Work surprise

[soc_puppet]

So in 2021, the hotel I work for was highlighted on a travel blog or something as being extremely queer friendly, in an extremely queer friendly city. Last year, we got a big queer event in June, and it looks like we're getting another one this year.

Last year I also got bitten by the inspiration bug, and mashed up the hotel's logo with the More Color, More Pride flag on my own time, but didn't really do anything with it. This year, when the word went out that we're getting another big queer event, I figured: What the hell, it's just sitting on my computer otherwise, and mailed it to the person who sent the email announcement.

Yesterday at work, the head of my department came by and asked my permission specifically to use the design in official hotel documents. I told her that I'd sent it in precisely because I thought the hotel might have a use for it (so, yes).

I also added that if they wanted any other flags, I'd be happy to make them, but I'd prefer to do so on the clock this time around 😉 One that I made on my own with no prompting and as basic "proof of concept" I'm willing to let go (though I probably shouldn't be). Any more than that, though, and I at least want my hourly employment rate!

Anyway, at the moment, I'm not expecting them to want any more flags or other graphic design from me (though I am now chomping at the virtual bit; let me do cool things with our logo!), but I'm still kinda jazzed about this. Department boss has promised to bring by printed examples to show me for what seems like it might be a final look-over before they go out, as well. (If anyone official decides to ask me, though, I'm willing to go on at length about how having a slideshow or stickers of our logo in various flags would be pretty cool and also possibly beneficial to business, especially if they're willing to share that the work was done by a queer employee. So many people get extra excited when they realize their identities are being specifically included when they're usually overlooked. Not that I need to make my sales pitch here, mind 😛)

Comments

[mistressofmuses]

Exactly! Particularly when it gets into the slightly more obscure flags - anything outside of maybe the top three or four - it definitely feels more like someone who "gets it" was involved!
I don't know what kinds of things they'd consider putting the design on, as I'm sure they don't want to have it be costly for them, but even just printing the be-flagged logo (in various pride incarnations) on a moderately decent cardstock, even just business-card sized with the hotel info on it, would likely be the sort of thing people would hang onto as a souvenir (which might prompt them to remember it for future stays or to recommend to others.) I know I hang onto that stuff the way I hang on to free pens - they make good bookmarks!
(Also, in my experience when I've gone to Denver's pride fest, the places that DO have obscure flags run out of that merch because people are SO EXCITED to find the thing with their identity!)
It could do a lot of good to cement the hotel as a solidly queer-friendly place to the people who visit, which could spread beyond just the clientele for particular events.

But also a super good point - having holiday-specific logo designs would also be very cute! And again, if it's something that can be printed physically on something a guest could take home with them, it's a sweet souvenir of a holiday or other event they had there... and is also getting the hotel name out there!

[soc_puppet]

I was especially thinking stickers with our be-flagged logo on them, since it's basically a circle. Those would probably be pretty easy and cheap to print up. And I know that stuff with the ace pride colors tends to sell really well; a friend of mine who does chain mail got some very enthusiastic customers at his booth at our local Pride after I showed him some other flag color combinations, including an absolutely over-the-moon ace person or two. He's also willing to make up some little charms on the spot if you don't see your flag, and has a sign to that effect prominently displayed for his customers.

But yeah, business cards with the logo plus some generic queer-friendly message would probably be very well accepted as well. I'm honestly thinking of emailing the person I originally sent the rainbow logo to with some of this information, if only because I do know a thing or two about the queer market. I'll probably double-check the websites of the groups who are visiting first, just to try and suss out their potential audiences and whether said audiences would be interested themselves, but it's certainly worth a shot!

[mistressofmuses]

Stickers would be ideal! It's more merch-y than just a card, but also cheap to produce!
And yeah - we ran across a couple booths (one, surprisingly, Target) that had MULTIPLE options for swag in nonbinary colors which was really surprising, but I know made my younger sibling really happy and surprised!
Finding ace merch is always a delight, too!
Just judging from Pride, I've been really happy to see how many flags are being represented more and more - I saw nb flags and ace flags and aro flags last year... even just a few years ago it felt like it was a huge deal to even find a bi or trans flag!

I'd absolutely grab a nice business card with a nice pride design! It'd remind me of the info about the place and live a long useful life as a bookmark, lol.

I do think that it would be worthwhile to pursue - I hope they go for it!

[soc_puppet]

Yeah, Target has a surprising variety of pride stuff! I recall seeing genderqueer pride stuff there last year. I don't tend to buy it there myself for various reasons, but I'm definitely on board with the increased visibility, at least.

Here's what I've got sitting in my drafts, if you're willing to give it a quick look-over:

BTW, if you wanted to mention that the logo was put together by a LGBTQ+ employee, you would be welcome to do so! That's the kind of thing we get pretty jazzed about. (That is, not just the knowledge that LGBTQ+ people work at a given place, but having that information available shows that LGBTQ+ employees feel comfortable being open about who we are and with contributing to work culture as ourselves.)

I'm also friends with some people who sell LTBTQ+ Pride merch, and have sold a bit of it myself, so I have a decent idea of the sort of things that can garner additional positive attention. With special care, we can also emphasize that [this hotel] is a safe place for LGBTQ+ students to attend and learn. If you have any questions about that, please let me know!

I mostly want an additional set of eyes to make sure I'm within professional bounds and so forth.

[mistressofmuses]

That sounds good to me - I don't think it comes across as unprofessional or anything, and I think making the case of "hey, this is a safe and friendly environment for prospective LGBTQ+ students" is a good one to bring up.

[soc_puppet]

I will admit, an earlier draft included more emojis 😂 Anyway, the response was very enthusiastic! No news yet on whether I'll be asked to make more designs, but I've been off the past few days, and they may want to talk to me in person.

I was encouraged to follow the accounts of some influencers who will be attending, if I'm on social media at all, which, uh. I will probably not be doing for reasons I'm not prepared to explain to most of my higher-ups 😅 ("Yes, I'm on social media, but it's not the kind of social media where you use your real name, or talk much about your brickspace life with identifying details. We refer to connecting the two social spheres as 'crossing the streams'.")

[mistressofmuses]

Lol. Exclamation points and emoji are the hardest things to avoid in professional emails, lmao. I hope that things move forward.

Ah, yes. The "make social media connections!" thing is always funny. Like... uh... yeah, I'm not NOT on social media, but it's not... the social media you're thinking.