Okay people, I have another entry about vodka. I know, I'm feeling a little buzzed too, but bare with me, it's worth it.
My friends Amanda and Heather sent me this wonderful article The New York Times published yesterday that talks all about Absolut Vodka and their advertising/marketing towards the gay community. This is a must-read to catch you up on the history of their involvement with the LGBT community. But, the most exciting thing about this article is that Absolut will be releasing a new campaign to celebrate their 30 YEARS of advertising/marketing to the LGBT community! Not only that, but we get a first glimpse of an AMAZING print ad from the campaign:
Did your heart explode? No? Did you just glance at it? Okay I'll give you another chance to really look at it. Let's just post it again so you can save your mouse from moving back up...
Ob.Sessed. That's all I'm saying. I mean, just looking at this gives me chills. I think the art direction and what photographer David LaChapelle did is borderline genius. From the subjects photographed (i.e. Amanda Lepore, unicorns, you know, the usual) to the placement of everything, to the all around fabulousness of this (yes, that really is the only word to describe this) it comes together to create one breathtaking image. It's a perfect example of and ad where you can be walking down the street, quickly see it on the side of some phone booth, and just get the feeling their going for instantly. One big ol' gay celebration of living life and having fun, out and proud! And unlike other Absolute ads that just feature the bottle in different settings, this gives you so much to look at while at the same time making you beg for more. Did I mention I like the art direction in this ad?
I really love the copy as well. The "Absolut OUTrageous" line is very similar to other Absolut ads, however the line "Celebrating 30 years of going out and coming out" just is the icing on the cake. Sums up the brands history with the LGBT community, ties the product in, and celebrates this amazing culture we have.
To me, THIS is what I think LGBT ads should be like. It's very obvious that the company took a lot of time and thought to create something very creative, and in turn it shows that they really do care about their LGBT market. I am so excited to see the rest of this campaign, and will fo sho update you all as soon as it's out.
Absolut has pretty much become a staple in this small gay advertising world. They started in 1981, which at that time was thought of as an enormous risk for a mainstream company. But, peeps knew what they were doing, didn't really give a crap what other people thought, and now their LGBT ads are iconic.
If you're unfamiliar with their previous ads, here are a few examples, thanks to Commercial Closet. Fun thing to note: the last TV ad, part of a series of ads featuring RuPaul's Drag Race contestants, was just honored at GLAAD's 2011 Amplifier Awards:
So now that I've gushed about this, what are YOUR feelings? Do you think Absolut is going in the right direction with their new campaign? Are you curious to see what's to come?
Ah Halloween...one of the greatest holidays in NYC where all the citizens of the land have an excuse to drink rum with a splash of apple cider while dressed as "scantily clad" versions of their favorite 1980's cartoon characters...AND for some gay-themed ads! Who knew?!
On Saturday, I was making bi-weekly trip to my boyfriend Trader Joe's house to pick up some gourmet-for-broke-people food (Side note: Go on a Saturday during the day. It's dead and the shelves are P-P-P-PACKED! Mama's now got enough frozen pesto pizzas to hibernate until June 2013) Anyway, right as I was about to walk in I found this ad below:
Hey Rokk Vodka! As you can see, this ad is to promote their orange flavored vodka for the Halloween season. Before we talk about this ad, we should note that for the past year Rokk has had a partnership with GLAAD, creating ads that promote both products at the same time. The one below is their main ad that also won a GLAAD Amplifier Award (obvi):
And here's a window display I found at a local liquor store in the West Village :
So now that we have that little tidbit of history, let's talk about the halloween ad. Here's the thing, mama loves a good pun (example: the title of this blog), but this ad just seems a little too puny. "Orange you GLAAD it's Halloween?" Eh? EH? Get it? Like, okay, whoa, slow down partner...
I think if a pun is done well, it can work and be creative. But I also think some advertisements in general take the easy way out with puns, and I don't think this ad is any different. Their previous headline "Filtering Out Inequality" I really enjoyed. Relates to the product as well as the cause...wham, bam, thank you ma'am. Not saying the Halloween ad doesn't, but it just seems a little obvious to me. What I do like about this ad are the rainbow rays behind each flavored bottle, which this is the first time I've seen Rokk do in their ads. Cool way to show the flavors while mixing in the rainbow/"we're here for the gays" theme.
