Ellen And Her Lucky (J.C.) Penney

HELLO PEOPLE! It's been a long month, and there's a lot that has happened, so let's jump right back into it and talk about some Gay. Ad. Ver. Ti. SING, shall we?

Let me start off by painting a picture for you. There I am, laying in bed...in my underwear...waiting for something special. Intrigued? You'll have to read on for more.

So unless you've been living in a cocoon reading the dictionary for the past month, you have probably seen all this hoopla-whatnot shenanigans with Ellen DeGeneres, J.C. Penney, and a "million" not-so-happy mothers.

OneMillionMoms, an oh-so-fun group that is determined to censor everything because they are "tired of all the negative influences our children are forced to contend with," came out in the beginning of February against J.C. Penney's decision to have Ellen DeGeneres as their spokesperson. Because Ellen is gay and OneMillionMoms, well, doesn't swing that way, they tried to get J.C. Penney to fire her because the entire world would explode if their children saw her in their ads. However, J.C. Penney did not back down, and fought back in support of their new spokesperson. Let's take a little journey as to what happened, shall we?

January 25th - Ellen announces partnership with J.C. Penney. Wurk.

February 1st - OneMillionMoms sends out message to boycott J.C. Penney for their decision, saying most of their customers are "traditional" and won't shop there anymore. Mmmmhmmm...

February 7th - Ellen brilliantly addresses the situation on her show.

February 9th - J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson goes on CBS This Morning, stating they don't "really look at it as a controversy" and that they "stand squarely" behind Ellen.

Okay, back to me in my underwear. I'm going to add that I was in my bed in a hotel room, with a large Domino's pizza, a 20-ounce Coke, and two delicious lava brownie cake thingies. As I was stuffing my face, I was waiting to watch the Academy Awards (which is my Super Bowl. If you talk while I'm watching, I will react...) but I was also excited to FINALLY see these J.C. Penney ads that were about to premiere. Lying in my food coma, I caught all four of them. Here they are below:

Overall, I was very pleased with these. I think they used Ellen exactly as they should have...as Ellen. She was her kooky, fun self and delivered J.C. Penney's new message in a way that spans across many markets. At first I thought they felt like a few Target ads I've seen (which isn't a surprise since Ron Johnson used to work there) but after watching them a few times, they stand on their own. 

I think the best thing about this whole situation is the amount of support Ellen from J.C. Penny got from the American public. Yes, she's gay, but this goes to show that people are looking beyond that and, quite frankly, don't really care. Before J.C. Penny, she was in commercials for CoverGirl and American Express, and no one seemed to mind then, so why should they care now? Fun fact that J.C. Penney actually pulled their ads from Ellen's sitcom when she originally came out in 1997, but all of this support just shows how dedicated they are to finally move in the right direction, which is wonderful. Even uber-conservative Bill O'Rilley came out in her defense, calling the boycott a "witch hunt" and "not the spirit of America." I mean, these are some amazing signs of improvement from some unexpected places that I hopefully will help with LGBT equality in advertising in the future. 

Oh, and OneMillionMoms? On Thursday, they announced they are stopping their efforts to have Ellen fired because "other issues" require their attention. Cool, see ya, BYYYYE!

Lipstick?...Check. Hair?...Check. Controversy?...Double Check.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Did everyone have a great holiday? Eat your body weight in sugar cookies? Find that random special someone at 11:59pm to kiss? 

For the new year, why not start off with a little commercial controversy, shall we? Totes. 

The following ad below is getting quite a bit of talk and controversy for the subject matter...take a look below:

Hmmmmmmmm...

So the ad is from New Zealand tampon company Libra depicting a woman and a drag queen character (I'm obsessed with her eye-glitter) giving each other some "I look better than you" looks while applying cosmetics and adjusting the bosoms. But at the end, the biological woman pulls out her tampons, "winning" the battle do to the indication that she is capable of menstruating, and the drag queen leaves in a huff. End with the tagline, "Libra Gets Girls." 

See how this is a tad bit offensive? If not, let me walk you through it...

Ever since its December 21st premiere, people in NZ and around the world have been in an uproar about this ad. Many have gone to social media, stating they're boycotting the product because of this ad. To get an idea of the complaints, The New Zealand Herald spoke with Agender NZ president Cherise Witehira about her reactions and the reactions of many others in the transgender community. Calling the ad "blatantly transphobic" she goes on saying, "It's extremely offensive because it's pretty much saying the only way you can be a woman is to get your period. That's where a lot of the anger in the community is coming from - it's saying you are not a woman unless you can get your period. Obviously we can't menstruate. However, we identify as female." They also claim that the ad clumps transgender women and drag queens as one (which is fo sho not the case) and reinforces the thought that transgender people are "not normal."

