Women's World Cup showed how safety guardrails cost brands valuable audiences

For 30 glorious days each year, brands in every category reach out to LGBTQ+ consumers and say, "We see you (and your wallets)." By July, the media and marketing industries have usually abandoned their rainbow-tinted Pride goggles. This year though, the LGBTQ+ community was gifted a brief, unofficial encore, courtesy of the United States Women’s National Soccer Team.This unstoppable force—led by audacious, political, out co-captain Megan Rapinoe—captured the attention of a