The Glue Society & Revolver: ANZ supports an alone together Sydney Mardi Gras

It’s a very different Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this year. There will be no street parade on Saturday March 6 and no floats. The parade will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a maximum of 40 marchers per group and televised on SBS so that everyone can watch from home. A limited number of tickets has been made available.

ANZ bank is still an avid supporter and has created a music video to highlight its connection to the LGBTIQ+ community. The 2-minute video is directed by The Glue Society via Revolver in partnership with TBWA/Melbourne. It was filmed in the Hordern Pavilion, the traditional home of the annual Parade afterparty (which can’t take place this year), and features a series of solo dancers from the LGBTIQ+ community including ANZ staff.

The film underlines the collective power and resilience of the LGBTIQ+ community and serves as an important reminder that despite isolation, for whatever reason, even on our own, we’re all still together and can take part in celebrating the spirit of Mardi Gras.

The Glue Society has been creative partner on TBWA/Melbourne’s awarded ANZ Mardi Gras campaigns every year since 2014 – from the first GayTMs to the GayNZ bank transformation, Signs of Love, Hold Tight and #LoveSpeech campaigns – as well as this year’s Hordern Pavilion film project.

Pete Baker, director at The Glue Society, has led every one of these campaigns. He commented, “Every year, we aim to provide a new dimension to the bank’s sponsorship of Mardi Gras, demonstrating their support of the LGBTIQ+ Community. And this year, the opportunity to film individuals dancing on their own but together within the four walls of the Hordern felt like a profound and appropriate gesture.”

Principal partner of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, ANZ is donating $100,000 to Qlife, an LGBTIQ+ support service which saw a 58% increase in the number of people wanting to access its telephone and web services during the second half of 2020 and a 31% increase in calls from people who said they had experienced feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Mark Hand, ANZ group executive, australia retail & commercial banking, stated, “We are really pleased to support QLife so they can continue to provide this essential service to our LGBTIQ+ communities. Organisations such as QLife are making a real difference when it comes to bridging the gap between isolation and connection.

“Mardi Gras is a time to unite and celebrate – whether you’re at the Sydney Cricket Ground this year or dancing in your living room – and we want the LGBTIQ+ community to know they are always supported and never alone.”

QLife director of programs and development, Zed Tintor, added, “We are extremely grateful to ANZ for its very generous donation of $100,000. These funds will provide an additional 2,250 hours of anonymous, free telephone and web chat as well as peer support to LGBTIQ+ community members throughout 2021.”