Gay Advertising
October 22, 2008 10:42 PM Subscribe
There's one glaring omission in their examples: I didn't see a trailer for 300 in there.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:52 PM on October 22, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:52 PM on October 22, 2008 [4 favorites]
NO on 8!
was there a two word limit on this post?
posted by roger ackroyd at 10:57 PM on October 22, 2008
was there a two word limit on this post?
posted by roger ackroyd at 10:57 PM on October 22, 2008
Here's what this thread looks like when you're not logged in.
posted by Effigy2000 at 11:11 PM on October 22, 2008 [14 favorites]
posted by Effigy2000 at 11:11 PM on October 22, 2008 [14 favorites]
Wow Effigy2000, that ad is freaky.
There are a few ads that aren't depicting gays in his lineup, the already mentioned scorpion being one of them, and the Delta Lloyd Insurance | Booming Car ad is about pencil necked kids visiting the turf of mean looking gang members. The Aides scorpion ad is shot by Dimitri Daniloff and created by TBWA Paris, the female version has a woman and a large hairy spider. Here's both images cached at adland (sorry my server is not on at the moment of posting this, else link.)
For many more examples of good bad and terrible images of gay/bisexuals and transgendered people in advertising have a look at commercialcloset.org.
Advertising does love it's sterotypes. Had Hells Angels driven cars they could have been the gang members in the above mentioned commercial, and made it looks less like it was a race-thing in the end. The idea is simply that the kids get too cocky for their own good, because they have awesome insurance. All you need is a scary gang on the other end. Walking into a straight crowd as a gay kid isn't the 'funny' in that ad. If that's what they were trying to communicate perhaps joining a Phelps anti-gay demonstration as a gay kid would have worked for the insurance company sender.
posted by dabitch at 11:47 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
There are a few ads that aren't depicting gays in his lineup, the already mentioned scorpion being one of them, and the Delta Lloyd Insurance | Booming Car ad is about pencil necked kids visiting the turf of mean looking gang members. The Aides scorpion ad is shot by Dimitri Daniloff and created by TBWA Paris, the female version has a woman and a large hairy spider. Here's both images cached at adland (sorry my server is not on at the moment of posting this, else link.)
For many more examples of good bad and terrible images of gay/bisexuals and transgendered people in advertising have a look at commercialcloset.org.
Advertising does love it's sterotypes. Had Hells Angels driven cars they could have been the gang members in the above mentioned commercial, and made it looks less like it was a race-thing in the end. The idea is simply that the kids get too cocky for their own good, because they have awesome insurance. All you need is a scary gang on the other end. Walking into a straight crowd as a gay kid isn't the 'funny' in that ad. If that's what they were trying to communicate perhaps joining a Phelps anti-gay demonstration as a gay kid would have worked for the insurance company sender.
posted by dabitch at 11:47 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
I do like the description of the mainstream's problems with gay advertising; finding it "more thorny than horny".
posted by Gratishades at 12:07 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by Gratishades at 12:07 AM on October 23, 2008
what's gay about 300?
posted by philip-random at 12:38 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by philip-random at 12:38 AM on October 23, 2008
related: advertising tries to make kids stop saying "that's so gay".
posted by dabitch at 12:48 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by dabitch at 12:48 AM on October 23, 2008
This really made me want to throw up...
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 1:04 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 1:04 AM on October 23, 2008
The two headless guys in the bathtub, yeah, that's so awesome I'm struggling to find an appropriate taxonomy for it in my
posted by adipocere at 4:05 AM on October 23, 2008
/b/ directory.posted by adipocere at 4:05 AM on October 23, 2008
I dunno about you, but I think most men's response to that hockey ad would be to imagine a puck to the exposed gibblies. ouch.
posted by jonmc at 4:46 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by jonmc at 4:46 AM on October 23, 2008
I dunno about you, but I think most men's response to that hockey ad would be to imagine a puck to the exposed gibblies. ouch.
That was pretty much the point of the ad, wasn't it? That anybody with an ounce of common sense or self-preservation would no more have unprotected sex than they would play ice hockey naked?
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:57 AM on October 23, 2008
That was pretty much the point of the ad, wasn't it? That anybody with an ounce of common sense or self-preservation would no more have unprotected sex than they would play ice hockey naked?
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:57 AM on October 23, 2008
Meanwhile, in the UK...
