Post submitted by Maureen McCarty, former HRC Deputy Director of Marketing

Yesterday Facebook data scientists released an in-depth look into the geographic spread of the HRC red equality logo campaign, the most viral campaign in Facebook history.

Facebook now estimates– with 98.6 percent precision – that 3.05 million users changed their profile pictures in support of marriage equality, 2.77 million of which were in the U.S., 52,000 in Canada, 37,000 in Australia, 33,000 in the United Kingdom and 22,000 in Germany.

In the U.S., analysis shows a widespread geographical difference in engagement with HRC’s red equality logo. The highest level of engagement was seen on the coasts and in the Great Lakes region, with less engagement in the South and in the Great Plains. Engagement also varied within cities themselves. For example, New York City had a very high levels of engagement in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and very low levels in the Bronx, outer Brooklyn and Queens, as well as further up on Long Island, Staten Island and New Jersey.

As previously noted, some of the highest participation rates were found in San Francisco County, San Mateo County and Washington, D.C., where HRC is headquartered.

The red equality logo first launched on Tuesday, March 26, as part of a meticulously planned digital strategy surrounding the Supreme Court’s hearing of oral arguments on two historic marriage equality cases. For weeks prior to Tuesday, HRC called on fair-minded Americans to “go red” in support of loving, committed same-sex couples. It was after HRC switched its own profile picture from the ubiquitous blue and yellow logo to the colors of love that the “go red” movement took off.

Within hours, Facebook saw a 120 percent increase in profile photo updates, and more than 800 variations of the equality logo, making it the most viral campaign in the social media juggernaut’s history.

Standing in support of marriage equality on social media, and bleeding the Internet red, sends a powerful message to the community -- particularly LGBT youth -- that the majority of Americans are on the right side of history.

Read the complete report here.