In order to appeal to the targeted consumer, you want to speak their language, use their key words, make jokes that they can relate to. However, this can also take a wrong turn: you cannot just make jokes about gays or being gay, or their lifestyle. That right is reserved for members of that community.
In this ad Pom works with "protection" as the key word, which in gay circles would relate to condoms. One empty wrapper is visible, but the stage is taken by the healthy antioxidants of Pom.
Wrong, or on target?
Using "Pride" and "proud", both recurring themes in the lives of LGBT, this pet food presents itself as gay friendly.
Research has found that LGBT have pets more often than heteros - and also spend more on them. Perhaps a substitute for children?
San Francisco is well known for being LGBT friendly. In this ad for a new apartment building, the real estate agent takes two steps: not just aiming for lesbian tenants, but picturing a couple with a child. An interesting specification of the target group.
In the second ad they broaden their horizon to a number of different "modern families.
Both Jaguar (Ford Motor Company) and Subaru show their LGBT affiliation.
Subaru has a longstanding friendship with especially lesbians, where Martina Navratilova helped launch the brand in this segment.
Click on the pictures for a larger version
In the days that mobile phones were not yet in fashion Australian telco Telstra joked about "being in the closet" - or rather being out (of the closet). The joke is a bit lost, as it confusingly mixes the messages of being "out" as gay with being out of your home. A nice try, but maybe a bit too clever?
A wordplay on the prejudice that being gay would be a "lifestyle choice". Outpost implicitly states that it isn't, but that choosing a Mac or Windows PC is. Clever. There are some more jokes in there, like "We Service You" - double entendres that succeed in getting the reader's attention.
Two lubricants fighting for attention. The product is not exclusively meant for gays, but I guess it is used relatively more by gays than by straights, so KY and Elbow Grease are both trying to get gay customers.
KY choses for a velvety look in the first ad and goes a little bit more naught in the second, simulating sounds of pleasure.
The Elbow Grease ads are not purple, but I wanted to make a comparison with KY. One ad is quite innocent, making jokes about chosing an outfit, but the second one does not use any subtlety.
Acuvue plays at the active life-style of gays, suggesting they are all go-go boys in a way. But wherever they GO, they can take Acuvue.
Marketing the Rainbow
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