Showing the LGBTQ community some love in the advertising game has become mainstream in recent years, marking a new era of public consciousness and mirroring advancements in the struggle for equality.
With a new administration in the U.S. whose attitudes towards that struggle are murky at best, companies that choose to feature queer themes do so at the risk of antagonizing the government.
For that reason, they should be applauded even more when they do the right thing and celebrate diversity.
Here’s a roundup of Valentine’s Day ads that are hitting all the right notes this year:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
1. Mercedes Australia
The fight for marriage equality still wages on in Australia, where Mercedes has charmingly shown that “love is love” — and, apparently, a tiny Mercedes hubcap.
2. Hallmark Signature
https://youtu.be/aNs2q_ZMXUg
A recurring theme is celebrating our diverse stories, and Hallmark made us well up just a little bit with this sweet ad showing there is not such thing as “ordinary love.”
3. Lush Cosmetics
What better way to relax in these troubling times than with a sudsy bath? Lush Cosmetics has some suggestions for bathing together, and they’ve included same-sex couples in a super cute new ad campaign.
4. Minola Cooking Oil
File this one under “unexpected,” but this Filipino company tugged at our heartstrings in just the right way with an intimate look at the perfect date.
OzJosh
Sometimes these ads are admirable in that they are simply reflecting the world they operate in. Sometimes they look more like rather desperate attempts to buy some relevance and some cool. I’m sure the Mercedes commercial is less about their traditional ultra-conservative customer base and the need for a younger demographic and a hipper image.
fur_hunter
I applaud any company that is inclusive of the community. I also believe they understand that gay couples, in many cases, have two good salaries coming into one household. Gays, for the most part, have more disposable income than straight couples. If you could only have seen the changes that I have seen in my lifetime regarding the gay community. Yeah. It has been amazing, but it has not been easy. There is still a long way to go.
dustashed
4. The Minola Cooking oil one is from the Philippines, we were airing Gay commercials before it was “cool” way back early 1990s
Not bad for a conservative country of 80% Catholics 90% christian
dustashed
The gay commercials advertisements from the early 90s
Ranged from:
Soda
Facial wash
Telecommunications company
Icecream etc
Some with catchlines that translates to “be true to yourself” (magpakatotoo ka)
jhon_siders
That’s the 3 point star is the front badge from a Mercedes cab over heavy truck I drive one .