SF Pride

The organization was thrown into a media firestorm after five major sponsors pulled out from the iconic event, leaving a $300,000 funding gap. This loss put vital programming and outreach at risk and threatened to suppress attendance.

But this was bigger than a financial blow.

It became emblematic of a larger trend.

Research from the Gravity Research report showed:

• 39% of Fortune 1000 companies planned to reduce Pride engagement in 2025
• 43% were pulling external support like sponsorships and branding
• Only 9% had made cuts the year before

The message from corporate America was clear: they were backing away.

The organization turned to Bospar to act quickly to protect its future and the visibility of the community it represents.

Bospar partnered with SF Pride to turn a potential crisis into a powerful cultural and communications triumph, leaning into the organization’s 2025 theme, “Queer Joy is Resistance.”

This was more than a slogan; it was a direct response to the growing sociopolitical backlash.

Bospar’s bold campaign followed suit, working in concert with the organization to transform queer joy into a defiant, resonant message. Our media strategy addressed the sponsorship fallout while expanding the nonprofit’s cultural and emotional footprint. The team reframed the moment as a call to action — not just for the necessary funding, but for reclaiming visibility and joy in a time of growing political pressure.

The campaign centered on Executive Director Suzanne Ford, whose honest, heartfelt leadership became a grounding force across all messaging. She was widely quoted in top-tier outlets, from The New York Times to TIME Magazine, where Angela Haupt’s feature on how to support someone coming out positioned Ford and the organization as a year-round voice on queer visibility and allyship.

Crisis response was just one aspect of the campaign. We also focused on amplifying joy and culture through original programming:

• We brought visibility to “Threads of Pride,” the event’s first-ever fashion show celebrating LGBTQ+ designers, hosted at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Led by Dr. Nas Mohammed, the first openly gay Qatari doctor and founder of the Alwan Foundation, the event was a breakthrough moment for LGBTQ+ representation in fashion.
• A “Day in the Life” documentary on CBS-KPIX with reporter Veronica Macias spotlighted Dr. Nas and his journey, capturing his leadership, style and courage. The feature elevated queer designers while also reflecting the global reach and inclusivity of the organization’s message. We teamed up with Dr. Nas to craft an op-ed for the legendary local LGBTQ+ outlet, SF Bay Times: Threads of Pride: A New Path for Queer Resistance and Empowerment

Our efforts were multi-tiered, and continued until after the big event. We partnered closely with LGBTQ+ and community media, ensuring control of the narrative and reaffirming our commitment to equity in representation

We kept media-trained, responsive spokespeople on standby, including Ford and members of the Pride board, to meet the demand for interviews across print, broadcast and social media

Bospar shared exclusive early access to the corporate pullback story with trusted national outlets, ensuring our framing led coverage in:

• The New York Times (Niko Gallogy reporting)
• San Francisco Business Times (Ari Mahrer reporting)
• ABC 7 Bay Area (Tara Campbell reporting)
• The San Francisco Standard (Jillian D’Onfro reporting)

We also helped generate excitement around Harper Steele, former SNL writer, trans advocate and Will Ferrell’s road trip buddy, being named the 2025 Celebrity Grand Marshal, a powerful move that garnered widespread support and media attention.

Coverage included:

• KRON4 News (Kendall Prime reporting)
• Yahoo! Entertainment (syndicated, Kendall Prime reporting)
• SF Chronicle (Aidin Vaziri and Tony Bravo reporting)

On streaming platforms, including ABC Owned Television, Roku, Samsung TV, Amazon News & Fire TV, Amazon Prime Video, ABC News Live and Hulu, SF Pride reached 203.9K viewers and logged 126.9K total hours watched.

On broadcast TV, parade coverage drew 45,000 viewers with four million total minutes watched, earning the No. 1 spot in every demo and increasing viewership by 22% year over year. It was the most-watched Pride parade in the country.

PR was doing more than just holding the line. We were expanding what Pride could mean…and who it could reach.

Ford said: “Bospar helped us turn a potential crisis into our most successful Pride season yet. With their strategic guidance, we secured national coverage, broke donation records and made ‘Queer Joy is Resistance’ a headline that made an impact nationwide and beyond. They didn’t just manage the moment. They elevated the movement.”