Branding and messaging. It’s as important as the end goal (equality?) when it comes to civil rights. And when it comes to October’s disheveled National Equality March, this promo trailer from Sean Chapin does a pretty decent job. It also continues to establish Cleve Jones as your leader, whether you want him or not.
marketing
WATCH: The Trailer to October’s March on Washington
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reluctant commenter
Real shitty graphic design.
Andrew
ARE YOU KIDDING? That’s supposed to “inspire” people?
It was a self-serving “Cleve Jones” Promo. He’s probably one of the LAST people we’d pick to “speak for us.”
I heard last week that their website was getting very little traffic. I think the idea was DOA.
Anybody have an idea that makes sense?
toe edge
I appreciate the videos call to action.
The LGBT community need to TURN UP THE HEAT in DC.
It’s important to include women, people of color and parents in the March branding. LGBT, racial and gender discrimination effects everyone. We need to make it clear that allowing discrimination to continue brings us ALL down. Let’s learn from the mistakes that were made with the Prop 8 advertising campaign.
We are a diverse and inclusive community. Diversity of LGBT families should be the focal point of all March related branding. Overturning hypocrisy requires an extremely successful March.
The March is about starting a new chapter in LGBT history and our nations history. We are getting closer, the momentum must continue.
This is a group project people! Stop bitchin and figure out how your getting to DC.
Make it happen!
Andrew
@toe edge: Excuse me … what exactly do you mean by “TURN UP THE HEAT in DC.”
You somehow believe that the folks in DC don’t already know about us “hated homosexuals?” They don’t know we want equality? We just need to show up and angrily prance around and then they’ll know we’re serious? Maybe make a few clever signs? Warm them up a bit?
That’s delusional. They know! Wake up.
Marching around won’t change ANYTHING. Find something that will. Like a STRATEGY and a PLAN to WIN our full EQUALITY.
Otherwise, save your money, your energy and your time.
Mark Reed
I have to say all should understand this is a grassroots effort and this video was made by a 24 year old in our office in Dallas, Texas.
He is straight and has volunteered his time for our cause. This video was produced free of charge for this march. He never even heard of Cleve Jones until we volunteered to support this march.
Criticize all you want…if you have one better, then please contact us with your creative piece.
I just ask you to kindly consider the maker of this video. The straight dude f’ng cares about our equal rights!
Mark Reed
toe edge
Andrew,
You are a breath of fresh air!
Let’s hear your plan. Please share your good ideas with the group. We need all strategy and planning you are willing to offer.
Thank you!
Andrew
@Mark Reed: The Video is a good effort, the March is not. Tell the generous straight kid “thanks.”
@toe edge: I am aware of several exciting plans. Hopefully they will announce them soon. One claims to be able to actually “win.” I’ve never heard that from anyone in Gay, Inc. We NEED to win.
toe edge
Andrew,
What awesome news, it sounds almost too good to be true!
Are “they” planning to win marriage equality, repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and win equality for every person suffering from discrimination and hate crime?
I’m curious, who are “they”?
I’m not sure leaving it all up to them is a bullet proof strategy. If “they” don’t do what “they” say “they” will we might be further behind by sitting home painting our toenails while “they” do the work. Perhaps if we all did some work we might “win”.
Andrew
@toe edge: Yes. Equality. “They” will tell you when they are ready. I don’t know the details, but it made sense. They started with the idea of winning. It’s an international effort. But, that’s all I know, so far.
SM
I think the video is great. People should go to Washington DC and march if they can. Believe it or not its changing things.
Didn’t you all see My Life on the D-list this past week on Prop 8 with Kathy Griffith? That show alone changed minds and made people more aware of your issues.
People do not know about your history.
Click the link and read the comments from people who heard Matthew Shepard mentioned on My Life on the D List and found it on youtube. They are learning. Don’t fault people for learning and changing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMOacBkfMq0&feature=channel_page
Andrew
@SM: People who don’t know us can’t learn anything from a March except how to walk as a group.
On Kathy Griffin’s show and many others they can see and hear the story of the gay struggle. If we engage our friends and family in open and honest conversation – we also make progress. It is about re-defining gays. Marching makes us look STUPID (stuck in the past) and it doesn’t have any benefit. None.
This March is a waste of time and money.
SM
@Andrew:
I’ve never heard anyone say marching makes you look stupid. You make the people fighting you look stupid.
