Pride in Marketing and Beyond: A Q&A with M+S Co-Founder Evan Horowitz

The celebration of Pride Month isn't just about recognizing the LGBTQ+ community. It's a celebration of diversity, authenticity, and the ongoing advocacy for acceptance and love. But how does this translate into the business world, and specifically into marketing? Movers+Shakers had a conversation with Evan Horowitz, our CEO and Co-Founder, who has continuously advocated for diversity and authenticity in the workplace. He shared with us how Pride has impacted our business and how the lessons from the fight for equality continue to shape modern workplace culture.

Share with us how you see Pride impacting the day-to-day company culture at Movers+Shakers.

Pride is all about authenticity and the power to show up as your true self. That’s a cornerstone of Movers+Shakers company culture.

Pride started with the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, when a group of people stood up for their desire to freely and authentically express themselves. At the time they weren't given the freedom to do that. 

In the decades since, so many LGBTQ+ people and allies have put themselves in harm’s way to advance our society. I’m so grateful to them, for we enjoy a culture today that helps me and so many people live openly and authentically. 

These activists directly laid a foundation for Movers+Shakers today. Many of our employees (LGBTQ+ and otherwise) have shared how grateful they are to be at a company where they bring their full self to work.

How do you as an agency owner bring diverse voices to clients that traditionally might not think that someone from the LGBTQ+ community could be a good fit for their brand?

One of our responsibilities as thought partners to our clients is to advocate for their brand showing up with an inclusive voice. It's not only the right thing to do but, increasingly, it’s what consumers are looking for from brands that they buy.

There is a lot of inertia in our industry towards a certain type of marketing, and certain faces to represent brands. And so part of our job -- and our charter to drive cultural relevance for our clients -- is to help disrupt that inertia.  We’ll say, “Hey, here's a bunch of voices that maybe we haven't considered in the past, but that we think could do a great job for this campaign and this brand.” Our team works really hard to bring forward those diverse voices, whether those are influencer talent or freelance talent, or any other team members to do great work in a representative way.

What does it mean to you to be an out LGBTQ+ CEO in 2023?

I feel very blessed. I feel very privileged to be as successful as I am and to be an openly gay person. Just 20 years ago that was unthinkable. I have a huge debt of gratitude towards generations of people who actively took on pain to make this possible for me. And I feel privileged to be able to represent what's possible for younger LGBTQ+ people. Many team members have shared that they appreciate having openly gay co-founders -- or even a gay married couple with a transracial family. That’s not a model that a lot of people have, and it's a privilege for me to be able to be seen and represent a type of leader you wouldn’t have seen a decade ago.

Takeaways

Celebrating Pride can be seen as more than one month of celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Pride is a testament to the ongoing strides we make as a community toward authenticity, equality, and self-expression. It's a reminder of our responsibility as marketers, leaders, and humans to advocate for inclusivity and diversity in our workplaces and in the brands we represent.

It's crucial to remember that these conversations aren't just about ticking a box for diversity; they're about recognizing and appreciating the rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives that make our companies, our campaigns, and our communities stronger.

In sharing this perspective, we hope to inspire others to carry these insights beyond Pride Month, embracing authenticity and diversity year-round in all we do. After all, the progress we've made thus far is thanks to those who stood up for their right to be their authentic selves - a lesson we can all learn from, regardless of how we identify.