Regardless of this wah-wah headline, I think it's great to partner with GLAAD and cross promote with these ads. Not only is it loud and proud about promoting to gays, but they're getting the word about GLAAD out there that GLAAD might not be able to do otherwise. Before, I questioned if their ads were just going for the gay dollar...BUUUUT with this ad they have a QR code to their Facebook page. If you like it, they'll donate a dollar to the GLAAD! Damn, okay Rokk, way to be!
So what does everyone think? Do you think their headline for the Halloween ad is cute or a little easy? Are you GLAAD they did it? (Sorry, I had to go with the theme) What do you think about the other ads?
And if you haven't seen this SNL skit about Sex And The City and puns, it's very fitting this post...
A few weeks ago, Bevan Dufty, who is running for mayor of San Francisco, released his first campaign commercial. Take a look below:
Aw, what a great commercial. Just a friendly looking politician riding the MUNI with his daughter...
Hmmm? What's that you say? He's openly gay? Oh...errrr...okay. An openly gay politician riding the MUNI with...his...dau...*gulp*...oh...oh my...I just don't know about this. I mean, a GAY politician riding the MUNI with his child?! How DARE HE! Thinking gay people can raise a child?! Now that's appalling, just APPALLING!!
April Fools...in October! Like I'd really think that about this cute commercial. But, sadly, these are the thoughts of some people about this. As far as we know, this is the first time an openly gay politician has featured their family in a campaign commercial, and some people just aren't too happy about it. Some people complained that it was "exploitative" to feature his daughter in a political ad...
For real? Is it just me or have politicians been talking about their families and putting them in campaign ads for years? I just feel like if this was a straight politician, this would just be another commercial and people wouldn't think twice about it. I think it's great what Dufty did and if it's ads like this that get people talking, keep them coming.
What do you all think? You think it's a big deal his daughter is featured in a political ad? Do you think if this was anyone else it would be a big deal?
Oh, and what's Dufty's response to all this talk? "We are very proud of the ad an it was a great birthday present for Sidney who turned 5 yesterday."
UPDATE: Bevan Dufty responds to all the press about this ad! Read the whole story here.
Okay, here’s a fun story to share with you all. Well…perhaps the actual story isn’t fun, but know I’m listening to Beyonce while typing this, so I’m having fun. AAANYway, this summer I was walking to Chelsea Piers (for all the people that actually live outside of NYC, it’s the Mall of America of sports complexes) for some driving range action. Yes, driving range…I couldn’t believe it myself. Well, right as I was about to enter, I saw this ad:
Again, for those who are sane and don’t live in NYC, Manhattan Mini Storage is a popular storage company in the city where people can, well, store things. Got it? Amazballs…
The copy for the ad boldly reads, "If you don't like gay marriage, don't get gay married." Damn. Amen. Preach MMS. (that’s right, we’re on a abbreviation basis.)
So, when I first read this, my initial reaction was, “Wow, what a great thing to say in an ad! Good for you MMS!” (Actually my first thought was that Whoopie Goldburg says this all the time on The View...) Then I thought, “Wait, what does gay marriage have anything to do with storage?” Finally, it got to, “Wow, way to just put something out there just to get the gay dollar.” So, all in all, I was confused.
For me, just looking at this ad it’s not very clear on what MMS was trying to do. I always feel that an ad should sell the product cause, I mean, that’s what they are made to do. I just don’t really see the connection with the gay marriage line and the actual product. MMS has always put out somewhat “controversial” copy in their ads and a few that deal with current issues, which I think is amazing, but the other ads bring it back to the product. Here are some samples below:
However, they have also created other politically charged ads that don't talk about the product at all. Below is one about Michele Bachmann:
After looking a little more into the gay marriage ad, I found this blurb on MMS’s website. The ad is part of a much larger marketing campaign that included MMS workers taking pictures and congratulating newlyweds at City Hall the day gay marriage became legal, handing out free storage to the couples (which is obviously on every gay couples registry), and posting videos and updates on both Facebook and Twitter throughout the day. Here are the videos that were posted:
So here’s what I have to say. Based on the ad alone, which is probably the only thing most people will see, does it sound like MMS is just making a bold statement to get the gay dollar? Yes. Put it with the whole campaign of “What Is Love” and their past support for the gay community does it seem like they’re only going for the gay dollar? No. Listen, anyone that puts an ad geared towards the LGBT community is putting it out there to get money. That’s what ads are for. But there are companies that do go above and beyond the advertising to show their support for the community, and I think that’s what MMS is doing. I think the ad would’ve been better if the tagline connected with the product more, or it made it a little clearer on MMS’s intention. But, I also think it’s just MMS’s way of putting it out there that they simply support gay marriage as a company, period.
