The Challenge
YouTube Originals centred their Pride Month activities around unity, respect, and love, aiming to celebrate progress while acknowledging ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. Partnering with The Fifth, they organised a month-long series of mini events leading up to a virtual party headlined by Elton John and Olly Alexander.
The initiative aimed to engage a Gen-Z audience, inspire participation, and raise funds fort akt, a charity supporting young LGBTQIA+ individuals facing homelessness or hostile environments.
YouTube kicked off donations with £75,000 and worked with creators to host events which encouraged additional contributions. The campaign tackled two key challenges: redirecting LGBTQIA+ engagement from platforms like TikTok back to YouTube and addressing significant issues within the community, such as homelessness and identity denial.
The Solution
We created ‘Share the Pride‘ which aimed to resonate with the LGBTQIA+ community by pairing YouTube and TikTok creators in a series of live-streamed events on YouTube. This approach emphasised community power, raised awareness of LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness, and drove donations for akt.
A diverse group of creators representing LGBTQIA+ identities and intersecting minorities, participated in interactive, audience-driven challenges. Using Tiltify, donation impacts were displayed live on creators’ channels, increasing real-time engagement. Each stream combined fun activities – like baking, art, and forfeits – with serious messages about the challenges LGBTQIA+ individuals face, successfully blending entertainment and advocacy to inspire donations.
The Outcome
The four live-stream events raised £8,531 for akt, nearly double the initial target, with 90% of views and donations occurring live, showcasing strong audience engagement. The tiered donation system and time-sensitive challenges spurred participation, while creators fostered emotional connections through interactive content and authentic advocacy.
The campaign achieved nearly 8 million video views and 9 million impressions, surpassing goals by 233%. Beyond the impressive metrics, the initiative created a meaningful impact by raising awareness, funds, and hope for LGBTQIA+ individuals, highlighting the power of representation and genuine commitment.
2022 Gold winner for ‘Best Cause-Led Campaign’ at the Influencer Marketing Awards
2022 Gold for ‘Best Use of YouTube’ at the Influencer Marketing Awards
Related projects
-
Switching lanes with YouTube’s Yoodle in Van Life
Youtube
-
For Dogs Sake: raising awareness for Pete Wicks’ new show
U&W
-
Reimagined Wimbledon for a new generation through the metaverse
Wimbledon
-
Inspired millions to work smarter
Optimum Nutrition
-
Convinced 35M new people that Dr Who is a cultural phenomenon
BBC