For Boomerang, Pride is all about money!

After working for Boomerang for over 2 years now, I find myself still not used to thinking in big numbers when it comes to money. Every now and then I hear about the budgets big brands have available for certain campaigns and I can’t help but think ‘woah, what could I have done with that much money?’. The numbers are big, so big they almost feel abstract to me. With the knowledge of all this money changing hands within our industry, I came up with a simple construct to help redirect some of that money to a good cause.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I found it strange that Pride season and the Amsterdam Pride wasn’t much more than a moment on a social calendar for most brands. Of course, before I worked in advertising I also noticed the shift of more and more brands jumping on the rainbow train. But I also remember conversations I had not many years ago when looking for sponsors for a Pride Boat. I can’t even recall the number of brand managers that were reluctant to put their brand logo on a Pride Boat because they weren’t sure the LGBTQ+ community was their target audience. Nowadays it’s only a hand full of brands that still shy away from openly expressing their support for the LGBTQ+ community. Safe to say, we’re in fashion. ‘OMG YAAS QUEEN’… right?

In a media landscape that is predominantly targeted at cis straight people it always feels like breath of fresh air when I see a social post or campaign that depicts a gay, lesbian or any other kind of person / people. It makes me feel like I have a place in this world, and that I am just as worthy of love and attention as any other person. It’s nice to be reminded of that, every now and then. But what would be even MORE amazing, is if that same brand would not only say: ‘we see you’ but also: ‘we see your struggle’.

I always try to challenge myself to find ways to use my network to contribute to causes I believe in, such as the need for a Pride week in Amsterdam and the work of organisations such as COC Amsterdam and For All Who Love Foundation. So after some brainstorming I figured these brands are going to put out their Pride content either way, let’s try to get them to open their wallets for the community ánd their company doors for some education. There you go, the Boomerang Funraiser was born! A super simple construct: we make Pride content for brands and in return we ask brands to donate to our Pride fund. We also send the brands a simple guide on how to make their workplace more inclusive. First bullet in the guide: Don’t assume everybody is straight. Simple… isn’t it?

Images: the Boomerangs joined the 2018 Canal Pride to celebrate the €56.525 we raised

So here we are, at the start of a second edition of the Boomerang Funraiser. Last year we raised over 55K. I am hoping for a bigger amount, I am hoping for more participating brands, I am hoping for even more creative and inclusive content. And for the future-future, I am hoping for a world that is so extra colorful, loving and open that perhaps every day will feel as free and happy as one day of Pride.

Do you want to participate in the Funraiser? Check: www.boomerangfunraiser.nll for all info <3