The Problem with Gay Window Advertising
By: David Arias
Tags: Advertising, Diversity, Gay, LGBT, Marketing

What is gay window advertising? It’s the practice of appealing to lesbian, gay and bisexual consumers through depictions that remain innocuous from heterosexual viewers, be that a print, digital or online ad.

For example, a TV commercial I observed a few days ago showcased two men in their home, in the company of what I would assume is obviously their children. But these two guys did not engage in any obvious form of affection to establish their romantic relationship, which allows the ad itself to either go unrecognized or remain unoffensive to the straight audience while interpreted as a family unit by the LGB audience.

The issues around this marketing tactic is that it is disempowering. It lacks the authenticity to be recognized as inclusive. The brand essentially code-switches in an attempt to appeal to a diverse audience while expressing cautiousness in alienating their general population.

First, the LGBT community has remained hidden from visibility for many years. I’m sure I don’t have to elaborate on how our existence was ignored, and when we came out, our visibility undermined with stereotypes, pedophilic associations and the AIDS crisis. Our sexual orientation was politicized, and who we loved became an act against laws and religions. Yet, despite our history, brands continue engaging in gay window advertising, basically sending the same message directly to us, the gay and lesbian audience: That we should keep our lives behind closed doors, hidden from public view. It’s that same notion of being on the down-low (DL) with our relationships. Brands are simply marketing to us on the DL. That’s their relationship with us.

Second, the content being disseminated from these brands stem from marketing professionals and agencies that are predominantly run by heterosexual, White men (and women) who are approving these displays of the gay and lesbian community. Rather than hiring diverse professionals onto their executive staff, they extract and maintain demographic, behavioral and political data points, avoiding the discourse of diverse, inclusive and culturally sensitive advertising practices until “the time is right.” As a result of their poor judgement and decision-making process for marketing to underrepresented populations, we’ve seen failed ads from Nivea’s “White is Purity” campaign to McDonald’s “Come Out as You Are” campaign.

The ambiguous to outright culturally insensitive depictions has absolutely made me aware of the brands that I buy from, and I would assert that many LGBT individuals during this period are attentive as well.

Third, I’d put forward that the Pride flag as an icon can fall under the umbrella of gay window advertising tactics when the brand illustrating it doesn’t accentuate their ads (during Pride month or year-round) with displays of same-sex depictions to some fraction of their traditional family depictions. The marketing industry itself has the potential to be a vessel to push positive change. To combat stereotypes and negative portrayals. But that was never the agenda.

Marketing exists for marketing’s sake. To gain business. To garner sales. To build brand affinity and purchase intention. Realistically, advertising isn’t going anywhere. But rather than pleading for a change in ad content from the culprits of misrepresentations, I’m assuring that this country is unwavering in its growing diversity and we will absolutely remember the brands and leaders that helped push our visibility, and we’ll remember the ones that didn’t.