Bear in mind that a) the ad wasn't a gay kiss b) this is a country that has lesbian and gay characters in prime-time soaps.
posted by mippy at 5:22 AM on October 23, 2008
Bear in mind that a) the ad wasn't a gay kiss b) this is a country that has lesbian and gay characters in prime-time soaps.
posted by mippy at 5:22 AM on October 23, 2008
why all the nudity... either i've not understood something or it seems to me they've distilled the entire complexity and nuance of a human being, albeit one who may prefer the company of his own sex, into simply a sexual object. sad, really, when I think of the number of absolutely wonderful men I've known
posted by infini at 5:27 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by infini at 5:27 AM on October 23, 2008
really, we do other things in life besides have sex! get with the program advertisers.
i almost preferred when there was no advertising directly aimed at homos.
posted by billybobtoo at 6:24 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
i almost preferred when there was no advertising directly aimed at homos.
posted by billybobtoo at 6:24 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
why all the nudity... either i've not understood something or it seems to me they've distilled the entire complexity and nuance of a human being, albeit one who may prefer the company of his own sex, into simply a sexual object.
Is it a surprise that advertisers would do this? I mean, certainly they do it to straight people all the time.
posted by delmoi at 6:35 AM on October 23, 2008
Is it a surprise that advertisers would do this? I mean, certainly they do it to straight people all the time.
posted by delmoi at 6:35 AM on October 23, 2008
perhaps the first page of the site is only filled with the nude stuff then? because regular adveritising sites don't look so full of only nudes
posted by infini at 6:49 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by infini at 6:49 AM on October 23, 2008
what's gay about 300?
Well, for starters, EVERYTHING.
Also, I mean, it looks like advertising directed at gay men tends to use attractive, happy-looking gay men. I, for one, am shocked. The grimacing, paunchy, angry gay men (aka"Log Cabin Republicans") tested so well... NOT!
posted by Mister_A at 7:31 AM on October 23, 2008
Well, for starters, EVERYTHING.
Also, I mean, it looks like advertising directed at gay men tends to use attractive, happy-looking gay men. I, for one, am shocked. The grimacing, paunchy, angry gay men (aka"Log Cabin Republicans") tested so well... NOT!
posted by Mister_A at 7:31 AM on October 23, 2008
As a grimacing, paunchy, angry gay man, I take offense at the notion that we're all Log Cabin Republicans. Why, at the GPAG conference last week, we had Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists, and even a Royalist (he's from France.) We did lots of things not related to sex or being attractive ... like surf the internet, yell at the T.V, and eat an entire bag of chips in one sitting. Of course, we did end up having sex, but it was angry sex. So very angry.
posted by The Whelk at 7:46 AM on October 23, 2008 [12 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 7:46 AM on October 23, 2008 [12 favorites]
Whelk, I am sorry to have offended you and your fellow GPAGs. On the other hand, reading your comment made me kinda hot.
posted by Mister_A at 7:50 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 7:50 AM on October 23, 2008
Ah, I see one of our numbers is in the KIMS video.
posted by The Whelk at 7:53 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by The Whelk at 7:53 AM on October 23, 2008
"Hello gays, I'm America. For the most part I wish you would all drop dead, but since you insist on hanging around, can I please have all of your money? Also, don't you think you're sort of a fat pig compared to this handsome, HIV positive Alpine skier?"
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 8:00 AM on October 23, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 8:00 AM on October 23, 2008 [5 favorites]
"Also please donate to the DNC. Check out our pretty pretty ads in your publications. Remember, we're the ones who have your back. Wait don't stand so close when there are cameras. Look, we're cool, just keep in mind what the other guys will do if they win, alright? We accept personal checks or credit cards. Kthxbai."
posted by Tehanu at 8:04 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by Tehanu at 8:04 AM on October 23, 2008
[NOT HERMITOSIS-IST], as my friend said when picking up the "Pride Guide" last summer. "Oh look, Budweiser is happy I'm gay and wants me to drink beer."
posted by The Whelk at 8:04 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 8:04 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
gay print ad that should most definitely have been included.
posted by krautland at 8:20 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by krautland at 8:20 AM on October 23, 2008
"the Cuban has so big, I could barely fit it in my mouth. "
" Yah, my sandwich was pretty good too."
posted by The Whelk at 8:29 AM on October 23, 2008
" Yah, my sandwich was pretty good too."
posted by The Whelk at 8:29 AM on October 23, 2008
was so big. Oh my pointless post is dissolving in front of me.
posted by The Whelk at 8:31 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by The Whelk at 8:31 AM on October 23, 2008
"15 years ago, advertising was a straight man’s world. Now, gays are inescapable."
