Procter & Gamble is honouring Pride Month with a new 60-second film titled "The Pause" primarily on Twitter but also on YouTube.
It focuses on the hesitation that members of the LGBTQ community can feel when meeting someone new and having to decide how much of themselves to reveal.
Created with Grey New York it ends with the hashtag #LeadWithLove and the message: "When love surrounds, there is no pause." P&G worked simultaneously with iHeartRadio to raise $5 million for LGBTQ communities most impacted by COVID-19.

The film has been massively positive for P&G, garnering strong viewership and positive reactions on social media. It got more than 34 million views on Twitter,1.8 million views on YouTube in just four days, more than 5 million so far.

The challenge for brands is to create inclusive advertising that comes across as authentic, reflects a company's values and doesn't feel as though brands are trying to profit from a highly visible celebration like Pride. Marketing around Pride has become an issue for advertisers as members of the LGBTQ community call out brands for exploiting an event meant to focus on social progress.

“The Pause” encourages us to notice, reflect and realise how their reaction and acceptance can make a difference in many lives and adds to P&G’s growing list of impactful videos addressing social issues.

To help all marketers avoid a "rainbow washing" backlash, P&G and GLAAD partnered with the Association of National Advertisers on new LGBTQ advertising benchmarks last year.

Their research found that showing the LGBTQ community in media, including TV, film and advertising, helps drive acceptance among non-LGBTQ consumers. The report found that 80% of consumers who were exposed to LGBTQ-inclusive media said they are more supportive of equal rights compared to those who had not recently consumed such media.

P&G - The Pause

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