Background 

Today, under state law in 29 out of 50 states in the United States, it is legal to discriminate against LGBTQ+ Americans. That means doctors can refuse treatment, landlords can deny housing and businesses can refuse service simply because of who you love or who you are. 

The Equality Act would change that for good, providing blanket protections for every LGBTQ+ individual in every state. The act has passed the House of Representatives but now needs the support of a few key lawmakers in the Senate to pass into law. 

The problem is most Americans don’t know these outdated laws still exist. In fact, 60% of Americans incorrectly assume LGBTQ+ individuals have the same protections as any other American. So, the Human Rights Campaign (the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the country) needed to grab Americans’ attention and urge them to tell their senators to pass The Equality Act. 

Creative Idea 

The American flag, with its red and white stripes and 50 stars representing 50 states, is the ultimate symbol of freedom in the United States of America. But 29 states aren’t living up to their promise of freedom for every American, so 29 stars had to come off the flag.

The Human Rights Campaign created “The Reality Flag,” an American flag with 29 stars stripped away to represent the 29 states that still deny LGBTQ+ Americans their basic freedoms. 

The Reality Flag is a stark symbol that seeks to expose the current reality for millions of LGBTQ+ Americans.

Strategy 

To pass the Equality Act, the HRC needed to get the attention of voters beyond those who already support LGBTQ+ rights. So, they identified the largest group of people who could be persuaded to do so, a group they termed “the moveable middle.” From there, the HRC turned to a study conducted with hundreds of “moveable middle” citizens where they were asked what mattered most to them as Americans. Just 5% said “equality,” but 60% said “freedom.” 

Further research revealed “equality” to be a polarizing value, while “freedom” was a value most Americans could agree on. 

To get any traction with the creative idea, it was clear the HRC needed to shift the narrative from the Equality Act protecting American “equality” to the Equality Act protecting American “freedom.”

Execution 

To kick off the national 360 campaign, the HRC unveiled an 85-foot Reality Flag across the side of their iconic national headquarters in Washington, D.C. From there, TV ads and video content put a human face to the message, showcasing real LGBTQ+ individuals who have experienced discrimination. The ads aired on national TV  as well as in movie theaters across the country. The Reality Flag was also amplified via print, digital radio, OOH, social media, banner ads and search.

In addition, physical Reality Flags were created and shipped to influencers who posted about the flag on their social channels. Flags were also sent to bars, restaurants, and Pride parades in key markets to meet Americans in places and spaces they already frequented.

Every piece of communication drove to RealityFlag.com, where Americans could put immediate pressure on their senators to pass the Equality Act.

Results 

The Reality Flag’s message resonated across the country, generating over 480 million earned impressions via outlets like USA Today, The Washington Post, Elle, Fast Company, Oprah Daily and more. Celebrities and influencers including Julianne Moore, Aisha Tyler, and Alyssa Milano shared Reality Flag content, reaching 12.4 million people. The message reverberated across the feeds of everyday Americans too, with thousands sharing Reality Flag posts reaching an additional 11.5 million people.

The campaign drove a 3,200% traffic increase to the HRC’s website, where thousands contacted 96% of U.S. senators in Congress. The volume of calls, texts, and emails to senators was three times the amount sent from the HRC’s site compared with the month before the campaign’s launch and 50% of those who contacted lawmakers were new to the HRC’s distribution list. The campaign even got President, Joe Biden, to mention the Equality Act during the State of the Union.