Anyway. Stay Home. Don’t March. Not my rights on the line so its your choice.
good luck
Andrew
@SM: Looking “stupid” is because we have to March with a purpose or reason – this National Equality March doesn’t. Marching and demanding doesn’t help us. What you referenced does – learning.
My wish is gay people try to teach others (beyond friends and family) about gays and our struggle. These one-on-one conversations have a lot more influence than Marching – no matter how clever the posters and banners are.
Xul Zepp
There is nothing inspiring about this video.
Cleve Jones has proved gross incompetence in recent years. I believe he deserves praise for everything he did IN THE EIGHTIES! Those days are over now and we need real leaders who can connect with the generation of today. We need new representation.
Cleve Jones is stuck in the Castro Street mentality. He was too busy praising Harvey Milk who died 30 years ago and not focused enough on reality. He treats LGBT equality as if it is a campaign that must be fought behind closed doors with the elites in control.
Guess what… THERE ARE NO ELITES! Gay people need to wake up and stop waiting for other gay people with money to call the shots and tell them how to act.
Xul Zepp
@Andrew:
I agree. This march is a total waste of time. It once again symbolizes the Cleve Jones mentality that does not understand door-to-door grassroots activism and puts more faith in angry protests. Cleve Jones is a goddamn fucking elitist and I am sick of him speaking on all our behalf. In fact, I am sick of ALL the gay “leaders” (Joe Solmonese, Cleve Jones, Barney Frank) who pretend to understand what the fuck is going on.
We need to get out of San Francisco and fight on the front-lines of Middle America with canvasses, field organization, and a continuous campaign that doesn’t rely on rainbows, camp culture, and leather straps (actually we can keep the leather).
toe edge
You guys (Andrew & Zeppy) keep writing about anger.
Have you participated in a march in the last 5 years? I would not characterize Equality March today as angry events. They are family events with mom’s pushing baby strollers and kids riding on dad’s shoulders. It’s customary to let the kids lead the march and carry the front banner. This is a good experience for all and it should be happening more often in our nations capitol.
Get over yourselves. Marches are powerful events and they will continue to be powerful events.
I agree we need to be putting energy into talking with friends and family (hopefully you both already have that covered), going door-to-door in middle America and campaigning our asses off. It’s all important work.
Andrew
@toe edge: Really? Families Marching? Yeah, that will change minds. Why not just call it a picnic? A nice, gay picnic.
For this you think we, as a community, should waste millions of dollars? No thanks, It’s a waste of time and money.
Let’s look for a good “supportable” idea for Equality. Nation March for Equality won’t change anything. It especially won’t change any minds. Kids Marching in front – or not.
Xul Zepp
@toe edge: Excuse me. I was there in San Francisco when the court announced Prop 8 not getting overturned. I was there the day after Prop 8 passed protesting with thousands. I’ve campaigned door to door. So don’t tell me to “get over myself.”
Cleve Jones deserves criticism. He’s been getting a free ride simply because of all the activism he’s done for years. When is it time that we as a community realize he is out of touch and his actions are doing more harm than good? We all saw the debacle of how he has been handling the Repeal Prop 8 campaign with his cohorts.
toe edge
Zeppy,
I was there with you in San Francisco at the Day of Decision protest and at the march that followed that evening. Were you arrested that day? Checkout my photo album, maybe you are in some of my photos.
http://web.me.com/sabrinabrennan/Prop_H8:_Day_of_Decision/Prop_8%3A_Day_of_Decision.html
Approximately 24,000 residents live in my town. I published photos from the SF Day of Decision March in my hometown online newspaper. In response to my photos I received emails from local residents and two people said they were rethinking why they voted for Prop 8. The surprising thing was that none of the emails were negative.
I’m sure you would agree that a positive attitude is the only way to win votes.
Andrew
Just heard from a friend that initially signed up for this March and he said it “may be cancelled.” They haven’t had much of a response and Cleve has been suggesting turning it into a “training event” for 43,500 people (still wishful thinking). They want to get 100 people from each of the 435 Congressional Districts and make THAT the new goal. Then, you’re supposed to go back home and “lobby” your elected officials.
So, this March has gone from “1 million” to “43,500” in just a month. Maybe it will be “4 or 5” people by October.
SM
@Andrew:
I don’t think marches and rallies are a waste of time. I know they are not. I went to rallies in OC. Several rallies on major street corners during rushhour. The response was getting better and cars were honking louder the closer it got to the election. We just needed more people on more street corners. It was fun. I saw the difference in conservative OC.
