If you work in brand, media, or campaign strategy, chances are you’ve been asked lately: Is purpose-driven diversity marketing still worth it? Especially when the political climate is so volatile. In this year’s LGBTQ+ Advertising report developed in partnership with Do the WeRQ, one thing is clear: Gen Z doesn’t just respond to your brand's “purpose”; they hold it accountable. So, if your inclusion efforts lack integrity, they disengage.
As a result, nearly half (48%) of Gen Z say brand pullbacks on DEI directly erode their trust. When brands stay the course, 43% of these consumers say their support increases. This is particularly notable as about 20% of Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+; an exponential increase from generations past. If you’re trying to optimize creative or media for long-term brand equity, this is your signal. Brand purpose isn’t dead, but performative marketing is a campaign risk with measurable downside.
This generation of consumers expects brands to show up with substance, not empty statements. When asked how brands should demonstrate LGBTQ+ inclusion, Gen Z prioritized four key actions:
This isn’t a marketing checklist, but a blueprint for action that drives outcomes. Sixty percent of LGBTQ+ content viewers say inclusive ads influence purchase decisions, and among LGBTQ+ Gen Z, that jumps to 77%.
Authentic representation drives brand favorability, builds trust, and moves consumers to act. When carefully executed, it increases relevance, deepens engagement, and influences purchase behavior in measurable ways. For Gen Z and LGBTQ+ audiences, representation is not a nice-to-have. It determines where they spend, what they support, and who earns their loyalty.
High-performing brands lead with clarity, act with intention, and deliver with consistency. They translate values into visible actions and build trust through repeatable behaviors that audiences can see, feel, and measure. More specifically, they:
They understand inconsistent inclusion sends mixed signals to consumers and clouds performance data. Today, inclusion and brand equity are interdependent. That means inclusive branding cannot be confined to comms and PR. It has to show up in strategy, media, creative, and measurement.
Twenty-four percent (24%) of consumers say they’ll stop or reduce buying from a brand that rolls back DEI without saying a word. That’s silent attrition. You won’t catch it in campaign-level metrics until it’s too late. And while backlash dominates headlines, only 5% of respondents say DEI reversals increase their trust. The biggest mistake marketers make isn’t speaking up. It’s acting inconsistently and misaligning brand signals across channels.
Gen Z is the most brand-aware and brand-skeptical generation to date. They reward alignment and call out inauthenticity. To earn their attention and loyalty, brands need more than a message. They need follow-through. What Gen Z actually responds to:
If your campaigns aim to grow brand equity among younger, high-value segments, performative storytelling is a risk you can’t afford. But proven integrity? That’s a competitive differentiator that builds credibility, drives engagement, and delivers measurable lift across brand and performance outcomes.
DISQO’s 2025 LGBTQ+ Advertising Report doesn’t just tell you what consumers expect. It shows you how they behave across trust, purchase behavior, and media response to reinforce brand integrity. If you’re making strategic decisions about what to say, where to show up, and how to measure it, this report is your next move.