“When companies try to push their own agenda while including the community, those are the (campaigns) that make me mad,” says Horner, who is gay.īut his feelings on the matter aren't black and white. Companies ranging from local businesses to multinational corporations drop new Pride-themed products and add touches of rainbow decor to their logos, all in the name of LGBTQ allyship.īut if the policies, products and political activities of a company during the other 11 months of the year don't line up with its colourful advertising during Pride month, they are increasingly likely to be called out for “rainbow washing” - public displays of support for the LGBTQ community that are temporary and not backed up by action. Throughout June,advertisements from brands featuring Pride imagery appear on televisions, billboards and especially social media feeds. Toronto-based graphic designer Dylan Horner says a lot of the marketing campaigns he comes across during Pride month make him cringe.