Ok, I’ll admit it. This week I was struggling for a blog topic. My colleague Ben had fortunately tweeted on the blog yesterday an article from the Washington Blade about an innovative campaign from the USA Network. I also did my own research—I Googled (love how that is a verb now)! I typed in those magic words… “gay” and “marketing” and got a link to a Baptist Press article, “USA Network Ad Backs Gay Marriage.”
Faithful readers of my every-other-Friday posts know that I love me some TV. Which means, I probably watch USA Network for something (Check! I do enjoy the show “The Starter Wife”). There is an ad shown on that network with a male same-sex couple with one saying “I pledge because everybody deserves wedding gifts.”
Dug a little deeper into the story…. USA Network has launched a pretty cool public affairs/marketing campaign called “The Characters Unite.” The cabler says the campaign is a new multimedia initiative designed to “help form a more perfect union by combating prejudice, intolerance, discrimination, and hate and to promote greater acceptance, understanding and mutual respect of ALL people.” The Web site asks visitors to sign the “Characters Unite” pledge to help build a stronger, more tolerant country. And, the campaign has some great partners on board, including the American Association of People with Disabilities, Anti-Defamation League, GLAAD, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The site has a list of 50 things you can do as part of the Pledge to make the country a better place—and they’re great suggestions, including:
• Party with a purpose
• Respect the homeless
• Befriend an elderly person
• Gay rights are human rights
Rock on, USA Network, for implementing a truly all-inclusive public affairs campaign that markets the network to every imaginable audience. And, they’re not just marketing the network through this campaign. They are also going to use it to influence legislation in this country to fight against discrimination and intolerance. I always respect companies who take the bold leap—to stand for what is right and to not just put dollars behind it to impact their own bottom line, but to push for true social change and spark important dialogues in this country. That is smart marketing.
And yes, I took the pledge. Will you?
SUBSCRIBE