An initiative for building a future where queer inclusion isn’t performative or seasonal, but authentic, strategic, and community-powered.
Our Journey: From Fundraisers to a Movement
2018 – The Hardcore Happy Fundraiser
We kicked things off with two months of Pride content, raising €56,525 for LGBTQ+ organizations and individuals. What started as a creative experiment proved one thing: when creativity meets community, good things happen.
2019 – FUNraiser 2.0
Back for round two, we continued producing Pride content for brands while fundraising an additional €48,850. More partnerships, impact, and even more proof that marketing can do more than just sell.
2020–2022 – Introspection During COVID
Amid the stillness of global lockdowns, we turned inward. These years became a moment of reflection, not just on our external efforts, but on our internal responsibility. We asked ourselves: What are we really doing within our own company? And how can we better educate ourselves, and our teams, on LGBTQ+ issues?
This period laid the foundation for deeper awareness, stronger allyship, and the realisation that meaningful change starts at home.
2023 – Launch of ‘Pride Is Not An Ad’
With the rise of rainbow-washing, we raised our voice louder. Pride Is Not An Ad launched as a creative provocation to challenge the use of Pride for profit and shift the focus to education, authenticity, and community partnerships.
2024 – PINAA: On The Pulse
At ADsterdam, we launched our first public survey, revealing how the Dutch public views brand involvement in Pride. A six-person queer panel unpacked the results live for an audience of 200+ industry leaders, marking a major step in bringing data and dialogue into the heart of the advertising world.
2025 – From PINAA to PINJA
We evolved our name to Pride Is Not Just an Ad (PINJA) to reflect our expanded mission in a time of anti-woke sentiment and brands staying silent. We're not anti-Pride campaigns, but real inclusion means showing up authentically and year-round.
This year, we’ve rolled out the second edition of our annual survey, tracking how Dutch sentiment toward brands and Pride is shifting over time.
At Publicis Groupe we believe Pride isn’t a checkbox or a rainbow logo during Pride month - It’s a year-round commitment to doing better, saying more, and showing up with purpose. That’s why we launched Pride is Not Just an Ad: a creative, strategic, and community-powered initiative to help brands move from performative to powerful.
We’re not anti-advertising, we’re pro ads that matter. We believe marketing has the power to shape culture, spark progress, and shift the narrative. But only when it’s done right. Because when it's done wrong? It’s not just harming your brand, but society at large.
We guide brands through the beautiful, brave, sometimes bumpy road of inclusive marketing. And yes, backlash is real. But silence isn’t the answer. We help you speak up the right way and with the right people, to make sure brands never miss the mark. Because inclusion isn’t just about representation. It’s about action.
Whether it’s sports, music, gaming, parenting, or wellness, we explore how queerness intersects with all parts of culture, advocating for inclusion across gender, race, age, disability, and beyond.
So no, Pride is not just an ad.
It’s a movement.
And you’re invited to make it mean something.
wanna know, do, and feel more?
rainbows with reason
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rainbows with reason ✴︎
Hit us up! Our devoted team is ready to spring into action to help you and your brand navigate all things Pride.