The Strategy Behind the Viral Red Marriage Equality Campaign

Zoe Fox2013-03-29 16:44:27 UTC

The Human Rights Campaign's Director of Marketing Anastasia Khoo didn't decide to change the organization's equality sign logo from blue to red on a whim.

The team at the HRC, the largest lobby organization dedicated to fighting for LGBT rights, knew that the two cases the Supreme Court heard this week on marriage equality were major, that Monday and Tuesday were moments of historic significance. The organization also foresaw that people would want to show their support for marriage equality. During the planning process, Khoo had the idea to turn the iconic blue and yellow equality sign logo red.

"The color is synonymous with love, and for us, that's what these cases are about," she told Mashable.

On Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. EDT, HRC posted the red version of its logo to Facebook and asked supporters to change their profile pictures and share the campaign with their family and friends.

Prior to changing its logo, the HRC focused on visual outreach, sharing infographics on Facebook and emailing its supporters to ensure they understood the significance of the two cases. Khoo notes early outreach with celebrities helped kickstart the red profile photo movement, as well. George Takei was one of the earliest to change his picture on Tuesday morning. Martha Stewart, Beyonce and corporations like Bud Light and Bonobos followed suit.

"It was everyone from senators and public figures to your everyday individual," Khoo said. "I think what that says to the young person who's feeling isolated and alone is that there are people out there that love you. When the Internet is washed with red, it has some significance."

Beyond the viral swapping of Facebook photos, Khoo says she's excited by how widespread this issue has become. Eight out of 10 Americans, she said, now know someone who is openly gay.

"That only happens from the act of courage of people saying, 'This is who I am,'" she said. "This is a really great first step for many people who hadn't come out or for straight people who had never shown their support before."

BONUS: 18 Creative Red Facebook Pics

Image composite by Mashable

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