Pride of Africa Raises Its New Flag in Campaign from Joe Public United

As Africa’s longest-running LGBTQ+ME pride event, Johannesburg Pride has received significant support and attendance from the community across the continent in recent years. In addition to the far-reaching appeal of the event, its location has come to be seen as a safe space for individuals to express themselves freely and escape some of the negativity they may face back home. 

With this insight in mind, Johannesburg Pride recently partnered with brand and communication agency Joe Public United, whose specialist brand design team (Joe Public Shift) and digital team (Joe Public Connect) worked together to reposition the iconic Johannesburg Pride brand under a new banner, ‘The Pride of Africa’. This strategic shift, which coincides with the event’s 30th year, is intended to usher in a new era for the brand, making it more inclusive and relevant to the entire African LGBTQ+ME community. As part of this, the repositioning seeks to turn the brand into a year-round platform, taking a much broader, positive stance in terms of the community’s rights and needs across the African continent, underpinned by a new tagline: “Proudly African. Authentically you.”

Joe Public Shift developed the master brand strategy for Pride of Africa, providing a strategic blueprint to inform all subsequent visual and verbal manifestations of the brand. “As the brand design team, we were challenged to redefine the scope and purpose of the brand so that it can live beyond the physical borders of just the parade. Instead, it seeks to give members of the community a platform that will ultimately allow them to live life proudly, freely and authentically,” said managing partner, Terri-Leigh Cassel, Joe Public Shift.

Joe Public Connect supported and amplified the newly launch positioning through a 4-month social media campaign, digital billboards and website redesign. Capturing the intention, collaboration and strength of Pride of Africa is its newly created visual identity, which represents equality and acceptance in a proudly and authentically African manner.

At the forefront of this new identity is a custom-designed symbol of liberation and unity: a flag inspired by all 54 African countries. This new flag represents the diversity of Africa’s LGBTQ+ME community – a rainbow flag that says you are accepted, you are welcome, and you are safe as it celebrates both communities and individuals without borders. This spirit informed the recent Johannesburg Pride event on 26 October, where the flag featured prominently in the actual celebrations.

“We could not have been more excited to work on such an iconic project which plays a part in reshaping the way society perceives the LGBTQ+ME community, in a positive and accepting way, while advocating for real change to the current status quo,” concluded managing director, Mpume Ngobese, Joe Public Connect.