So, let’s open it up. Do you think this ad is MMS’s way of ONLY getting the gay dollar or do you think it’s a bold political statement that more companies should be showing their support for?
Okay people, I know we all can’t sit around, taking breaks from our “Real Housewives of New Jersey” marathons to watch all the gay themed ads out there. Well, I found some CliffsNotes on them for everyone to watch. I’ll say “you’re welcome” before you can even thank me. You’re welcome.
A few months ago to celebrate Gay Pride month, Adweek comprised a collection of The 50 Gayest Ads Ever. The list compiles many different types of TV ads from a wide range of products, such as airlines, fast food, jeans, gay marriage…and so on. There are clearly many other gay TV ads out there, but this is a good place to start.
Now, what I do like about this list are the categories that David Griner put the ads in, which are so…dead….ON! I noticed a lot of these themes while researching other ads and as we keep collecting more, I’m sure we’ll keep adding to them. They are:
The first five categories are extremely common, and most of the time not done very well. Each category deserves to be talked about individually because unless they’re done right, they're what needs to change in LGBT advertising. I smell future bloooog toooopics! (said in the style of a high-pitched falsetto voice or an Oprah introduction scream, I’ll let you pick)
Out of this list, here are a few that I really enjoy. Check them out below:
Silverjet - 2007 - U.K.
Absolut Cut - 2006 - Australia
Vodafone - 2005 - U.K.
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Heinz - 2008 - U.K.
(Little side note: this ad got pulled because of 200...yes, 200 complaints. Um, yeah, more on that later)
Virgin Atlantic - 2004 - South Africa
EuroPride 2009 - 2009 - Switzerland
Israeli Gay Youth Organization - 2006 - Israel
Bianco Footwear - 2008 - Denmark
Travelocity - 2003 - U.K.
So what do you all think? Do you have a favorite? Any you think should or shouldn't be on there? Opinions? The floor is open people...
K.Y. just released their first TV ad featuring a lesbian couple a few weeks ago! Check it out below:
It’s wonderful to finally see K.Y. incorporate the gay community in TV commercials. Although it has the same theme as all the other K.Y. Brand Intenseads featuring straight couples, it’s nice to see the brand finally reach out to everyone, cause, really, sex is a pretty common thing amongst the human race. Here’s an example of the other ads:
I’m actually surprised it took them this long to reach out to the gay community because…um…let’s just say a product like this is a bit of a necessity. I guess there’s no better time than the present to start. (Side note: the ad is called "Alex & Emma" which is also the title of a 2003 movie staring Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson. Okay, moving on...) Although this is the first TV commercial they’ve done, they did release a print ad back in 2010 featuring a gay couple as the winners for America’s Top Couple. This ad ran in Entertainment Weekly and also won a GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising for “Outstanding Print Campaign.”
Overall I think it's a great step in the right direction for K.Y. and they understand their market. They could have gone the direction of being very tacky and crude, but these ads are tasteful while also straight to the point and humorous at the same time.
What do you guys think? Is it good that they finally put gay themed ads out or do you think it's a little too late?
So, before I go any further, I wanted to talk about my personal favorite ad. As I was prepping and researching for this blog, I saw a LOT of commercials and a few really caught my interest. But one magical night in the middle of my Tuesday night ritual of "Glee" and pizza rolls, that all changed. I’m sure many of you have already seen it, but if not, watch right now. No, seriously, stop reading and watch. I’m not kidding...
Yes, this ad is for the Google Chrome browsing system and features the amazing It Gets Better Project started by Dan Savage and Terry Miller. First, let’s talk about the execution of the commercial itself. From the start, with the headlines mixed with the striking piano playing, it instantly grabs your attention. I don’t think anyone can deny that. The commercial tells the IGB story in a beautiful fashion, educating the viewer about the project while engaging them on the emotional effects it has had. The pacing of this really lets you absorb each component and gives you a true sense of how someone can change lives with a simple message. I’ve seen quite a few LGBT-themed ads and there are quite a lot out there that don’t have the perfect balance of accurately portraying the a gay theme while advertising the product at hand. After I saw this commercial, I was so touched by the subject matter, but at the same time got that anyone can send their message out to the whole world through these Google products. I think it’s very hard for companies to find that balance, and Google hit that nail right on the head.
