Target launched a new in-house campaign in celebration of Pride Month, entitled “Take Pride.”
The 80-second spot communicates the message, “We’re not born with pride. We take pride. Pride in celebrating who we were born to be.” That sentiment is shown to apply both to individuals and society, as the ad highlights steps taken toward equality over the years, from the 1978 Gay Freedom Day parade in San Francisco to modern footage of gay marriage and gay couples with children. While McGann Zhang took a personal approach to highlight the importance of Pride Month, Target does the opposite, offering a broad view celebrating progress made over the years. Target’s effort comes across as genuine and inspiring, avoiding any explicit branding until the logo appears at the end of the spot. As Adweek points out, the campaign follows Target coming out publicly in favor of gay marriage last August.
“Target proudly stands with the LGBT community, both as a team member and team player through all that we do—from our volunteer efforts to our long-standing partnerships with groups like Family Equality Council and Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, to the very products we carry in our stores and online,” Laysha Ward, Target’s social responsibility officer said in a blog post yesterday.
Inspiring though it may be, the message is not entirely altruistic, as Target will be selling various Pride Month items. Still, “Take Pride” avoids seeming opportunistic or shallow-minded and further cements the brand’s dedication to equality.