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!

"Roll"-in With The Homies...

Sean's Top List of Why He Loves The End Of The Year/Start Of The New Year

-It's (kinda) winter, which means layering, which means multiple outfit options.

-In those outfits, I get to break out my $8 Target flannel button-ups.

-Being able to put 30 pounds of blankets, plus my heated mattress pad on high when I dream sweet dreams. 

-The smell of cinnamon for some reason intensifies and just smells like magic and hope.

But one of my favorite things around this time of the year are all the lists of "Top ____ of 20__" that everyone comes out with. They're like mini scrapbooks about extremely specific subjects that make you look back and say, "Ah, 2011, remember when the baby names Emma and Mason were just SOOOOOOO hot?"

As I was looking though these lists, I found one that really caught my eye and I needed to share. The Advertising Standards Bureau listed the 10 most complained ads in Australia in 2011. Below are some print ads in the list, along with how many complaints they received. Let's take a look, shall we?

I mean...wow. There it is people, the most complained about ad in Australia isn't a woman in front of the word "Sex" with some strategically placed duct tape, and it's not three women eager to use their tools in a ménage à trois (or would it be a foursome? Is the person reading the ad included? Oh, the mysteries in life). Nope, by a landslide, the most complained ad is of two men, fully clothed, hugging, and one is holding a condom cause protection is the bees knees.

Now, I remember my Aussie mate Matthew telling me about this "Rip and Roll" ad a while back, and it just shocked me that people were so offended by it. Apparently, it was the whole uproar was started by The Australian Christian Lobby (surprise, surprise) and all 45 bus posters were taken down by Adshel, the company that owns the ad spaces. Check out the video below (note: this was before the complaints were dismissed and ads were put back up):

I mean, how is this offensive? If anything, it's an extremely positive ad promoting safe sex. This is just a perfect example of how some people can be so ignorant and go right for the "TWO GAY GUYS AHHHHHHHHHHH!" complaint, vs seeing the ad for what it's promoting. But the fact that the number of complaints the print version has is almost three times...yes...THREE TIMES the about of complaints the second most complained ad has, now that's just utterly ridiculous. 

But "halleloo" for the Advertising Standards Bureau, who dismissed the complaints and released this statement:

"The Advertising Standards Board dismissed complaints about the ad as it was strongly in favour of the important health message the advertisement portrays... It considered that while some members of the community would prefer not to see this issue advertised, the public health message overrides any social sensitivity." 

Ridiculous...absurd...but good for the Advertising Standards Bureau for sticking to their guns and seeing the ad as a positive message. Once again, let's hope that people will be able to get past their "Gay people are bad" filter and accept that we're here...and not going anywhere.

And that's the end of that.  Now if you excuse me, I have cinnamon candle fumes to enjoy... 

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... 

Back to Zero...

Well look at what the Gay Gods brought upon us here in Times Square...

It's baaaaaaaaack! Queerty reported today the oh-so-infamous Manhunt ad I reported about earlier is now one of a few ads rolling on a giant screen billboard in Times Square and in the eyes of millions of tots and their parents during this jolly season. Now that it's up in the same location that the Michael Korrs ad is depicting...well, let's go with depicting a girl getting her Christmas gift early this year, I'm anxious to see what kind of complaints these parents will come up with...

Is That A Photoshopped "Banana" In There? Or Are You Just Having A Merry Christmas?

Okay, ready to see how Photoshop can CHANGE THE WORLD!?!?! Okay, not that dramatic, but it's amazing how a little retouching can change everything...

So I was breezing though the new Out Magazine and came across the ad below. 

So yay! Here's a cute holiday ad for Banana Republic, again, advertised in Out Magazine, talking about how they're among the "Best Places To Work For LGBT Equality" by HRC (woot!), featuring two rather attractive fellas...

Or is it?

One the SAME DAY I bought the magazine, I ventured over to the BR with some boos so one of them could buy a trench coat (and he gave me his old one...win win situation people). As we were checking out, I saw the exact same picture, but with one more guy in it! Take a look below:

Where did the other guy come from? I mean, he's also very attractive and I do not mind it one bit, but who dat?

(Side note: As I was taking this picture, a worker came up to me and asked if I needed any help. I freaked out, probably for no reason at all, put my phone down and go "Oh, haha, no, just, uhhhh, looking at the pants" as I dart towards the great wall o' khakis, pulling several random pairs of pants out...)