Well, maybe in European advertising. In the States, not so much.
What's really inescapable in my everyday life right now in California are all of the political ads on TV and the radio that are saying that gays should be banned from marrying because they're a threat to society.
Related link of potential interest: Commercial Closet Association.
posted by blucevalo at 8:55 AM on October 23, 2008
Well, maybe in European advertising. In the States, not so much.
What's really inescapable in my everyday life right now in California are all of the political ads on TV and the radio that are saying that gays should be banned from marrying because they're a threat to society.
Related link of potential interest: Commercial Closet Association.
posted by blucevalo at 8:55 AM on October 23, 2008
Fascinating - I'm going to send the link to the prof in my department who teaches Sociology of Gender.
One issue though, I kind of get a little tired of gay = gay men. I understand most of the research is on men, most of the ads are about men, and I have no problem highlighting gay men in advertising, but call it "Gay Men's Depiction in Advertising." Taking gay men as the default homo is kind of like saying "Visible Minority Depiction in Advertising" but only showing ads featuring black people.
15 years ago, advertising was a straight man’s world. Now, gays are inescapable.
I guess women are, though.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:01 AM on October 23, 2008
One issue though, I kind of get a little tired of gay = gay men. I understand most of the research is on men, most of the ads are about men, and I have no problem highlighting gay men in advertising, but call it "Gay Men's Depiction in Advertising." Taking gay men as the default homo is kind of like saying "Visible Minority Depiction in Advertising" but only showing ads featuring black people.
15 years ago, advertising was a straight man’s world. Now, gays are inescapable.
I guess women are, though.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:01 AM on October 23, 2008
Posts like this are very interesting to me, because where I am, I see no absolutely no gay advertising, and honestly didn't even know that ad firms advertised to gay people as a recognized demographic until I saw one of those levi commercials on youtube a while ago.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 9:06 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 9:06 AM on October 23, 2008
One issue though, I kind of get a little tired of gay = gay men.
Very true. I've seen some nice exceptions but there is a strong trend. Mostly young thin men, too. Less stereotypical gay men aren't that visible in ads, either.
posted by Tehanu at 9:13 AM on October 23, 2008
Very true. I've seen some nice exceptions but there is a strong trend. Mostly young thin men, too. Less stereotypical gay men aren't that visible in ads, either.
posted by Tehanu at 9:13 AM on October 23, 2008
Oh my pointless post is dissolving in front of me.
you should TOTALLY see a doctor.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:15 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
you should TOTALLY see a doctor.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:15 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
Mostly young thin men
Absolutely, I think Dan Savage refers to it as gay male body-image fascism (or something like that), that makes it seem to gay men that they must have zero body fat, and be tall and lean. The alternative? Grimacing paunchiness.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:20 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
Absolutely, I think Dan Savage refers to it as gay male body-image fascism (or something like that), that makes it seem to gay men that they must have zero body fat, and be tall and lean. The alternative? Grimacing paunchiness.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:20 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
The alternative? Grimacing paunchiness.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are GMAPs. Etc.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:26 AM on October 23, 2008
Not that there's anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are GMAPs. Etc.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:26 AM on October 23, 2008
Yeah, I get that it's partially a headgame about body image, similar to what happens with female supermodels becoming representative of female beauty. But you can't walk down the street and miss that women come in all shapes and sizes. That doesn't mean it doesn't affect how you perceive those women, but you do notice them. On the other hand there does seem to be a real problem with the general population recognizing that gay men come in all shapes and sizes, too.
posted by Tehanu at 9:27 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by Tehanu at 9:27 AM on October 23, 2008
Er.. GPAGs, of course. Not that I dislike GMAPs, I just don't think they should be able to marry each other or run for office.
posted by arcticwoman at 9:27 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by arcticwoman at 9:27 AM on October 23, 2008
Well you wouldn't want children learning about grimacing.
posted by Tehanu at 9:29 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by Tehanu at 9:29 AM on October 23, 2008
Grimacing Male Authority Persons?
