GLAAD, formerly known as Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is an organization that was created in 1985 to counter discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals within the media. It is the world's LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization that strives to increase media and communal accountability. The organization promotes understanding, acceptance, and equality as well as shares the benefits of organic inclusion of this marginalized community. The creation of the organization has been to increase awareness of the imperativeness of positive and appropriate portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals in the media. This allows the organization to foster the promotion of the LGBTQ+ community fairly and respectfully which highlights the benefits of the diversity of and amongst the community.
Competitive Strength/Advantage: Diligence to LGBTQ+ media and social trends
In 2013, GLAAD confirmed its name change strictly to be just the acronym as opposed to standing for what it did prior: "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation". Why the sudden change? To ensure respect and representation of the other members of the community that doesn’t fall under the Gay or Lesbian umbrella (For example, members of the Bisexual, Pansexual, and Transgender communities) when the organization was originally founded and launched back in 1985. With the increasing trend of social acceptance and integration of the presence of LGBTQ+ identities in the media, GLAAD remains ahead of its competitors by remaining inquisitive and equipped with its ability to stay up to date with accurate terminology or evolving communal/media trends.
GLAAD "The Visibility Project" Media Tactic
GLAAD partnered with Proctor and Gamble to pursue a multifaceted media campaign with the incorporation of the advertisement expertise of Fortune 100 advisers. The goal was to create a media campaign for LGBTQ+ inclusion in advertising that ensured accurate and authentic representation of the community. GLAAD, Proctor, and Gamble, along with the campaign team of The Visibility Project aspired to help brand and organization leaders, advertisers, and media agencies create opportunities for meaningful inclusion and authentic representation of this marginalized demographic of individuals. The execution of this media tactic occurred with the intent of setting a new societal trend that will inspire other brands and organizations to take the inactive to be more visually inclusive of the diverse and extensive LGBTQ+ community in their advertisements. This media tactic will set a social and professional expectation upon other organizations to truly aspire to incorporate an authentic sense of diversity through the execution of acts that will insight equality for those in need. In this case, it is the marginalized, underrepresented, and often misjudged community of the LGBTQ+.
Reference: https://www.glaad.org/visibility-project
