ANZ Bank Brings Back The GAYTM

When it comes to LGBT rights, Australia trails behind other western countries, like the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Canada and its next door neighbor New Zealand. Although, like its Western counterparts, Australia has been mostly moving in the direction of more protections for the LGBT community – not less – one obvious right still isn’t recognized down under: same sex marriage.The Australia and New Zealand Bank – one of Australia’s largest banks – is reiterating its support for the aussie LGBT community with an ad campaign encouraging same-sex couples to “#HoldTight” to one another, even when under negative social pressure.ANZ bank released their ad, “#HoldTight” just in time for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Auckland Pride Festival over the next couple weeks.The heartwarming ad focuses on same-sex couples grabbing each other’s hands when they are in private, only to release them when in public for fear of scrutiny. At the end of the ad, one couple meets their friends outside of a coffee shop. One of the men moves to release his boyfriend’s hand, but his partner only squeezes tighter until the man has the courage to keep holding. The only message on screen says, “#HoldTight.”The ad is coupled with the return of ANZ Bank’s famous GAYTMs which can be found all over Sydney, Australia. In 2014, the bank decided to celebrate Australia’s pride festivals by decorating their ATM machines in classically pro-LGBT imagery – everything from rainbows and sequins to leather and studs.The ad campaign is inspired by research commissioned by ANZ that showed that LGBT couples were three times more likely to feel uncomfortable holding hands in public. But ANZ hopes that their ad campaign and their flamboyant ATM’s will encourage aussies to be a little more tolerant and a little more comfortable with small public displays of affection.Carolyn Bendall, head of marketing for ANZ Australia, told The Drum that, “ANZ is using #HoldTight as a platform to share an important message about diversity, inclusion and respect to help people understand the challenges that many members of the LGBTIQ community face. We hope to make a difference by encouraging the wider public to join in the conversation and show their support.”