The Internet is basking in purple today as numerous brands, celebrities and normals all have changed their profile pictures as a way to show support for Spirit Day.
Currently in its fifth year, the holiday was created by GLAAD as a way to take a “stand against bullying and show their support” for LGBT youth with the purple symbolizing the “spirit on the rainbow flag.”
#SpiritDay, the official hashtag, has been used more than 12,000 times according to data from Brandwatch, with the sentiment around it being “extremely positive” at 91 percent and garnering 405 million impressions so far. The conversation surrounding the hashtag is from people showing their support and unity for LGBT youth.
Similar to when the #LoveWins hashtag trended in June, brands quickly jumped on the viral trend showing its support for the LGBT community.
YouTube was the biggest platform to show its support:
Today’s #SpiritDay! Go purple with us to help support LGBT youth and stand up to bullying. https://t.co/JFAXDJ9YmT pic.twitter.com/NalHS3UJW0
— YouTube (@YouTube) October 15, 2015
Target purchased a Snapchat filter, tinged in purple:
.@Snapchat and @Target unveil new #SpiritDay filter https://t.co/YKB4SL6ti7 pic.twitter.com/YAnPNrdeqj
— GLAAD (@glaad) October 15, 2015
Some Comcast and NBC-owned networks, a corporate GLAAD sponsor, also changed its social icons to purple:
Happy #SpiritDay! #GoPurple with @GLAAD to take a stand against bullying. https://t.co/BbvNfVWC40 https://t.co/yEi6wHUHHW
— Bravotv (@Bravotv) October 15, 2015
Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness. @tvkatesnow explains why @MSNBC is going purple for #SpiritDay: https://t.co/IJE0dbQ1RK
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 15, 2015
This #SpiritDay, hear from our team on what it means to be an #LGBT Ally. https://t.co/xWS9EEGhyr #ComcastGoesPurple https://t.co/2BxOJ117Gc
— Comcast (@comcast) October 15, 2015
Streaming services also acknowledged it:
In solidarity with #SpiritDay, our usual green’s going purple. Hulu stands up to bullying, and so should you. @GLAAD pic.twitter.com/33tDhaBOay
— hulu (@hulu) October 15, 2015
We’re proud to go purple today for @GLAAD #SpiritDay in a stand against bullying and to show support for LGBT youth: https://t.co/duo0jE6ZvC
— HBO NOW (@hbonow) October 15, 2015
In comparison to #LoveWins, fewer media organizations changed their social media icons today with just a smattering of companies doing it:
We’ve gone purple in support of @glaad‘s #SpiritDay: https://t.co/pwhMKuumax pic.twitter.com/ZszB2UC0gS
— Engadget (@engadget) October 15, 2015
We’ve gone purple with @glaad to take a stand against bullying. #SpiritDay
— The Daily Dot (@dailydot) October 15, 2015
We’re going purple today, because bullying is no joke. #SpiritDay https://t.co/tVL7AD87bF
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) October 15, 2015
Today, we’ve gone purple with @glaad to take a stand against bullying. #SpiritDay pic.twitter.com/ujNDxc9ViE
— HBO (@HBO) October 15, 2015
What’s with all the purple? It’s #SpiritDay, and it’s not too late to get involved. https://t.co/7Xm9rTCInK pic.twitter.com/F5lAHiC3D2
— Upworthy (@Upworthy) October 15, 2015
More in Marketing
How the MAHA movement influenced food and beverage brands in 2025
The MAHA movement has come to stand for different things in different people’s eyes, depending on which initiatives they most closely follow.
Why Georgia-Pacific is turning its programmatic scrutinty to the sell side
The company is turning its attention to the sell side, zeroing in on the ad tech firms that move inventory for publishers — the supply-side platforms.
Future of Marketing Briefing: Why ‘just good enough’ is generative AI’s real threat to marketers
When characters and mascots are allowed to live inside generative systems, they stop being event-based and start becoming environmental.