Yah, I don't like John McCain either.
posted by The Whelk at 9:30 AM on October 23, 2008
Yah, I don't like John McCain either.
posted by The Whelk at 9:30 AM on October 23, 2008
I thought DINK applied to hetero couples too. I wasn't aware of a gay connotation.
posted by desjardins at 9:47 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by desjardins at 9:47 AM on October 23, 2008
I first heard it in reference to gay couples, but usage has expanded.
posted by The Whelk at 9:59 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by The Whelk at 9:59 AM on October 23, 2008
My apologies if this is mentioned in the article -- I can't get YouTube. But -- I was wathcing one of those brainless "most shocking ads worldwide ever" shows a couple years ago and saw something that was actually a really sweet little ad.
The whole thing was shot in sepia tones, and scored with sentimental piano music. At the top of the ad, you see this sad-sack-looking older guy coming home to his apartment; he looks a little tired, a little run-down, a little paunchy. Following at his heels is a little scruffy dog. The two go into the guy's room, where the man crosses to his closet and the dog jumps up on the bed.
The bulk of the ad is a series of cuts between the man and the dog. First the man, tiredly taking off and hanging up his suit. Then the dog, watching him. Then the man, hanging up his shirt and tie and taking off his pants. The dog, watching, just sort of chillin' out. Then the man, in undershirt and boxers, browsing through his closet. The dog, watching. Then the man, holding a frilly muumuu up in front of himself and studying himself in the mirror. Back to the dog. The man, now in a big dress, adjusting a big-hair wig on his head. The dog, watching. The man, sitting in front of a mirror, touching up lipstick. Back to the dog.
At the very end, the man gets up from his dresser and whistles to the dog, and the two leave the room together, the dog happily wagging his tail. And as they leave, the web site for a pet-adoption campaign comes up on the screen, and the voiceover intones: "That's the great thing about pets. They really don't care."
It's a transvestite instead of a gay man, yes; but they portrayed him rather sympathetically rather than going for over-the-top broad comedy, and didn't make him outrageously campy. He was just...an ordinary dude, who just happened to like wearing dresses, and the dog was just his dog. It was striking in their very ordinariness, and it was really kind of sweet.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:23 AM on October 23, 2008 [6 favorites]
The whole thing was shot in sepia tones, and scored with sentimental piano music. At the top of the ad, you see this sad-sack-looking older guy coming home to his apartment; he looks a little tired, a little run-down, a little paunchy. Following at his heels is a little scruffy dog. The two go into the guy's room, where the man crosses to his closet and the dog jumps up on the bed.
The bulk of the ad is a series of cuts between the man and the dog. First the man, tiredly taking off and hanging up his suit. Then the dog, watching him. Then the man, hanging up his shirt and tie and taking off his pants. The dog, watching, just sort of chillin' out. Then the man, in undershirt and boxers, browsing through his closet. The dog, watching. Then the man, holding a frilly muumuu up in front of himself and studying himself in the mirror. Back to the dog. The man, now in a big dress, adjusting a big-hair wig on his head. The dog, watching. The man, sitting in front of a mirror, touching up lipstick. Back to the dog.
At the very end, the man gets up from his dresser and whistles to the dog, and the two leave the room together, the dog happily wagging his tail. And as they leave, the web site for a pet-adoption campaign comes up on the screen, and the voiceover intones: "That's the great thing about pets. They really don't care."
It's a transvestite instead of a gay man, yes; but they portrayed him rather sympathetically rather than going for over-the-top broad comedy, and didn't make him outrageously campy. He was just...an ordinary dude, who just happened to like wearing dresses, and the dog was just his dog. It was striking in their very ordinariness, and it was really kind of sweet.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:23 AM on October 23, 2008 [6 favorites]
"Dad, I'm gay."
"Excellent."
Good.
Better:
"Dad, I'm gay."
"And? Go do your homework."
gay print ad that should most definitely have been included.
I wonder if it's an accident that the middle guy appears to have a whole kielbassa in his shorts.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:39 AM on October 23, 2008
"Excellent."
Good.
Better:
"Dad, I'm gay."
"And? Go do your homework."
gay print ad that should most definitely have been included.
I wonder if it's an accident that the middle guy appears to have a whole kielbassa in his shorts.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:39 AM on October 23, 2008
NO on 8!
was there a two word limit on this post?
Noön 8.
posted by zippy at 11:18 AM on October 23, 2008
was there a two word limit on this post?
Noön 8.
posted by zippy at 11:18 AM on October 23, 2008
"body-image fascism (or something like that), that makes it seem to gay men women that they must have zero body fat, and be tall and lean."
