LGBT Pride events are scheduled March-October in the U.S.
June is LGBT Pride Month, kicking off a series of parades and events in US cities scheduled until mid-October. This means that rainbow-colored, LGBT-themed merchandise sales are on the rise. With LGBT households spending 35% more on online purchases than their non-LGBT counterparts, the LGBT community proves to be a strong niche for online sales (view more stats from Nielsen).
What is LGBT Pride?
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans) represents a diverse community of people whose identities are non-heterosexual or non-cisgender (learn more at Wikipedia). The “Pride” part of LGBT Pride has a few meanings. First, it represents the stance against discrimination towards LGBT people. In many instances, “Pride” is also short for “LGBT Pride parade/events”. Lastly, “Pride” simply indicates being “proud” of who you are—especially in an LGBT context.
Data from Google Trends about interest in LGBT shirts.
As seen above, interest in LGBT apparel has increased over the past few years. The 2015 legalization of gay marriage along with more passionate political debate around LBGTQ issues has shined more light on this community, which has equally impacted purchasing behavior. Interest in “LGBT shirts” varies by region with the largest concentration in the northeastern corner of the US. Notable outliers include North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and California.
How to reach an LGBT audience
Target your ads by location
Targeting specific cities or states is a great way to narrow your audience for Facebook ads. Most Pride events can be found online at gaypridecalendar.com , making it easy to plan ahead.
Separate your LGBT campaigns by niches
Targeting a niche usually results in higher conversion rates on TeeChip Pro. LGBT(QIA), stands for lesbian, gay, bi, trans/transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual. These main 7 niches (along with several others) have their own unique interests.
PRO TIP : When advertising and designing your campaigns, make sure you don’t use LGBT slurs (see a list of terms to avoid).
Avoid LGBT assertions in your Facebook Ads
Facebook is known for having strict policies. One rule states, “you cannot make any direct or indirect assertions about a person’s sexual orientation or practices, and gender identity.” To be safe, your ads should never say: “Are you gay?” or “LGBT shirts for people like you.” Instead, you can say: “Apparel for Pride” or “Get LGBT shirts.”
Get your ads to the right audience
As always, you want your ads to be seen by people who would buy your product. Facebook ads can be restricted or disapproved if enough users complain, so you may want to exclude groups that are known to be strongly anti-LGBT. For more data on public views towards LGBT topics, check out the Pew Research Center’s study on attitudes towards gay marriage
Notable upcoming LGBT events
· July 15 – San Diego, CA Pride
· August 20 – New Orleans, LA “Southern Decadence”
· August 26 – Austin, TX Pride
· October 13 – Atlanta, GA Pride
· October 14 – Orlando, FL Pride
Design ideas for LGBT Pride
We’ve put together some design inspiration for your next LGBT campaigns.
Regional & city
As mentioned earlier, Pride events are being held across the US. You can create regional/city designs to help increase interest in your campaigns.
LGBT allies & family
Family-themed shirts are a popular trend on the TeeChip Pro platform, so it makes sense to give it a LGBT twist. You can get creative here, using all types of relations, such as: “sister, dads, grandson, and best friend.”
Niche designs
The LBTQ community is made up of a wide variety of groups. Try designing for these specific niches to increase engagement.
Humor
Pride events are known to be celebratory and fun—your designs can be too! There are countless good-humored LGBT jokes and puns around the internet, just be sure to avoid any LBGT slurs.
Statement pieces
When people purchase from TeeChip Pro, they are often impassioned by the message of the campaign. You can do the same for LGBT designs, using bold and proud statements. Examples include: “Love wins”, “Make America Gay”.
Call-to-action ideas for Pride campaign ads
Regional
· Show pride in [City/State]. Get the look now!
· [City/State] Pride is almost here! Buy now to show Pride!
· Get prepared for [City/State] Pride with a brand new [shirt/hoodie/tote].
· Shop the look to show some LGBT Pride in [City/State].
· Buy now to prove that [City/State] truly has Pride.
General CTAs
· Shop apparel and accessories for true LGBT pride.
· Get the look! Celebrate diversity and equality with this LGBT shirt.
· Buy now to celebrate Pride in all the colors of the rainbow.
· Order now. No one should be afraid to show their true colors.
· Buy now and wear with Pride.
