Smirnoff has partnered with the LGBT Foundation for the next phase of it's inclusive 'We're Open' campaign, this time bringing together non-binary artists and performers to help ignite a change in nightlife culture.
The Diageo-owned vodka brand wants to start a conversation around how it can lead a movement which will make going on a night out a more open-minded and socially inclusive experience for people within the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.
At the heart of its most recent efforts sits a film starring DJ and producer Honey Dijon, British transgender model and dancer Lucy Fizz, performance artist Xnthony and more. By amplifying the voices of these role models, and their positive stories, Smirnoff hopes to spark a move towards a nightlife culture where every individual feels included, valued, and is able to express themselves.
“Nightlife is a place where everyone should feel welcomed for who they are – no matter what their gender identity is,” says Anita Robinson, European category director at Diageo. “Smirnoff's brand's purpose is to move the world to be more inclusive. With this new film, we aim to support and give voice to the non-binary community, push the cultural conversation around gender equality and representation forward, and use our influence in nightlife culture to drive positive change in the communities it represents.”
The latest drive was conceived after Smirnoff's own research found that 12% of millennials identified as 'transgender or gender non-conforming'. Three out of four transgender individuals said they had been a victim of a hate crime and Smirnoff said it reconsigned the need to take positive steps to support these communities.
Smirnoff's global 'We're Open' platform was first launched in 2015, and since then it has shone a spotlight on all different kinds of diversity – from championing a deaf dance teacher to London's Pride Month, during which it came up with a creative way to combat abuse against members of the LGBTQ+ community online.
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With over twenty years history supporting LGBTQ+ communities at large, including the ongoing Equalising Music initiative to double the amount of women and non-binary headliners in music, Smirnoff is increasingly committed to amplifying this important conversation and celebrating the full diversity of gender identities.
The new film by Smirnoff , starring DJ and producer Honey Dijon, French LGBTQ+ icon and leading figure on the Paris Ballroom scene Kiddy Smile, British transgender model and dancer Lucy Fizz, performance artist Xnthony and Le Fil, celebrates the role that nightlife plays in inclusive good times, and its power to inspire positive change in the communities it represents.
Through highlighting the positive stories of these forward-thinking artists and performers, SMIRNOFF aims to shift mainstream perceptions and understanding of under-represented communities.