Hearting Pride Initiative Takes a Stand to Support LGBTQ+ Creators

As brands face growing pressure to pull back on Pride campaigns, Hearting Pride is taking a stand - and making it easier for the industry to do the same.

Launched by creative agency McKinney and production house CYLNDR Studios in partnership with The One Club, Hearting Pride is an industry-wide initiative designed to support LGBTQ+ content creators by boosting the engagement metrics that matter most to marketers - visibility, reach, and positive sentiment. In today’s climate, those numbers are often the difference between a brand staying silent or continuing to show up.

To help fuel that engagement, McKinney launched HeartingPride.com, an open-source microsite that aggregates Pride-related content from across the industry into a live, scrollable feed - giving users a simple, centralised way to 'heart,' comment, and publicly support LGBTQ+ creators and the brands that partner with them. The goal: create a groundswell of positive engagement that marketers can point to as justification to keep producing and funding Pride work.

To kick things off, McKinney, CYLNDR Studios, and The One Club hosted an event in NYC featuring drag performances, a creator-led panel, and a showcase of Pride campaigns with all proceeds benefiting Rainbow Railroad. 

“Hate can be loud. But, our support can be too,” said Caleb McMullen, associate creative director, McKinney. “It needs to be right now. Hearting Pride is one small way we can show the love for LGBTQ+ content creators and Pride-supporting brands.”

“We see this as an opportunity to support brands that are staying true to their values, even though times are tough. That’s true allyship,” said Hussein Rumaith, associate creative director, McKinney.