LENS: GAY TIMES AMPLIFUND
The Gay Times magazine released a new video campaign titled ‘Incomplete Without the T’ to combat increasing levels of transphobia in the global media. The simple animation aims to encourage viewers to take action against discrimination and support trans rights.
Amplifund is an initiative launched by the Gay Times magazine to support LGBTQ+ activists in their campaigning and media work. This video from the Gay Times Amplifund initiative was launched during Trans Awareness Week in response to increased transphobia, as research shows 2021 was the deadliest year for trans people on record.
The trans community has also faced scrutiny from the LGB Alliance, following campaigns for the letter 'T' to be removed from LGBTQ+. This animation from the Gay Times puts a creative spin on the LGB Alliance campaign, by showing sentences such as ‘Transgender people are an essential part of our community’ but with every letter ‘T’ removed. A voice over attempts to read the text on screen but the result is an incoherent collection of sounds. Despite the simple visuals, the video clearly conveys the message that erasing a letter from any word also erases its meaning.
Warner says, “With 2021 being the deadliest year on record for Trans people, it is more important than ever for us as a business, and as a community, to stand with our Trans brothers and sisters and reinforce the message - we are incomplete without the T.”
Advertising and marketing agency, Grey London, created a range of communications materials alongside the video which was shown to a live audience during the annual Gay Times Honours event in London. Attendees were asked to share the assets across social media using the hashtag #WithTheT.
Laura Jordan Bambach, president and CCO UK at Grey, says, “To be Trans today is to be faced with even more discrimination, hate and the potential for violence than many other areas of our community. So, it’s fundamentally important that we are never LGB without the T and we stand together to protect the hard-earned rights and acceptance we have, and those still to fight for. We’re incredibly proud to have launched this campaign with GAY TIMES at this vital time in our collective history.”
The video was supported with OOH advertising and social assets shared by queer influencers and allies.
GAYTIMES_Amplifund-Incomplete_without_the_T from Grey London on Vimeo.