MARRY ON THE FERRY
Our Journey: From Fundraisers to a Movement
2018 – The Hardcore Happy Fundraiser
We kicked things off with two months of Pride content, raising €56,525 for LGBTQ+ organizations and individuals. What started as a creative experiment proved one thing: when creativity meets community, good things happen.
2019 – FUNraiser 2.0
Back for round two, we continued producing Pride content for brands while fundraising an additional €48,850. More partnerships, impact, and even more proof that marketing can do more than just sell.
2020–2022 – Introspection During COVID
Amid the stillness of global lockdowns, we turned inward. These years became a moment of reflection, not just on our external efforts, but on our internal responsibility. We asked ourselves: What are we really doing within our own company? And how can we better educate ourselves, and our teams, on LGBTQ+ issues?
This period laid the foundation for deeper awareness, stronger allyship, and the realisation that meaningful change starts at home.
2023 – Launch of ‘Pride Is Not An Ad’
With the rise of rainbow-washing, we raised our voice louder. Pride Is Not An Ad launched as a creative provocation to challenge the use of Pride for profit and shift the focus to education, authenticity, and community partnerships.
2024 – PINAA: On The Pulse
At ADsterdam, we launched our first public survey, revealing how the Dutch public views brand involvement in Pride. A six-person queer panel unpacked the results live for an audience of 200+ industry leaders, marking a major step in bringing data and dialogue into the heart of the advertising world.
2025 – From PINAA to PINJA
We evolved our name to Pride Is Not Just an Ad (PINJA) to reflect our expanded mission in a time of anti-woke sentiment and brands staying silent. We're not anti-Pride campaigns, but real inclusion means showing up authentically and year-round.
This year, we’ve rolled out the second edition of our annual survey, tracking how Dutch sentiment toward brands and Pride is shifting over time.
We’re giving a limited number of couples the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get RE-married on the Amsterdam ferry, officiated by the one and only Miss Lady Heineken.
We’re inviting couples who have married at any point over the last 25 years to celebrate marriage equality with us. Boarding at Amsterdam Centraal, couples will take part in an intimate 8–10 minute ceremony as we set sail towards NDSM-werf.
But the celebration doesn’t end there. After saying “I do” all over again, couples and their guests will continue the festivities with a wedding reception at Reguliersdwarsstraat, an iconic place for iconic couples. And as an extra celebration, the same couples will be invited back a few days later to experience Pride from the Reguliersdwarsstraat exclusive VIP decks.
For 25 years, marriage equality has been about love, visibility and the freedom to be exactly who you are, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Marry on the Ferry is an initiative from PINJAA. (Pride Is Not Just An Ad) A creative collective born at Publicis Groupe. Born at a program called Publicis For Better, a non-commercial collective of creative excellence.
The project is brought to life with the following partners: GVB, JCDecaux, Up and Out, Rita (Report it Always) and Reguliers.
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Hit us up! Our devoted team is ready to spring into action to help you and your brand navigate all things Pride.