Now, the reason I wanted to post this is to show an example of what companies do to create "gay" ads. From my expert opinion (which is not expert at all) it seems the picture with the three men is the original image that was shot. For the ad placed in Out, the guy on the right was photoshopped out, they put the HRC info, and BAM, gay ad. I showed one of my friends who used to work for the agency responsible for BR ads, and they said it probably was just a formatting issue and that's why they took him out. Fair enough, and possibly true, but when I first saw it the in a gay magazine, it came off to me as two gay men modeling some beautiful plaid shirts. And because it was two, my first thought was they were a couple. Just my own personal observation. Funny how the mind works, isn't it? 

I understand a lot of companies probably don't want to put in a lot of extra money to make a gay-themed ad, which is understandable, and I think it's interesting how just a few tiny modifications to an ad can change the entire message. As much as I would love for companies to invest a good amount of time (and possibly money) towards making ads targeting their LGBT customers, I think BR proves it doesn't take much to create something that can a) show support for the community and b) increase business by targeting to a different cliental.

For those who are interested, HRC just came out with the 2012 list of Best Places To Work (Gap, which owns BR, is still on the list). Check out the full list here. 

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!

MORE Interpretation of Putting A Ring On It

Like Cabbage Patch Kids or eight ball pog slammers, I found a trend for y'all...

If you recall, I posted a few weeks ago about local Kansas jewelry store Tevol releasing a billboard that featured two men, one with his arm around the other, looking at some wedding bands. Just to recap, I was a tad bit annoyed with the fact they said the ad was open to interpretation and not coming out (no pun intended...JK LOL BFF it totally is) saying if it was or wasn't meant to be a gay couple.

Well, mamma's got ANOTHER local jewelry store that put out an ad featuring two women, and this time they flat out saying, "Why yes! It IS a lesbian couple! And?" Check out the picture of the couple below and head over to CBS Baltimore to watch the news story:

This time, it's local Baltimore jewelry store Charles Nusinov and Sons that ran an ad in various local newspapers with the headline "Let's Grow Old Together" featuring various couples, including lesbians! Vice President Sydney Nusinov stated his reasonings for including a lesbian couple: "I think same-sex couples just want the same American dream that straight couples want...From a business standpoint, I think it would help us to have a whole new subsection of customers getting married." Preach gurl...eh...man. He even says they're getting positive responses for the ad, and when the TV crew showed it to random people, all of them were not bothered by it at all. Now, not to say everyone feels that way, but it's great to see these people not really worry about how they're advertising to the LGBT community. 

Now, I've always thought local companies have a such an advantage/risk with advertising to the LGBT community. They have the a bit more freedom with their advertisements and the content they include, which is a plus, but also it's a bit more "risky" because the clientele is much smaller. So if a large part of the community doesn't like the fact they included LGBT figures in their ads, it could have a negative effect on them, which is horrible. I commend Charles Nusinov and Sons for doing this ad and standing behind the content. Even though gay marriage isn't legal in Maryland (yet) they still chose to tastefully support the community while opening up to a new type of clientele for their business. It's a great example for other companies looking to do ads like these that it CAN work and it CAN help the business. I mean, if more business' could think this way a) I'd have a lot more content for your viewing pleasure and b) it could help open people's minds to the subject and get us closer to the equal rights we deserve. 

Props to my sista from the SAME mista Elizabeth for sending me this!

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...

Zero Feet Away...But Far Enough From The Children?

Well, there's a new ad in LA that has some mamma's all up in arms y'all (and by that I mean legit "I have a child" mamma's, not me referring to myself as "mamma" as I sometimes do. Just wanted to clarify...) Check it out below:

The ad is for the infamous website Manhunt, which, if you don't know, is a "dating" website dedicated to helping gay men connect in hopes of gettin' a little somethin-somethin (insert the one-sholder nudge move here). This particular ad is advertising their new uncensored mobile version of the website with the tagline "Zero Feet Away," promoting the GPS "finding a man closest to you" feature.

Okay, time for looking at both sides of the spectrum. First up, the parents... 

