Eco-friendly cleaning brand method is teaming up with LGBT Foundation and seven of the hottest drag acts in the UK for a new partnership that’s about so much more than slapping a rainbow on a product to capitalise Pride.
It seems like every year from around June until August we see an LGBT+ sandwich here and a fluorescent pink bottle of vodka there, and promises from brands to support our community, but when September rolls around it’s all over faster than you can say ‘gay rights!’
And every year, we furiously tweet and hammer our keyboards and complain to anyone who’ll listen about the commercialisation of Pride – because as queer people, we can see right through brands and campaigns when they’re disingenuous. But method is different. They actually want to make the world a more inclusive, expressive and diverse place.
Over the next 12 months, method will be helping ensure a safe, healthy and equal future for the LGBT+ community by funding LGBT Foundation’s entire volunteering programme, which will provide support across a number of projects championing the Manchester-based charity’s #EqualityWins activity.
And after teaming up with drag queens and kings in July for a fabulously fun and frantic cleaning-inspired lip-sync battle, with 100% of proceeds donated to LGBT Foundation, method will once again be joining forces with some of the best drag talent in the country for a brand new advertising campaign, launching on August 26.
Queens including Cheddar Gorgeous, Freida Slaves, Anna Phylactic, Lill, Meth, TeTe Bang and rising drag king star Adam All will show their charisma, uniqueness, fun and talent for drag artistry in adverts all across London.
Taking inspiration from method cleaning products, the drag stars will be challenging the outdated and ‘traditional’ stereotypes that have been associated with cleaning for so many years.
The talented queens and king will take the bright colours, vivid fragrances and chic design method is famous for and create a dazzling drag look inspired by their favourite method product, as part of the aptly-named ‘Drag Cleans’ campaign.
Now pay close attention to this next part because, much like cleaning with method products, reading is fundamental: New research commissioned by method has found that more than half of all Brits – 58%, to be exact – are unaware of the correct definition of LGBTQIA.
That’s despite latest government figures estimating that more than a million people in the UK identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual.
Astonishingly, method’s research found that more than half – 56% to, again, be exact – admitted to having never heard of a drag queen before, with 70% having never attended a drag show. Their loss.
But it’s what makes this new partnership between method and LGBT Foundation all the more important. Using the unbridled power of drag, the pair are relentlessly setting out to challenge the UK to expand their knowledge and understanding of the LGBT+ community, while embracing freedom of expression and diversity.
The concepts of toying with gender norms and elevating the mundane into the marvellous is something method emulates in its range of cleaning products with a difference.
“The wonderful world of drag shares method’s love of looking fabulous, with innovation, creativity and unapologetic self-expression at its heart,” said method spokesperson Sarah Tuke.
“The industry has long been a contributor to tired stereotypes (think 50s cleaning ads!) and method has always played with the norm in order to bring a bit of sass to the cleaning aisle.
We want to challenge stereotypes and gender norms with the help of LGBT Foundation and our drag talent – to create something truly wonderful, bold and meaningful, that drives positive change.
“We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with method for the launch of ‘Drag Cleans’,” said LGBT Foundation’s chief executive Paul Martin, OBE.
“We’re looking forward to this year-long initiative showcasing the talent of some amazing drag artists, which have for many decades been an important aspect of our community’s culture, as well as raising awareness of the many different people who identify as LGBT.
The volunteer activity method will be supporting will ensure this partnership isn’t just a quick fling, but has a lasting positive impact for people from LGBT communities.
method worked closely with both the Foundation and the drag individual artists to ensure that the campaign is a true reflection of the amazing diversity within the world of drag.
The result is a fun, creative and meaningful collaboration with the LGBT+ community that defies tired gender stereotypes on multiple levels. And at the centre of it all lies method’s mantra: “Be loud and house-proud. Ban boring for a more fabulous world; a world full of individuality, creativity and colour.”
You can join method by loudly and proudly supporting LGBT Foundation and all the good they do: https://lgbt.foundation/donate.