With Pride Month in full swing, millions of people around the world are turning to the celebrations by participating in pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, panels and concerts. In addition, many people use this time to pay tribute to community members lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS through memorials, support numerous charities and store brands with Pride activations.
We examined readership data to reveal which countries had the most online interest in Pride this year, the trending pro-LGBTQ TV shows and the brands that increased readership with their Pride 2023 campaigns. The analysis has hundreds of millions of views from readers of news articles in the US
Countries with the most readers
During the last 90 days leading up to Pride, countries around the world saw an increase in readership of Pride-related topics. The United States had the most online interest, with 2.4 million page views, followed by the United Kingdom with 588,000 page views and Brazil with 388,000 page views.
In terms of Pride celebrations, Paris Pride, Berlin’s Christopher Street Day and Birmingham Pride received the most interest online. Paris Pride had the biggest impact, with 1,058% readership for the parade.
Most hyped pro-Pride TV shows online
According to recent research from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), representation of LGBTQ characters in broadcast, cable and streaming has declined since 2023. Delays in programming and releases have also occurred , which are said to be related to 2023. SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strike.
Despite this, readers are showing solid gains for some particular shows. Based on our data, Eurovision Song Contest, RuPaul’s Drag Race, i Hacks are the three trending pro-LGBTQ shows this year.
Brand growth from Pride 2023 campaigns
To see the impact of Pride campaigns on brands, we analyzed readership data from brands that launched Pride campaigns in 2023 to see which brands received the most significant boosts in online interest. As a result, The North Face, Madewell, i go saw the most readership gains as a result of its Pride 2023 campaigns, according to our analysis of US data comparing readership between February and April 2023 (forward to their campaigns) with readers from May to July 2023 (post-campaigns). Despite the marketing backlash, The North Face came out on top, receiving a 78% increase in online readership for its Pride 2023 campaign.
Tips for publishers and advertisers
Although Pride Month is coming to an end, there will be many Pride parades and conversations about Pride awareness over the next week. Publishers should keep pride-related topics on the radar in the coming weeks to engage readers.
Advertisers should also consider capitalizing on post-Pride trends and expanding their relevant campaigns to maximize results.