Procter & Gamble makes products for all people of all backgrounds and identities. Unfortunately, the rest of the world does not embrace difference in the same way. So P&G is on a mission to dismantle inequality and bias wherever it exists.

P&G’s journey to LGBTQ+ inclusion started nearly 30 years ago when they were one of the earliest Fortune 500 companies to include sexual orientation in their diversity statement in 1992. Today, P&G is proud to be a champion of LGBTQ+ visibility and attitudinal change to transform communities through mutual understanding.

P&G is committed to using their reach to be a force for good and growth in the LGBTQ+ community: shaping a dialogue about visibility, understanding, normalization, and shared humanity – particularly in this challenging time rife with intolerance.

As the world grapples with COVID-19, many in the LGBTQ+ community face unique challenges. LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely than the general population to live in poverty and lack access to adequate medical care, paid medical leave and the vital necessities to survive the pandemic.

Furthermore, a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ people work in restaurants, retail, and education - industries that are heavily impacted by COVID-19. Stay-at-home orders closed community centers and support groups that millions rely on, while meanwhile, the pandemic has had a damaging effect on the fundraising efforts that many of these organizations need to survive.

At the height of COVID19, in-person Pride Month 2020 events were cancelled from coast to coast; but P&G didn’t want that to prevent them from giving this beloved and underserved community a voice and visibility. Thus began P&G’s initiative - “Can’t Cancel Pride,” an effort to preserve the important symbolism that Pride Month represents to the LGBTQ+ community.

In lieu of an in-person Pride event, P&G leveraged its platform and resources to generate more empathy among the general population for the LGBTQ+ experience.

Many people think that members of the gay community have one big “coming out” moment, but that’s not true. Every day, LGBTQ+ individuals have to “come out” over and over again as they meet new people, run errands, visit the doctor, introduce their partners, and move about their lives. It’s a tremendously painful experience, yet a near-constant part of life for LGBTQ+ people. So, P&G decided it was time to open everyone’s eyes to this daily interaction.

Introducing “The Pause” – the moment after “hello” when you don’t know how the other person is going to respond: holding your breath, wondering, “am about to be judged, criticized, or not accepted?”

We created a film where members of the LGBTQ+ community speak candidly about their experiences in this moment - helping to educate viewers on the importance of this moment and reminding everyone to lead with love in these interactions.

Psychological research shows that one of the best things you can do to conquer a fear or trauma is to put a name to it – by giving something a name, you take some of the sting out of it and you can connect with others who experience the same thing.

We put a name to the moment where you have to share your identity with a stranger: “The Pause.”

The Pause may only last a moment or two, but it is heavy with expectation and fear. We heard from research among LGBTQ+ people that the burden of not knowing how someone else may respond to your identity deters them from opening up, meeting new people, putting themselves out there or seeking new things. In other words, it’s a barrier to living.

But, by giving “The Pause” a name, we dilute its power and help the world understand its significance.

TBD

The film was one of P&G’s most successful to date. It is their third-highest viewed video since 2016 with 5.2MM+ views on Youtube and 34MM+ views on Twitter. They received hundreds of responses from LGBTQ+ people all around the world, who were overwhelmed by the recognition for what they experience every day. And, furthermore, we received feedback from heterosexual and cisgendered people who finally understood what ‘coming out’ means day in and day out. In social, we had 82.5 MM impressions and reached 1.8MM people. There were 35.3MM impressions of media coverage and 47 unique Twitter mentions including responses from LGBTQ+ accounts: SHOTS and It Gets Better Project.

What all of these numbers amount to is the recognition for the vulnerability that LGBTQ+ individuals experience every day, and a better worldwide understanding of “The Pause.”