How are LGBTQ Families Represented in Advertising
How Are LGBTQ Families Represented in Advertising
Advertising is part art and part science. Designing and placing the perfect ad is the goal of millions of companies throughout the United States and around the world.
One of the reasons ads are successful is because we (the viewer and potential customer) can see ourselves using the product. Quite often advertising agencies create ads to resonate with specific people, including those who are members of the LGBTQ community.
Advertisers Featuring LGBTQ Families & Causes
Today, more than ever, advertisers are featuring LGBTQ causes, individuals, and families in their advertising campaigns. That said, the term “more than ever” is deceiving. While the community’s visibility has grown in the realm of advertising, it is not commonplace. Some companies, however, have recognized the value of inclusion. Millennials and Gen Z react positively to those ads and appreciate those companies’ actions.
Ways in which organizations represent the community in their ads are broad-based. Some feature open and out celebrities including RuPaul, Billie Jean King, and Dan Levy. Others support the community more broadly, releasing rainbow-themed products and financially supporting LGBTQ organizations, especially around pride month like Skittles, Lego, Disney, and Old Navy (just to name a few). Still others, like Lush USA, IKEA, Calvin Klein, and Honey Maid featuring same-sex couples and families.
Advertisements like this, on television and in print, have proven beneficial to the companies who place them. And, as a community, the opportunity to see ourselves and be so visible, in incredibly rewarding.
On their website, The Human Rights Campaign shares tips to guide organizations as they create their advertisements. Some suggestions seem to be based on common sense, like being sensitive to stereotypes, while others share ideas that may not be recognized, like the value of national campaigns.
At Rainbow Depot, we appreciate when companies support the community by focusing on our causes and featuring LGBTQ families in their ads. The bottom line is people are people, we all like to be recognized and “courted” in the advertising world. We have purchasing power and love to support the businesses that support us.