Key findings
- 52% of organisations ran an external International Women's Day campaign the last time it came round. No other moment passes 34%.
- 33% ran a Pride campaign last time. A further 30% have run one in the last three years but did not last time.
- 87% have run at least one of seven moments in the last three years, but the average organisation ran just 1.81 of the seven last time round.
- Public sector organisations ran more than twice as many moments as private sector ones (2.97 against 1.42).
Which diversity moments do brands run campaigns for?
International Women's Day, by a distance. We asked 300 UK marketing leads whether their organisation had run an external marketing campaign for each of seven moments in the last three years.
Just over half (52%) ran an International Women's Day campaign the last time it came round. Black History Month (34%) and Pride (33%) are next. Disability History or Pride Month and Ramadan or Eid are on 23% each, Trans Awareness or History Week on 9% and Rosh Hashanah on 7%.
International Women’s Day is the only moment most teams mark
Has the organisation run an external marketing campaign for each of the following in the last 3 years?
- Ran one the last time it came round
- Done before, but not last time
- Never done one
View data
| Group | Ran one the last time it came round | Done before, but not last time | Never done one |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Women’s Day | 52% | 18% | 30% |
| Black History Month | 34% | 22% | 44% |
| Pride | 33% | 30% | 37% |
| Disability History / Pride Month | 23% | 14% | 63% |
| Ramadan / Eid | 23% | 11% | 66% |
| Trans Awareness / History Week | 9% | 13% | 78% |
| Rosh Hashanah | 7% | 6% | 87% |
Are brands pulling back from Pride?
Many have. A third of organisations (33%) ran a Pride campaign the last time it came round. Almost as many (30%) have run one in the last three years but sat the last one out.
Put another way, of the organisations that have run a Pride campaign in the last three years, nearly half (48%) did not run one last time. For International Women's Day the equivalent figure is 26%, and for Black History Month 39%.
Nearly half of organisations that have run Pride campaigns skipped the last one
Share of organisations that have run a campaign in the last three years but did not run one the last time the moment came round
View data
| Answer | % |
|---|---|
| Trans Awareness / History Week | 59% |
| Pride | 48% |
| Rosh Hashanah | 46% |
| Black History Month | 39% |
| Disability History / Pride Month | 38% |
| Ramadan / Eid | 32% |
| International Women’s Day | 26% |
How many moments does the average organisation mark?
Fewer than two. Nearly nine in ten organisations (87%) have run at least one of the seven campaigns in the last three years. But the last time round, the average organisation ran 1.81 of the seven.
Size and sector make the difference. Organisations with 5,000 or more employees ran an average of 2.64 moments, twice the 1.30 run by those with 50 to 249. Public sector organisations averaged 2.97, against 1.42 in the private sector.
Bigger organisations and the public sector mark more moments
Average number of moments marked with an external campaign, out of seven
View data
| Answer | Mean (out of 7) |
|---|---|
| All organisations | 1.81 |
| By size: 50 to 249 employees | 1.30 |
| By size: 250 to 999 | 1.67 |
| By size: 1,000 to 4,999 | 2.42 |
| By size: 5,000+ | 2.64 |
| By sector: Private sector | 1.42 |
| By sector: Public sector | 2.97 |
What this means
"We support ED&I" is close to universal. What it means in practice is one campaign a year, and usually the same one.
For marketing and comms leads, three things follow.
- One moment is not a programme. If International Women's Day is the only campaign, audiences and staff can see the gap.
- Stepping back is visible too. Organisations that ran Pride and then stopped are a large group. Customers and employees notice the absence as much as the presence.
- Small teams are not less willing. As our findings on barriers show, the reason is capacity, not conviction.
Frequently asked questions
How many UK brands run Pride campaigns?
33% of UK organisations ran an external Pride campaign the last time it came round, according to a survey of 300 marketing leads by The Reality Department. A further 30% have run one in the last three years but did not last time.
Which diversity moment do most brands mark?
International Women's Day. 52% of organisations ran an external campaign the last time it came round.
Are brands pulling back from Pride?
Of the organisations that have run a Pride campaign in the last three years, 48% did not run one the last time it came round.
Methodology
The Reality Department, in partnership with VCCP, surveyed 300 UK marketing leads at organisations with 50 or more employees. Fieldwork: September 2026. Respondents were asked about external marketing campaigns for seven moments over the last three years.
Related: Why do brands run ED&I campaigns, and what stops them?
Want to know what your own audience expects? Work with us.