I’m calling this commercial a milestone. Yup, I’m going that far, and here’s why. Google is one of the biggest companies in the entire world. With what they were advertising, there are so many different organizations that they could have picked to demonstrate the product. The fact that they decided to pick the It Gets Better Project to start off this campaign just shows what kind of balls Google has. Not only did they pick to focus on this LGBT theme, but they decided to air it on a primetime show on a major network, which just blows my mind. They knew that a lot of people watching "Glee" that night needed to hear this message and give inspiration to people struggling with their sexual identity. Most LGBT TV ads, as Adweek says, “rarely leave the comfort zone of Bravo and Logo,” but Google broke that barrier and made it mainstream, which is absolutely brilliant. I hate saying that this commercial is a “risk” for Google and that they “have balls” for what they’ve done, but I think the more companies that do this, the more it won’t be thought of as a “risk” in the future. And from what Google has done with this commercial, it’s a sign that we’re on our way...
What do you all think about this? Do you think Google broke the barriers with doing this ad or do you see it as just another gay-themed ad?
Oh my God, HEY WORLD…and welcome to the Ad So Gay! My name is Sean and I will be your host for this journey. I’m really excited to be starting this and bringing you all the latest and greatest in LGBT advertising. Before we talk about the actual purpose of this blog, let me tell you a little story about how this came to be…
This all started with an Orbitz commercial and a delicious double cheeseburger meal at Wendy’s. I was having a classy meal at this fine establishment with one of my friends when I brought up a commercial I saw for Orbitz. It appeared on Logo during a thrilling episode of "RuPaul’s Drag Race," promoting their gay tourism website. Here’s the commercial in question:
For me, it was really the first time I noticed a major cooperation taking money out to advertise to the gay ol’ crowd on a large national scale. Men holding hands? A crazy party/rave/go-go boy convention? On an ORBITZ commercial?! Even though I don’t find this commercial super creative, something about it stuck with me. Being a gay man, the fact that this company took the time and money to spend on advertising towards me and “my people” really made an impact. If for some reason I want to book a trip an unknown island to meet my foreign boo for a mojito in the sun, Orbitz will be #1 in my mind cause of this one commercial that stuck with me.
Now back to the glorious meal of those delicately simmered square, never-frozen beef patties. I was sitting there with my friend telling him about this commercial as we were dipping our fries in our Frosties. We started to talk more about gay advertising and how we don’t really see it very much. That didn’t seem right to me. Why wouldn’t companies market and advertise to the LGBT community? In my opinion, we’re fun, easy going, accepting, hell the gay community sounds like my dream man.
After that, I went home and immediately went to my friend Google to see what I could dig up. What I found shocked me. I found a blog post or an article here and there, but really there was not much on the subject! The only big organization that I found to care and recognize LGBT advertising was Commercial Closet, which is now owned by GLAAD. I encourage everyone to look at the amazing collection that founder Michael Wilke put together though the years. The library consists of many LGBT ads (and will be a great source for this website) and loads of information up until about 2010. Ever since it was bought out by GLAAD (which since started the Media Awards in Advertising, now called the Amplifier Awards) there really isn’t a place anymore where this subject it talked about on a regular basis. And as wonderful GLAAD is and all they have done for the community, they have a lot more topics to discuss and share other than advertising. So, I figured why the hell not, and here I am. Hello! Nice to meet you.
So what do I hope to do with this blog? First, I just wanted a place to house any ad that has to deal with the LGBT community. Good, bad, creative, offensive, inspirational, bring it on. The more we talk about these issues, the more we can learn about what it takes to create a truly great LGBT ad.
Second (and this is where you come in, so get excited) there are a lot of different topics and issues that go with LGBT commercials, and with them come a lot of opinions and thoughts. I think all opinions matter and I hope that these posts will start up conversations, either with comments on here or your family dinner table, lets get talking people!
Also, SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT any ads you see! Whether it’s a TV ad, something in a magazine, a window display, online banner, local ads, a logo painted on a guys abs during Pride, send it my way by emailing me at adsogay@gmail.com! I want to get as many ads on here as I can, and mama don’t have access to every ad known to man, so your help is greatly appreciated!
Okay, here we go. Let’s get started!!
PS: My grammar sucks…I know. I’m not apologizing for it, just stating the facts people.
