen Z men disagree, signaling a generational divide.
Why did so many brands step back from Pride in 2025?
Pride 2025 was quieter, not because the cause mattered less, but because the stakes were higher.
Political tension intensified. Pride was banned in Hungary, states like Utah and Idaho outlawed flags, and even symbolic displays, just like those in the UK’s House of Lords, were removed. Corporate sponsorships dried up. Anheuser-Busch and Deloitte pulled out. Target’s Pride display? Described by one user as “a single sad shelf, buried back near the changing rooms.”
Key take away? When Pride becomes politicized, brand allyship becomes a risk and too many brands chose silence over solidarity.
Did support disappear, or just change hands? The numbers tell a deeper story:
- 3.96M Pride-related posts in June 2025 (vs. 4.42M in 2024)
- Neutral sentiment decreased, while both positive and negative sentiment increased
In the absence of brands, communities stepped in:
- Pride events in Salt Lake City and Boise found legal loopholes to fly flags
- Twin Cities Pride and Pride St. Louis crowd-funded to fill sponsorship gaps
- Faith groups like Interfaith Alliance launched their own campaigns
“This is a wake-up call to reclaim our power and stop renting our liberation from others.”
(Quote: Human rights activist, Fabrice Houdart)
Are consumers done with rainbow-washing? Yes.
And they’re asking better questions: Is this campaign seasonal or systemic? What’s the actual impact?
Some brands rose to the challenge:
- MAC Cosmetics donated $1M to LGBTQ+ non-profits, its largest ever gift
- IKEA and Converse combined bold design with authentic support
- Amnesty International called out performative allyship with ‘Show the world what you stand for’
Others fell short:
- Barkbox paused all Pride comms, then apologized
- Levi’s was criticized for using imagery without historical sensitivity
The bottom line is this. Silence is not neutral and showing up has to mean more than one month of marketing. What does real allyship look like for brands now? The era of one-off campaigns is over.
- Commit year-round, not just in June
- Invest in the community, not just profit from it
- Anticipate backlash and stand firm
- Platform LGBTQ+ voices, especially those from intersectional identities
- Audit internal DEI efforts before launching external campaigns
- Build credibility through consistent, transparent action
This aligns with our Everyday Activism trend proving that consumers value credibility over slogans.
In short:
It’s the end of fair weather allyship. Pride 2025 didn’t mark the end of allyship, it marked its evolution. “There is no LGB without the TQ+. Do not split us apart.” (Social post with 90,000+ likes). For brands, the message is clear: Don’t show up for the parade if you’re not here for the protest.
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These signals are part of a longer report published on Collision, our dynamic trends intelligence platform. Members get access to these reports at the beginning of every month, so they always have a finger on the pulse of consumers and culture. If you’re interested in learning more about Collision and how the platform can make a difference to your business. Get in touch today.