FTFY.
posted by cereselle at 11:29 AM on October 23, 2008
FTFY.
posted by cereselle at 11:29 AM on October 23, 2008
gay male body-image fascism (or something like that), that makes it seem to gay men that they must have zero body fat, and be tall and lean
This effect is compounded if you, say, live in Manhattan and work in Media/Fashion and are surrounded on all sides by the most beautiful men in the world at all times--- inspiring that dizzy vortex of "Oh-my-god-he-is-so-hot/I-will-never-ever-look-like-that" that makes afternoon cocktails a necessity.
posted by The Whelk at 11:49 AM on October 23, 2008
This effect is compounded if you, say, live in Manhattan and work in Media/Fashion and are surrounded on all sides by the most beautiful men in the world at all times--- inspiring that dizzy vortex of "Oh-my-god-he-is-so-hot/I-will-never-ever-look-like-that" that makes afternoon cocktails a necessity.
posted by The Whelk at 11:49 AM on October 23, 2008
what's gay about 300?
300 is the cinematic equivalent of the high school football player who watches pornos with his buddies, casting furtive glances for trouser-hidden erections, and desperately jacks off in the shower while visions of the Manning brothers float through his head. The next day, he beats up kids in the band and calls them fags for playing the clarinet.
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:50 AM on October 23, 2008 [2 favorites]
300 is the cinematic equivalent of the high school football player who watches pornos with his buddies, casting furtive glances for trouser-hidden erections, and desperately jacks off in the shower while visions of the Manning brothers float through his head. The next day, he beats up kids in the band and calls them fags for playing the clarinet.
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:50 AM on October 23, 2008 [2 favorites]
Well said.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:17 PM on October 23, 2008
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:17 PM on October 23, 2008
I just want to point out that the two additions to the "Sugar Baby Love" AIDES campaign includes some hints that sexual identities are not as clear cut. In the final wedding scene of "Baby Baby Baby" the camera pans over the ex-lovers and a woman. The closing of "Love Stories" also has a hint that the protagonist may not be as heterosexual as we've seen in the rest of the spot.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:47 PM on October 23, 2008
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:47 PM on October 23, 2008
"What's really inescapable in my everyday life right now in California are all of the political ads on TV and the radio that are saying that gays should be banned from marrying because they're a threat to society."
I was talking to my girlfriend about that last night. The big thrust of the ad was that ZOMG, kids are going to learn in school that men can marry other men. To which, y'know, so what? They can. They do. I mean, I get the implication, that by normalizing this we're going to have kids thinking that they can grow up and be gay, but given current science, it's not like being gay is a conscious choice. So learning that they can be gay and that it's not a big deal, well, y'know, if the kid's gonna be gay anyway, and our choices are either let the kid be gay and not have any hang-ups or have the kid be gay but closeted and deeply unhappy, isn't it more compassionate to just let them be gay and able to be part of society? As for a threat, having gay friends has never made me really want to suck some dick. I understand that women tend to have a more mutable sexual identity, but I think that's hard to argue any causation there, and besides, all the furor really seems to be about those homos buggering each other, right?
posted by klangklangston at 2:19 PM on October 23, 2008
I was talking to my girlfriend about that last night. The big thrust of the ad was that ZOMG, kids are going to learn in school that men can marry other men. To which, y'know, so what? They can. They do. I mean, I get the implication, that by normalizing this we're going to have kids thinking that they can grow up and be gay, but given current science, it's not like being gay is a conscious choice. So learning that they can be gay and that it's not a big deal, well, y'know, if the kid's gonna be gay anyway, and our choices are either let the kid be gay and not have any hang-ups or have the kid be gay but closeted and deeply unhappy, isn't it more compassionate to just let them be gay and able to be part of society? As for a threat, having gay friends has never made me really want to suck some dick. I understand that women tend to have a more mutable sexual identity, but I think that's hard to argue any causation there, and besides, all the furor really seems to be about those homos buggering each other, right?
posted by klangklangston at 2:19 PM on October 23, 2008
As for a threat, having gay friends has never made me really want to suck some dick.
Really? It worked for me.
Oh, wait.
posted by desjardins at 2:59 PM on October 23, 2008
Really? It worked for me.
Oh, wait.
posted by desjardins at 2:59 PM on October 23, 2008
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posted by Class Goat at 10:50 PM on October 22, 2008