Global cosmetics and soap giant Lush has announced that it raised £275,000 ($425,000/€376,000) from the summer sale of its #GayIsOK soap.

The special bar of gold and glittery soap was produced to coincide with Pride season around the world.

The bar was produced in conjunction with a wider #GayisOK awareness-raising campaign that the brand ran on social media – in conjunction with is campaign partner, All Out.

In a press statement, the firm said that 100,000 bars of the special soap were sold around the world.

It was unable to sell the soap in around 80 of its stores in countries were being gay is illegal or in countries such as Russia, where gay ‘propaganda’ laws exist.

However, it’s in precisely those countries that it hopes the #GayIsOk campaign may make a difference.

The money raised (which exceeds the firm’s target of $392,450/€350,000) is being placed in a special ‘Love Fund’. Of that, £50,000 ($78,535/€70,000) has already been earmarked to go to LGBTI worldwide campaigning group AllOut.org.

Community and advocacy groups are now invited to submit applications for grants, up to £10,000 ($15,400/€13,600), from the rest of the fund. The deadline or applications is 31 October, and interested parties can find out more here.

‘The Love Fund wants to attract applications from groups working in areas where anti-LGBT laws are harsh and extreme and where funding is in short supply,’ said a Lush spokesperson. ‘It aims to reach out to any groups who are trying to bring the focus of society, governments and legislators onto this topic.’

‘Time and again we’ve seen how, with enough resources, activists do incredible work to change laws and shift hearts and minds towards full equality,’ said Andre Banks, Executive Director and co-founder of All Out.

‘Too often, activists are isolated and underfunded, but the #GayIsOK campaign has brought a massive new audience to their work and also crucial funds to help them succeed.’

‘A little sparkly soap goes a long way,” said Alessandro Commisso from Lush in a statement. ‘Thousands of Lush customers, All Out members, VIPs and allies of the LGBT community told the world that #GayIsOK and made this an epic campaign!

‘By purchasing the Love Soap they have given us their trust (and their money) to fund grassroots charities and continue to support LGBT rights as human rights, especially where life is not all glitter.’

‘This is an inventive campaign that connects the company’s product with online conversations that so many are having,’ commented Anthony Shop, co-founder and chief-strategy officer of US marketing agency Social Driver.

‘Lush is among a growing list of companies leveraging the energy of its customer to unleash remarkable results for both its bottom line and the community. This is yet another example of how “becoming part of its customers’ selfie” surpasses what traditional marketing approaches can deliver in the 21st century.’

The social media campaign invited people to pose with the #GayIsOK soap, to highlight support for LGBTI people around the world. A few examples of some of the images posted are below.