Shine light on an everyday human need from a queer lens. That means placing a big bet like Nike and Colin Kaepernick. It’s a commitment not just to our celebrations but—like most good marketing—to our challenges too. Did you know LGBTQ+ folks are more likely to have sleep issues? Who is going to make intentional changes in the mattress and sleep hygiene industries to make sure the people with more trouble sleeping are an inspiration for solutions? 

Gather your team around the work that could actually move the needle forward in real life, rather than just generating quant reports for the bean counters. If you consider yourself “purpose-driven,” find a purpose larger than yourself. 

In the end, marketing to people instead of Pride comes down to this: We have value not just in our ongoing, united struggle against hate, but in our multiplicity containing an embarrassment of potential riches in spend, loyalty and growth for brands. Create things that sell to us with a fine point, not a broad brush.