After the enormous amount of complaints, Libra came out with a statement today on their Facebook page responding to the commercial:

"Libra regrets any offence taken to our recent tampon advertisement. It was never intended to upset or offend anyone.

Independent research was undertaken and the advertisement was viewed positively during that testing.

Libra takes all feedback very seriously, and in response to this, we will immediately review our future position with this campaign based on the feedback received. There are no further advertisements scheduled in New Zealand.

The advertisement has not aired in Australia. The advertisement was placed on Facebook however this has also been removed."

As nice as it is that Libra came out with this statement and has pulled the ads from

Facebook and TV, Queerty pointed out that the video is still up on the home page of the company website...aaaaand there goes that apology.

Even the star of the commercial Sandee Crack (God I love drag queen names) posted on her Facebook wall for a petition to keep the ad on the air. That petition (at time of post) has received 191 signatures, the one to take it off has received 1,712.

When I first saw the ad this morning, my first reaction was just, "Ugh, really?" I read some comments on the Facebook page that included things like, "Lighten up!" or "Come on people, it's 2012! Laugh a little!" Yeah, it's 2012, I'm not going to "lighten up" about the fact that people are still using the LGBT community as the butt of the jokes in advertising. It amazes me that companies make these ads and not one person through the whole process says, "Umm, don't you think this might offend a few people?" Yes, controversy will get people talking (aka Benetton), but when it is putting down an entire group of people and openly using them for a laugh, that's when the line should be drawn. I also have to agree with Cherise about the ad clumping drag queens and transgender people into one. I've personally known lot of people that assume most drag queens want to become women, or label transgender MTF as drag queens, not knowing they are two completely different things entirely. But with the subject matter of this commercial and the drag queen's reaction, I think this ad only promotes the stereotype of them being one category, which is unfair to both. And the tagline, oh the tagline. "Libra Gets Girls." Cherise said it's "saying you are not a woman unless you can get your period," and I think that sums up how I feel about this ad. If that tagline was just in a typical tampon commercial, fine, great tagline...but with the subject matter at hand, it really does twist the message a little, making me feel just a little uneasy. 

There seem to be a lot of people that see this as funny, and if you do, fine. We have a different sense of humor. But I think if more people understand who it's offending and their reasons, perhaps they might see it in a different light... 

UPDATE: The spot is finally now off Libra's homepage. Took a bit longer than it should have, but at least it's now off... 

Gay Ads: A Scholarly Subject

God, I remember sitting in the library during those crazy college years writing a paper I was just SO interested in about Chinese immigrants settling in Canada. Even more exciting, I was only able to use scholarly journals as resources. Let's just say I would've rather have been listening to Nickelback's complete library of songs on full blast while somehow simultaneously being forced to watch hours of Gilmore Girls (theyjusttalktoodamnfast) than read these journals.

I know, WHAT is the point of this story...I promise there's one, and here it is: The Journal of Advertising published a study done by the University of Miami School of Communication called "How Minority Consumers Use Targeted Advertising as Pathways to Self-Empowerment: Gay Men's and Lesbians' Reading of Out-of-the-Closet Advertising." FINALLY, a scholarly article mamma can enjoy!

Even though I really wanted to read this article, it costs $30 to read...and to me, that's two weeks worth of meals consisting of PB&J and whatever cereal is on sale at the store. However, the Eurasia Review wrote up a great article highlighting some key points and findings in the study. It involved 25 diverse gay and lesbians who watched 10 to 15 different commercials that “exemplified dominant gay and lesbian portrayals” in order to find links between advertisements that incorporated the gay community and how that affects their social/self perception. Below are the five strategies found in these ads that were interpreted by the participants. I'm highlighting what I think are key points using the fascinating tool called the "Bold" button...

Gay men accepted the perception of “higher disposable income of gay male households” and transformed material consumption into a definition of self-worth. “I was on many consumer panels because I fit the profile of gay men who have disposable income and travel a lot,” one participant said.

Participation in the mass market was equated to membership in mainstream society. “We got money. We contribute to the corporation. We contributed to big business. We got families. We are part of the mainstream now,” a participant said.

Targeted advertising was identified as an essential step in achieving social and political inclusion. “Consumer rights, citizenship, and civil rights are intricately connected in the United States […]. And when we express our identity as a consumer, that reinforces and strengthens our identity as a citizen,” a participant said.

Perpetuating problematic depictions of gays as effeminate men or lesbians as “sexualized femme” was tolerated in the interests of social inclusion. “I was ambivalent when watching this commercial. It’s playing up the stereotype. But for me, if you can see gay people on TV in Texas, it’s positive,” one participant said.

