Performative or purposeful?: Pride campaigns roll out amid heightened scrutiny

Beauty companies are rolling out Pride campaigns, re-hashing the annual criticism of superficial LGBTQIA+ support. In recent years, consumers have called out the pattern of “rainbow-washing,” with brands showing shallow seasonal allyship as a marketing strategy rather than genuine year-round advocacy.

Amid an increasingly scrutinizing consumer eye, brands are challenged with a raised bar for authenticity in LGBTQIA+ representation in marketing. So far this season, beauty retailers Nyx Professional Makeup and Superdrug have each launched campaigns spotlighting the LGBTQIA+ community.

Nyx is amplifying queer voices in music with its “Pridemix” campaign, featuring three emerging artists. Meanwhile, Superdrug is expanding its partnership with UK-based Switchboard charity through a donation initiative.

While both campaigns seek to celebrate Pride and community, Innova Market Insights’ project lead for Beauty Personal Care warns that performative initiatives risk undermining brand credibility and alienating the very consumers they intend to support.

“The issue with Pride campaigns, especially in terms of planning and executing product introductions targeted to represent the LGBTQIA+ community, is that it is often perceived as a merchandising tactic rather than an actual connection with the end-user,” she tells Personal Care Insights.

“Inadvertently, that can put a significant hit on the brand identity, reputation, and perception to the user, making it seem like a brand is veering toward capitalizing on annual trends rather than taking genuine steps for authentic representation.”

Beauty companies risk rainbow-washing backlash without year-round allyship.Reputation and year-round representation

Innova’s project lead says that many consumers scrutinize brands to determine whether Pride is foundational to their identity or merely a date circled in the marketing team’s agenda.

Even so, representation resonates differently with consumers from different generations. “The first, and perhaps the foremost, factor to gauge is the generational differences in perception between younger and older audiences, which is why a blanket representation for all is not the way to go,” she says.

“It is not easy to say that queer representation holds value only among a younger audience. Both Gen Z and boomer consumers show growing awareness about sexual orientation and gender identity-related nuances.”

She adds that gaining a competitive edge and resonating with intergenerational consumers relies largely on personalization in brand messaging, especially as digitalization exposes consumers to a large array of perspectives and opinions.

“Thus, the importance of representation on face value may rank higher among younger users than their older counterparts. What matters more is how brands take the opportunity to personalize their messaging by generation to make real and long-lasting connections.”

MAC Cosmetics is cited as an example of effective year-round allyship. “Their marketing efforts stretch beyond Pride month, and they also have a MAC Pride line. Moreover, they champion year-round efforts toward diversity and inclusivity,” says the project lead. 

“This, in turn, reflects in the sales and performance for the brand, including a US$162 million revenue in 2024 for online channels alone.”

What makes some campaigns more successful than others often boils down to intention, action, and community involvement. According to the project lead, brands such as E.L.F. Beauty, Dove, Rare Beauty, and Maybelline New York stand out for connecting their campaigns with real people, long-term initiatives, and inclusive product development.

“Rather than numeric launch trends and product introductions, individual brand identity and narratives play stronger roles in being placed in inclusive spaces,” she says.

Innova Market Insights says 51% of consumers want actionable support for inclusive spaces.Nyx’s authenticity for credibility

Innova Market Insights data suggests that 51% of global consumers seek actionable support for inclusive spaces, and 44% want more gender-neutral options. “Whenever it comes to inclusivity and representation as consumer trends, the narrative is always larger than individual product design and introductions,” she says.

Authenticity plays a major role in shaping support narratives that resonate with the target audience. Nyx’s 2025 Pride campaign, Pridemix, details how three artists’ experiences being part of the LGBTQIA+ community have shaped their work. 

Pridemix ties queer self-expression, music, and makeup together. The campaign includes a series of videos on Nyx’s social and digital platforms with R&B artist Destin Conrad, pop singer Zolita, and Grammy-nominated Tiana Major9, who each explore themes of queer identity and creative empowerment.

“Authenticity is important to me — from the words that I sing, to the people I surround myself with, to the brands I work with,” says Destin Conrad.

“I’m excited to work with Nyx because they are true allies of the queer community.”

Nyx’s global brand president, Denee Pearson, says the campaign is part of the brand’s broader commitment. “We do not just celebrate our LGBTQIA+ family during Pride month; we celebrate them and their artistry daily,” she says.

The project lead affirms that actions remain larger than claims, adding: “The modern beauty consumer is asking for genuine accountability, honesty, and efforts rather than words.”

Nyx has a year-round “Proud Allies for All” initiative that includes donations, volunteer work, and allyship training. This longer-term consistency helps the brand maintain credibility in a space where authenticity and actions are closely examined.

Consumers are demanding more than seasonal marketing from beauty brands.Superdrug’s local change

Brands and retailers that launch their campaigns right before or during Pride Month risk heightened scrutiny, as last-minute maneuvers often translate into superficial allyship.

“Inclusivity, as a trending term, has existed since before 2020, especially regarding Black, LatinX, and LGBTQIA+ spaces,” Innova’s project lead explains. “In this tertiary stage of trend maturation, brands need to push the envelope beyond the constraints of products and add inclusivity as an important part of their identity overall.”

Superdrug’s initiative for this year’s Pride season allows shoppers to round up purchases to donate to Switchboard, a UK-based LGBTQIA+ helpline service, via the micro-donation platform Pennies.

The campaign is active in all UK stores and features social media messaging by British drag queen Tia Kofi, popularized by the reality TV show Drag Race UK.

Innova’s project lead explains that one way to mitigate the risk of “rainbow-washing” accusations is for brands to participate actively all year round. This includes promoting community programs, corporate social responsibility-oriented initiatives, and a strong socio-political voice to support underrepresented and marginalized identities.

Tapping into this demand, the funds raised by Superdrug’s checkout donations will finance community center resources, training for volunteer operations, and individual support calls, which the brand says underscores its tangible connection to LGBTQIA+ well-being.

According to Megan Potter, Superdrug’s trading director, the campaign is intended to “drive positive change” and affirm the retailer’s role as an inclusive beauty destination. 

Switchboard CEO Stephanie Fuller adds that these micro-donations play a “crucial” role in supporting the charity’s daily operations, further supporting its reach and impact, contributing to societal change rather than business capital.