Dentsu Italy’s ‘Proud Beyond Pride’ campaign champions LGBTQIA+ visibility year-round

The ‘Proud Beyond Pride’ campaign, created in partnership with Agedo – an Italian association that supports families navigating LGBTQIA+ identities – aims to extend Pride-related conversations outside of June. By bringing these stories into public spaces through billboards, the campaign seeks to support a community facing significant legal and societal challenges.

The campaign idea came from an analysis using a web monitoring platform called Brandwatch. The study showed a significant spike in online discussions about “Pride” during May and June 2023, followed by a sharp drop as the summer ended.

Moreover, Meloni’s administration has imposed restrictions on the rights of same-sex couples, including barring non-biological parents from being listed on birth certificates.

“As a Società Benefit (Benefit Company), we work to promote communication that can spread positive values and create a beneficial impact on society,” said Ilaria Affer, social impact director of Dentsu Italy. “Pride is an important moment in pursuing this aim, but it is not the only one. Because the goal is to educate ourselves and our industry to talk about inclusion little by little and continuously.”

The Proud Beyond Pride campaign first made its mark at the Milan Pride Parade in June of this year, where Dentsu’s team collected signs from attendees. These handwritten messages, rich with emotion and calls for inclusivity, now populate digital and static billboards across cities like Rome, Milan, Lamezia Terme and Catania. With QR codes integrated into the displays, passersby can connect directly to a digital platform, fostering ongoing conversations about Pride and LGBTQIA+ rights.

This initiative, under Dentsu’s ‘Dentsu & Friends’ format – a collaborative effort uniting brands, partners and media to back social causes – has enlisted the support of Scalo Milano Outlet & More, Shiseido Italy and Mareblu. Fifteen advertising sales agencies across Italy have offered free out-of-home space to amplify the work’s impact.

Since its rollout, the campaign has seen a 72% rise in Pride-themed discussions online and reached over 21 million people from July to October 2024.

“We are committed to turning an awareness-raising message into a platform that can bring to life concrete actions all year round,” added Stefano Battistelli, executive creative director of Dentsu Creative Italy. “In this campaign, we have joined our verticalities to create a positive social impact and concrete support for the LGBTQIA+ community.”

The Proud Beyond Pride campaign is a testament to the power of creative, collective action in defiance of societal setbacks. By leveraging collaboration between creative agencies, brands and advocacy groups, the agency has reinvigorated the conversation around Pride, proving that commitment to inclusivity does not expire.

“Our commitment is daily and constant in working alongside families with LGBTQIA+ children to learn to embrace diversity, respect and protection of trans/queer subjectivities together,” added Agedo’s social media manager, Marta Danneo. “The perseverance of Agedo parents in winning the rights of their daughters/sons, together with the determination and care that Dentsu has put into this project, helps to ensure that this work is not in vain and does not just stop at the famous ‘Pride Month’ in June. Strength is always with Unity.”

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