Participants were willing to give up something of their sub-cultural identity for the sake of total acceptance in society. “When we are truly accepted in the society, we will just blend in […] even if that might mean sacrificing our uniqueness,” a participant said.

It makes me very happy that this study happened and someone is taking a serious look at the subject. Some of the findings aren't very surprising to me, but others I'm kinda shocked by. I've always felt if more companies include LGBT figures in their mainstream ads, it can really have an impact on people's perceptions towards the community. Ads are something that people see every single day and truly do have an influence in our culture, and not only does the inclusion raise more awareness, but it gives the LGBT community more of a sense of acceptance.

The finding about "if you see gay people on TV in Texas, it's positive" is one that I've struggled with for a long time and sometimes don't 100% agree with. For me, if the way we're being portrayed is as a stereotype or as a punchline on TV in not-so-accepting areas, is that really a good thing? Yes, it's a gay person on TV, but I think it could just make it seem more acceptable think of the community as a joke rather than moving them one step closer to accepting the community. Again, struggle...

The last finding about "blending in" even if it means "sacrificing our uniqueness" just makes me sad. I'm a huge advocate of being yourself and not hiding who you are. (Please, I have Britney Spears crap all over my desk at work, and I'm not ashamed of it at all.) However, I know it's much easier said than done and many of us (myself included) have scaled down who we are to fit in one time or another. But the more exposure we get (i.e. in advertising, hence why I'm here) and understanding we have from mainstream society, I hope there will be absolutely no need for "sacrificing our uniqueness."

Whew, my fingers hurt. Again, I really think this study is fantastic and let's hope we find more like this very soon.


Thanks to the amazing LGBT marketing firm Target 10 for posting this article!

Gay Ad Cheat Sheet: Top 7 Marriage Equality Ads

Okay people, I know we are all OBSESSED (and rightfully so) over the GetUp! Marriage Equality ad that is blowing up like J. Lo finding a red M&M in her bowl of only green ones.  Seriously, up until now I've had 30 friend post it on their Facebook and the media attention just keeps getting bigger. The Advocate even stated that it's "possibly the most beautiful ad for marriage equality we've seen." It really is an amazing ad and should still be constantly watched and shared to spread the word. If you need to be reminded, here's the ad once again below:

After seeing this, it made me think: what about other beautiful and powerful gay marriage ads that are out there? Well, I got inspired and new list is born...I know, it's just like winning the lottery. Here are 7 marriage equality ads that I gathered and ranked to reveal my personal favorites. Just call me the Carson Daily of marriage equality ads. Okay, let's get started!!

#7: "Marriage" - Johnnie Walker 

This ad comes from Australia (same as the GetUp! ad) and depicts two women on their very special day. The ad itself is okay, but I wanted to include it because it was made in 1997, which was very risky back then and way ahead of its time. 

#6: "The Edge of Glory: Marriage Equality"

Even though this was more of a viral video than an actual ad, it still gets you weeping like Tammy Faye. Created by Jason O'Ffill and directed by Sean Penberthy, it shows the anticipation from both grooms getting ready for their wedding day and the love they have for each other. Style wise, the GetUp! ad reminded me of this video a little, but each show different sides of marriage beautifully.  And it's to Lady Gaga...I mean...

#5: "Roy's Story" - marriagequality.ie

Just a warning, this one is a little darker than the rest, but this Irish ad for their marriage equality campaign really shows why it's so important for the LGBT community to have the right to marry. Also demonstrates the mind-boggling point that kids raised by gay couples can actually come out normal. Who knew!?!? 

#4: "Love For All" - Bjorn Borg

Famous Swedish underwear company Bjorn Borg created this very pretty ad for the support of marriage equality. The fact that it's two priests will clearly not settle well with some (Religion? Fashion? Gay? Sound familiar?) the ad is beautifully made and tastefully done. Also, adding to my to-do list to buy this "True Colors" cover... 

UPDATE! My insanely smart friend Maddie pointed this fun fact about the subjects in this ad:

"They are members of the clergy but not Catholic because the cross was not a Catholic cross and a woman married them. Episcopalians (part of the church accepts homosexuality) and Lutheran ministers both wear similar collars." Thanks Maddie!

#3: "Parents" - equalmarriage.ca

This commercial is one that brings humor to the subject in a great way. Part of the Canada's Equal Marriage campaign (which, you have to look at the website. Based on the look of it, it's VERY clear it because legal in 2005) this ad points out that gay marriages have the same problems as straight ones, even problems with future mother-in-laws... 

#2: "Permission" - MTV

I have to say, I think this is hands down the most creative marriage equality ad I've seen to date. MTV created this ad that puts the question all LGBT people put in the hands of voters in a very literal sense. The Irish campaign from above also recreated a longer version this ad, which you can check out here. 

