How can brands show up for Pride?

Every June, Indian brands splash rainbows across their logos, push out pride-themed packaging, and post inclusive captions on social media. But look a little closer, and you’ll notice what’s missing. The stories, struggles, and joy of real queer people. Despite the colourful branding, genuine representation in Indian advertising remains rare, often boxed into tired tropes or softened to avoid discomfort.


It’s a debate we’ve had every year. Every Pride Month, the conversation resurfaces, what’s missing, what’s tokenistic, and what could have been done better. But when the rainbow flags are packed away and the social media filters change, little changes in the mainstream narrative. 

Faye D'Cruz, Associate Creative Director at Leo India, calls out this lazy shortcut. “Brands are afraid they’ll say or do the wrong thing, and so choose not to participate at all. A lazy approach altogether,” she says.

This gap between visibility and authenticity isn’t just disappointing, it’s a lost chance to connect meaningfully with a growing, vocal, and diverse audience.

So what does meaningful representation really look like? How do you move from symbolic support to something that is meaningful?

Representation isn't a box to tick

"There are a few ads in which I feel queer lives are authentically represented," Parmesh Shahani, Author of Queeristan and Head – Godrej DEI Lab says.  "In general, queer people are portrayed comically, if at all. I want to see more representation through the lens of positivity."

Shahani points to Future Generali’s campaign featuring real-life queer couples like Yogi and Kabeer, and Godrej Capital’s initiative on same-sex home loans. These are rare examples in a landscape where queer representation is either invisible or caricatured.

Another standout was the Out & Proud Classifieds campaign by the Times of India, which offered the queer community a free space in the classifieds section where the community could look for housing, jobs or a partner and also share their stories publicly. 

This representation in ads matters because advertising shapes culture. It tells us what’s normal, desirable, and possible. When queer people are absent, or reduced to comedic sidekicks or tragic figures, it reinforces the idea that our lives don’t belong or matter like everyone else’s.

Even when representation does appear, it’s often lopsided. As Anand Murthy, Founder & CSO, Fundamental, puts it, "The thing to be retired is disingenuity. You can’t have discriminatory employee policies and run soppy coming-out campaigns. Also, time to retire the assumption that the only queer stories worth telling are cis gay stories."

D'Cruz agrees, noting that meaningful visibility comes when brands recognise LGBTQIA+ people as more than a one-month audience. “The LGBTQIA+ community is made up of humans, and they exist all year round,” she says. 

The data backs this up. A recent study done by Kantar reveals that globally, four out of five (78%) LGBTQIA+ people say it’s important that the brands they buy from actively promote diversity and inclusion. Yet in the past year, one-third of respondents have felt unrepresented by adverts for products they use, highlighting a lack of visibility and inclusion of the community in brands’ communications. 

While many Indian brands are still in a learning phase, some global players have set strong examples by embedding queer inclusion into their core values, not just campaign briefs.

Take Ben & Jerry’s. The brand has made long-term, public commitments to LGBTQIA+ rights, from supporting marriage equality and trans rights to refusing to sell in countries or states with anti-LGBTQ laws. Talking about the brand, Murthy says, “More than an ad, they’ve resisted all kinds of threats and been incredibly consistent in sticking to their core values for years.”

Stories that still need telling

While some brands have begun to explore authentic queer narratives, many stories remain untold in Indian advertising. “So much hasn’t been explored,” says Parmesh Shahani. “Queer couples living regular lives. Kids accepting their queer parents—something that has happened in films like Dear Dad or Super Deluxe but not in ads. Workplaces being totally inclusive.”

A good example would be Sprite Argentina’s 2019 ad, ‘"#NoEstasSolx" ("You're Not Alone"), which showed families supporting their queer family members as they got ready for Pride. The ad saw a grandmother assisting her grandchild in drag attire and a sibling helping their trans brother with chest binding. The ad concluded with the message: "Pride: that feeling when someone you love chooses to be free." 

Back home, Bhima Jewellery’s Pure as Love campaign featured a trans woman’s journey, right from transition to her family’s acceptance to her wedding. This portrayal breaks away from traditional narratives and offers a heartfelt glimpse into the life of a trans individual.

Faye D’Cruz underscores the importance of authentic casting in such narratives. She says, “There is absolutely no shortage of actors, singers, musicians, directors, producers, and all kinds of artists in the community. There is no need for brands to cast straight folk for the role of an LGBTQIA+ person.” She advocates for year-round hiring and inclusion, emphasising that representation should extend beyond Pride Month.

Anand Murthy puts it bluntly: “The best gift that brands and corporate entities can give the LGBTQIA+ community is to not try so hard to be meaningful!” What he means is that brands often obsess over getting the messaging right, but forget to back it up with meaningful action.

Too many still treat Pride as a seasonal marketing opportunity rather than an expression of their everyday values. Internal policies stay untouched. Trans employees don’t have access to gender-affirming healthcare. DEI councils are set up to tick boxes, not shift culture. ‘Doing Pride’ should never be a standalone campaign brief—it should be a natural extension of what’s already happening inside the company.

Faye D’Cruz agrees. “Sometimes, the answer to a Pride campaign brief is a policy change in the brand’s own office, or a workshop to sensitise employees about LGBTQIA+ rights,” she says. For brands scared of “getting it wrong,” her advice is simple and solid: “There are more than enough queer folks who’d like to share with brands how they best feel seen. All that these brands have to do is listen, unlearn, and relearn.”

According to a 2023 McKinsey study, workplaces with inclusive cultures are 35% more likely to outperform their peers financially. So, beyond being the right thing to do, DEI is good for business.

Meaningful representation isn’t just about campaigns. It is about structural shifts. Brands don’t need to be perfect. But they do need to be present, consistently, courageously, and beyond just the month of June.

So, what can brands do this Pride? 

  • Start internally: Review HR policies, conduct DEI workshops, and create safe spaces for queer employees.
  • Collaborate with queer creators early: Bring them in during concepting, not just execution.
  • Tell layered stories: Move beyond coming out arcs to showcase queer joy, love, family, and everyday life.
  • Use your platform: Amplify queer-led organisations, redirect ad spend to queer events, support healthcare or housing drives.
  • Go beyond June: Integrate queer representation into Diwali campaigns, Valentine's Day, fashion drops, and influencer rosters.

“The question isn’t whether you show up in June,” says Murthy. “It’s whether you’re still here in July, and every month after that.”

There’s a line from Shahani that lingers, "Representation makes me feel seen. It makes me feel valued. It makes me like the brand more and want to buy more. As a queer person, I’m also a customer and employee."

It’s a truth worth repeating, People support brands that support them. And support isn’t a seasonal sale, it’s a sustained relationship. As queer consumers and allies increasingly demand accountability, brands must decide, are we decorating for a party, or are we committed to the movement?

Pride isn’t a theme. It’s a lens. It’s not just about who’s in your ad, but who’s in the room when it’s being made.

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