Parents Side: This article, via StudioCity, is by Kelly Cloe, a single mom of a 9-year-old son who is not so happy about this ad. I suggest you read the whole article cause it gives a good representation as to why parents are upset. But to give a CliffsNotes, she talks about how she drives past this every day with her son on his way to school. She says doesn't know how to explain what's going on to her Army obsessed son (who noticed the ad because of the dog tags. Come on, that's a little humorous) without lying to him. She says, "I know some would tell me to use the opportunity for an illuminating conversation. But I don't need Manhunt Mobile to set my Important Talks Agenda. Our family really could have gone awhile longer without that particular conversation–and should've been able to do so." She also talks about how it's not necessarily the image she's bothered by, but the product they're advertising: "It’s not the blatant porn-iness of the over-lit image, or that it is of two men. It would be equally annoying if it were hetero. It’s the fact that I am forced to figure out a way to frame to my fourth-grader the fact that some people like to find causal sex partners fast using their mobile phones." Hmmm...okay. Not sure if every parent who's complaining about it is upset about the product versus the image, but I'm open to that thought.

Okay Manhunt, your turn...

Manhunt's Side: Manhunt's Jason Harvey came out with a statement on their blog (just FYI the website is a little NSFW) defending their ad "featuring two models in a sexy but tasteful pose together." He even address Kelly Cloe's article and her claims that the complaints she made cause the ads to come down, when actually their ads expired. He also released a statement from their ad agency Lamar Advertising emphasizing the fact that, "we used our restriction codes that we have in our system for alcohol, to make sure that we were placing Manhunt in appropriate locations."

They also brought up a very valid point about another company's ad that's out now. Even before I got to that part of them mentioning it in the article, I kept thinking about this particular ad my sister and I saw in Times Square that we both legit said "whoa" when we saw it. See below:

This ad is for Michael Kors underwear, and, if you didn't notice, it has a very naked woman hugging her man with her hands down his pants. Yeah. Whoa.

According to the Manhunt blog, they couldn't find any complaints for this ad, which in LA is placed not far from the Manhunt ads. And the one in picture that I saw is right in Times Square, which is family-tourist central in NYC. Again, no known complaints. Makes you ponder...

Here's what I have to say. I think if you come out with a "risque" ad, you'll always have someone – especially parents – who doesn't like it. Both of these ads are clearly suggestive, but I think the Michael Kors ad is just a tab...okay...insanely more obvious as to what this straight couple is about to do. Two shirtless men not even kissing vs a butt-naked girl about to have some fun with her underwear-clad man...yeah, it's pretty clear. However, even though the image in the Manhunt ad is just two shirtless men close to an embrace, what it's advertising makes it quite obvious as to what these men are about to do. I also understand the complaint of where the ads are placed, but it seems that Manhunt followed very specific guidelines and did their best to keep it away from children. (In NYC, there are Manhunt ads everywhere, but mostly in the gay neighborhoods.)  I think this convo can go back and forth for days, but both sides have very valid points, therefore making very interesting conversation on the topic.

If the Manhunt ad were a straight couple, would it cause such a stir? I'm not sure, but judging by the reactions of the two ads at hand, I don't think it would. Just makes you think... 

MK Billboard Source

I'm Thankful for Commercials Like This...

I mean, get the tissues out people.

So after spending a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with the fam, I got home a) 10 pounds heavier and b) logged on to my FB to see that EVERYONE and their mom posted this video. So I clicked it, watched it, teared up a bit, and repeated those steps about a hundred times. Check it out below:

The (as of right now) viral commercial is for marriage equality made by GetUp!, which is an amazing Australian organization that helps raise awareness and fight various issues in Australia. I really don't think anyone can deny the power this commercial has. The message is so simple, and although it's one that's not very new, the way it's done and all the elements that are put into it make this something special. I know it has one of my pet peeves with the "Surprise! They're actually gay" element, but this is a great example of that serving a purpose to the overall message. It shows the SHOCKING point that gay couples, really, are just like any other couple. They have their ups, their downs, they care about each other, they're there for one another...so why don't we have the same rights?

Overall, I think this commercial really speaks for itself and GetUp! has done a phenomenal job. Not only is it a beautiful commercial, but it's now the talk of town (it's gotten over a million views in three days). Why there aren't more commercials like this in the US baffles me, but let's hope this one starts the trend...

Side note: I studied in Sydney for five months, and that ferry they're on in the beginning is one I took at least three times a week. Why I didn't meet that hunky man and fall in love on the Manly Ferry (that's not a pun, that' really what it's called) is still a mystery to me...

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?