#1: "Garden Wedding" - Let California Ring

So, when I was thinking about starting this blog and looking at a lot of so-so ads, I remember stumbling on this and being completely blown away. The ad was for Let California Ring and was released a little before Prop 8 blew up. Like the MTV ad, it turns the issue around and shows straight people what it would feel like if their rights got taken away, which I think is a brilliant angle. These are the people who's support we need, and this ad allows them to relate to our dilemma. The music, that actress (who truly makes you believe her), the way it's shot, it's over the top yet believable, it's creative, it breaks your heart...everything...just breathtaking. Okay, I'll shut my trap and let you watch...

Now, let's be real. Sadly, marriage equality is something that some people have, but most don't. Hopefully the attention of the GetUp! ad and ads like these will help people open their minds and join us in this fight so that one day we won't need these ads. Right now, there are many ways to help support the GetUp! campaign, such as sign the petition or donate to help get the ad on TV. For peeps in the US, you can head over to MarriageEquality.org, HRC, one that I'm affiliated with here in NYC called Swish, or find a local organization near your to see how you can help. 

Cause the more we get the word out, the quicker I can go crazy with my registry gun at Bed Bath & Beyond, dammit!

This Is Far From Being "STUUUUUUPID!"

Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!

Just watch this video and you'll be saying the same thing:

Wasn't that absolutely hilarious?! I can NOT handle that little kid. Amen! Preach little dude...

It was made by YouTube user playahata646 for an 8th grade PSA project a year ago, but it's just now getting a lot of attention. Not 100% sure if they specifically had to make the PSA about using the word or if they got to choose what PSA they did, but does that really matter? It's just amazing seeing kids making things like this and educators encouraging them to talk about the subject.

If it looks familiar, it's because it's a play on GLSEN and Ad Council's first LGBT-focused campaign "Think B4 You Speak"  to stop the word "gay" from being used as a negative term. Created by ArnoldNYC, the campaign beat out 50 other campaigns in 2008 to win The Advertising Council's Gold Bell Award for Creative Excellence. I've always been a fan of these commercials since they came out and I think they really put into perspective how hurtful that kind of language can be. Check out the three ads that were released, which feature Wanda Sykes and 
Hilary Duff:

And here's their latest TV spot, featuring NBA players Grant Hill and Jared Dudley:

 

Ummm...do you wanna watch the kids again? Okay, great...

Orbitz and Go...GAY!

Huge congrats to our peeps at Orbitz!

Orbitz Worldwide CEO Barney Harford was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign and accepted the 2011 HRC Corporate Equality Award for their DECADE of LGBT advertising! You can watch the video here on Facebook. (Mamma could not find a YouTube video, therefore I can't put it on here. Fail.) If you can't see it, below are some some written highlights from his speech:

"For over a decade, Orbitz has recognized the importance of being LGBT inclusive. As CEO, I recognize the importance of our inclusive advertising and our policy of non-discrimination, not only in helping the Orbiz brand resinate with travelers, but also in helping change public opinion on LGBT equality...I hope that doing the right thing and respecting the rights of all employees is just the way things are done and we won't need to call individual companies like Orbitz."

He also reads a letter he received from a woman that a) thanks Orbitz for their humorous and inclusive ads and b) talks about the similarities to this and racial issues in advertising in the 50s and 60s. Coincidentally, my wonderful mother also sent me an email pointing out the same thing a few days ago! (She's just so with it. Love ya Mom.) She said as she was watching a TV ad I posted, a commercial before it featured an interracial couple, which today most people don't even think twice about, but back then it would've been a huge deal. The civil rights movement and issues with race have always been compared to the current struggles the LGBT community is facing now, and I think advertising is defiantly a great example to show the similarities of the two.

I think this speech is fantastic and really sums up why I started this blog. If you remember, it was an Orbitz commercial that first sparked my interest in this subject, so it's great to see them get recognized for their work. Their approach of using humorous ads in order to put the subject out there without being "in-your-face" and with the goal for these ads to not be an issue in the future is, just, brilliant.

If you're unfamiliar with Orbitz LGBT advertising, check out a few TV commercials below. (Found on YouTube. Score!) First is a great summary of their previous ads in TV, print, and radio, and the rest are a few newer TV ads. Also be sure to head on over to their website and Facebook page to learn more.

What do you all think? Do you enjoy these advertisements? Do you think the fact that Orbitz has done this for ten years has made an impact on LGBT advertisements?

Absolut-ely Fabulous

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?

A Family Man...Who's A Gay Politician

It's time for some politics, everyone!

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.

Lesbians + Lube = Love

Woot! Let’s hear it for the girls!

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 Intense ads 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?

Full Credits for "Alex & Emma"

Ad So Gay! Yay!

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.