From Pride to Father’s Day, there’s so much for brands to celebrate this month. Dig into all the latest marketing campaigns from some of the most notable companies in our Weekly Must Reads.

PepsiCo Promotes Chosen Family

PepsiCo’s brand Bubly is the latest to join the conversation around Pride – but they’re taking a unique approach. While many brands choose to show support with rainbow-colored logos or one-off social media posts, Bubly has released a new short that illustrates the importance of chosen family, particularly among the LGBTQ community. In the video, titled “Coming Home,” a nonbinary person named Jac timidly enters a gay bar alone, but finds a welcoming community of friends inside. The spot stars Naomi McPherson, who also provides the soundtrack for the video, and includes appearances by other famous LGBTQ celebrities.

In addition to releasing the short, Bubly has also donated $100,000 to the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative to support LGBTQ safe spaces that were impacted by the pandemic. Watch the video and find out more about Bubly’s plans for Pride here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/pepsico-bubly-lgbtq-chosen-families-pride-campaign/625018/

The Body Shop Speaks Out

The Body Shops is also taking a bold approach to their Pride campaign. In protest of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the brand has launched a series of ads called “We Don’t Just Say Gay,” featuring many LGBTQ identifiers. The primarily print campaign is currently displayed in Body Shop stores through signage and staff apparel, in addition to outdoor ads in cities across North America. Stores will also have QR codes that direct visitors to the brand’s digital hub with more educational resources and a petition to support the Equality Act.

According to the brand’s VP of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility, their priority is to help LGBTQ youth feel safe to show up as they are in any space, but particularly when interacting with The Body Shop. You can read the company’s full press release for their Pride initiative here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-body-shop-north-america-continues-bold-stance-against-anti-2slgbtq-legislation-through-2022-pride-campaign-301560164.html

Fanatics’ New Line of College Sports Cards

For years, Fanatics-owned Topps has run the market on professional sports league trading cards. In the wake of the NIL deal passed last year, Topps just announced they will produce officially licensed collegiate cards for athletes from most Power 5 Conference schools as early as 2023. The cards will include official university trademarks and NIL rights for current student-athletes and famous alumni.

The sports trading card industry has been around for decades, but recently took off among sports fans during the pandemic. The addition of college sports cards creates a new market that not only entices college fans, but also benefits the athletes themselves, thanks to new NIL rights. Dive into more details here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/fanatics-topps-college-sports-rare-collection/

Nick Cannon’s Aviation Gin-Fueled Vasectomy

With Father’s Day right around the corner, Aviation Gin is once again celebrating the holiday with the appropriately named Vasectomy cocktail. This year, though, they’ve employed a new spokesperson: Nick Cannon, who is perhaps best known as a father of eight children. Cannon stars in the brand’s new commercial to reintroduce the Vasectomy. He doesn’t miss the opportunity to make a joke at his own expense, as he quips at the beginning of the ad, “Lord knows I need one.” He finishes the 90 second spot by explaining each ingredient in the cocktail in Aviation Gin’s signature snarky tone.

In recent years, social media users have frequently joked about Cannon’s busy schedule around the Father’s Day holiday. Once again, Aviation Gin joins the timely conversation, finding a way to poke fun without being rude or unkind. Check out the ad for yourself here: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2022/06/09/ryan-reynolds-nick-cannon-craft-father-s-day-vasectomy-cocktail-aviation-american