Ogilvy Brazil & Billboard Use the Power of Music to Silence Homophobia

This year Brazil’s National Gay Pride Day (March 25th) is set to attract a larger crowd than ever before to the rally against homophobia. This is thanks to the ‘Gay Pride Parade’, an initiative that’s will be aired on a number of radio broadcasters on different schedules across the country. The 24-hour radio program includes playlists featuring openly gay artists, forming a coalition against prejudice. The intent is to raise awareness of the importance of saying ‘no’ to homophobia with the help of the influence of the greatest in music history. The initiative was created by Ogilvy Brazil for Billboard Brazil Magazine.  

This playlist, handpicked with the help of the Billboard staff, includes some of the most influential names in the music scene - gay artists from Brazil and beyond. The ‘Gay Pride Parade’ is to be aired across the nation this Wednesday, at 8a.m., by Transamérica (100,1FM in São Paulo). Then the program moves on to other broadcasters, namely: Continental FM, Super Nova and Atlântida (Southern Brazil), Cidade FM, and 98 FM (Minas Gerais), among others based in a several states. The plan is to engage the largest number of radio broadcasters possible in the action this Wednesday. Taken together, these radio stations’ ratings may reach, within the hours the action is aired, millions of listeners over a broad territorial range, making it the largest gay march in the world. 

Throughout the ‘Gay Pride Parade’, listeners will be informed on the severe issue of prejudice and violence against homosexuals. As an example: every 28 hours, a new fatal victim of homophobia is reported; what's more, roughly 70% of these crimes go unpunished, according to official information by the Grupo Gay da Bahia (GGB, a local support organization). 

‘This cause is driven by the noblest of aspirations. Billboard not only supports this action but shuns prejudice of any sort. To make it succeed, however, all Brazilians must sign up for the efforts. That’s why our march begins on radio but rallies on - it will go whenever people lead it to’, says Antonio Camarotti, CEO at Billboard Brazil.  

In addition to the hits played on the radio, the march intends to mobilize the support of local citizens  in the cry against homophobia through social networks and other means. A fan page (facebook.com/paradagaynaradio) has been created solely to host spontaneous testimonials and share relevant information on the subject, through collaboration. To join, allies must add the hashtag #CaleAHomofobia to their posts.

‘The influence of gay artists on music is off scale. How can you imagine a world with no Freddie Mercury, for example? And ironically, most people who perpetuate homophobia are fans of these artists. We do believe music has the power to silence homophobia’, says Aricio Fortes, Brazilian creative VP at Ogilvy Brazil.