German flag carrier Lufthansa has launched a new marketing campaign which is specifically targeted towards the LGBTQI+ community ahead of Pride celebrations which will be taking place across the country in the coming weeks.
The airline has called the campaign “The World Says Yes to You”, recognising that LGBTQI+ don’t always feel welcome in some destinations and sometimes face discriminatory local laws and customs that make travel difficult.
“Lufthansa brings guests of all nations and cultures together and welcomes everyone on board regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, religion, nationality, sexual orientation or identity,” commented Carsten Hoffmann, Lufthansa’s head of brand experience.
“For queer people, however, travelling the world can often be associated with a feeling of discomfort: not everyone is welcomed everywhere with open arms,” Hoffman said of the inspiration behind the new campaign.
“With our new Pride campaign, Lufthansa is celebrating people and places that embrace queer life. And, in doing so, we’re helping queer people discover such places and more all around the world.”
Lufthansa features local queer business owners from around the world for its campaign, including Konstantinos, who created the ‘Queer Archive’ in Athens, Nuala, who runs a surf school for queer people in Brazil and Brian, who is president of the Gay Rodeo Association in the United States.
Adverts will appear in newspapers across Germany as well as on large digital posters across the country. The first digital ads will appear in Munich before being rolled out in Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Stuttgart and Hamburg.
Last year, Lufthansa created its Pride-themed ‘Lovehansa’ livery on an Airbus A320neo with the registration D-AINY. Inside the plane, plain headrest antimacassars have been replaced with a rainbow theme which adorns the entire aircraft.
The livery has become a permanent feature of the Lufthansa livery, demonstrating the airline’s year-round commitment to LGBTQI+ rights.
Last week, Turkish Airlines cut ties with a travel booking site shortly after it accidentally sent out a pride-themed email with the airline’s logo. Turkish Airlines has not commented on the incident.
Although June represents Pride month in many parts of the world, many Pride celebrations are traditionally celebrated across Germany in July, where they are known as Christopher Street Day parades in memory of the Stonewall Riots in New York City.