I really hope one day soon you all will get past the bitter, angry phase and remember over 6 MILLION people in California walked into a voting booth and voted No On Prop 8. If you can’t march for yourself. March to say thanks to them because 6 million people had your back in California alone.
Be Bitter and the Churches you fight have won.
Andrew
@SM: PLEASE share HOW Marches or Rallies are valuable and/or effective. Honking horns? Really?
(Husband drives past group of angry homosexuals on street corner. Later that evening He informs wife: “I drove by those homosexuals out protesting again. I think they’re serious about their Rights – they had posters and even some balloons. You know, I say let’s forget the Bible and our Religion and just risk burning in Hell forever – they have been out there 3 DAYS IN A ROW!)
There is NO evidence that people change their minds because we walk around in a group with clever signs. People know we are gay. They know we are hated. They know we are mistreated. When we MARCH, how does this change anything?
We are better off spending our time one-on-one helping people understand our plight, understanding there is nothing wrong with us and understanding we should have equality. When they KNOW us, they will support us.
I don’t think people engaged in thoughtful consideration of ideas, while trying to find a real solution are “bitter” or “angry.” We should ALL be focused on figuring out how to WIN EQUALITY with a good strategy and plan. HRC and others don’t have one. They just want this to drag on because that’s how they earn their living. They don’t have any incentive to try to win.
The only March I’m interested in is a VICTORY MARCH when we have Equality. When is that March?
Andrew
The Good News is the National Equality March is about to be cancelled for a “lack of interest.”
One Organizer acknowledged it does just the OPPOSITE of its intent if only 50,000 people show up. It would then be a “show of weakness,” and not strength.
Not sure how Cleve will try to justify spending $200,000 with NOTHING to show for it (even the video intro was free). Maybe we should just be thankful that it’s only a fraction of what would have been wasted on this dumb idea.
toe edge
Andrew,
Taking a big steaming dump on equality marches is ridiculous.
Why don’t you formulate a clear plan of action and implement your plan. Taking action might help you feel less cynical.
Andrew
@toe edge: There are many people working on Plans and they are taking action – way beyond marching around.
I’m not cynical. With the many comments on this site regarding a March on Washington, NOBODY could make a compelling argument that it would achieve anything. People are not interested in wasting their money. I’m not surprised at all that it’s been cancelled.
Like I said earlier “we need a Plan to Win” Equality. Somebody needs to produce a compelling strategy that will inspire everyone to action. Sooner, not later.
toe edge
most recent reason to march:
Liz Trubeshi, aged just 16, of Holon and 26-year-old Nir Kat of Givatayim were named as the two young people murdered by a masked gun man at a meeting for young gay people within Tel Aviv”s vibrant gay district.
mike
Mark, please give our thanks to your straight friend for all his work. But tell him his work is better served doing ANYTHING else than this. Don’t let them guilt you into devoting more of your time to a failed event.
Maine needs help, contact groups there
Andrew
@toe edge: IN ISRAEL.
@Mark Reed: Tell the kid we really appreciate his contribution. Cleve Jones raised a bunch of money for this (now cancelled) March. He could have paid for the Intro your guy made.
I’d like Cleve and friends to publish a summary of the money raised and how it was spent. I hate seeing people making a living based on “creating false hopes” of an event. There’s is nothing smart or charitable about the former National March for Equality. Investigate.
toe edge
Andrew,
Your allegations of “creating false hope” for a living sounds a bit absurd. Isn’t that what political people do?!! As adults we are responsible for our own hopefulness, or lack of hopefulness.
If you think Cleve is a thief engaged in the business of embezzling donations from unassuming LGBT folks why not just come out with it.
The LGBT power brokers have nothing to do with my sense of hopefulness. I would be in bad shape if they did! I could care less about them and how they conduct the big gay donation machine. It doesn’t take a donation to march in the street, protest on the lawn or post a video on YouTube.
Brian
National Equality March Status, as reported by Southern Voice today:
“While the heads of some local groups are voicing objections, Jones said national LGBT organizations have been “very helpful” in putting together the march. He said he’s expecting soon a joint statement from national groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.
But the statement hadn’t materialized before Southern Voice deadline.
Trevor Thomas, an HRC spokesperson, declined Monday to comment on the matter. Inga Sarda-Sorensen, a Task Force spokesperson, said her organization had no plans to release a joint statement on the march and was unclear as to what Cleve was referring.”
Huh? Cleve, Cleve, Cleve. Tsk Tsk. My friend was right – DOA.