Who said that putting LGBTQ characters in commercials wasn’t the end-all solution to homophobia? Did they not realize that Nordstrom threw the first brick at the Stonewall riots?
Story by Kaci Pelias
Photo courtesy of Nordstrom
For years, advertising focused solely on the heterosexual audience. The LGBTQ community suffered as they had to watch commercial after commercial featuring a man and woman buying groceries or arguing about car insurance. Recently, however, capitalism has donned its rainbow socks and given the LGBTQ population everything they deserve. Here are some of our favorites:
This commercial focuses on two women learning sign language while preparing to adopt a daughter. I watched this and don’t really know what Wells Fargo is but would give them ALL of my money. Why wouldn’t I? They love lesbians! Especially lesbians that adopt children and use their product. Again, not sure exactly what it is, but my guess is something like financial planning which is essential for middle class white lesbians.
Yasss, Campbell! Of course the soup monopolizer would give us some of the best representation of gay dads all year! I’ve never seen two white men in love on television. Plus, these dads love “Star Wars” and have beards! The LGBT community is just so tired of seeing fem-presenting men on television and want more masc representation besides “Love Simon”, “Will & Grace” and “Brokeback Mountain.” It’s just so important to remind the heterosexual population that gays can be just like them!
At first glance, this seems like your typical Dog Waits For Owner To Come Home commercial. The cutest cockapoo sits at the windowsill and delights in his dad’s arrival. But wait, there’s a twist! Another man enters the frame and gives the owner a kiss. Two white men and their one dog are truly queering the family structure and I’m on my way to buy some cufflinks and expensive perfume from Nordstrom’s right now!
This commercial just makes me LOL! Two white gay dads take their child to the salon and excitedly over-explain to the hairstylist how they want their child’s hair cut. This is of course because this child is their first and also because they’re gay men! By their second child, they’ve learned more about parenting and cut hair at home, which is very quirky. Overall, this advertisement feels like a testament to the success of gay parenthood. Two dads can grow as parents? Only if they buy Luvs diapers, of course.
Yes, because Nordstrom is a radical queer company. In this one, two white men put little hearts in each other’s long beards. Their beards are long because they are hip and masc! Even more progressive than the dog commercial, this one is centered around Valentine’s Day. Two men can showcase their love not only by putting hearts on their beards, but also by buying $150 watches and cufflinks for each other. So romantic!
Okay, I’ll admit that some of these commercials debuted as early as 2015, when perhaps seeing on-screen same-sex couples did break boundaries. Furthermore, it’s important to remember that finding positive queer media representation proves difficult and exhausting, giving advertisers easy access to gay vulnerability. However, the ultimate goal of these commercials is, unfortunately, to persuade you to buy something, which often traps you in a cycle of consumerism that ultimately only benefits rich, white gay men and still exists to oppress anyone outside of that identity.
Remember LGBTQs, just because the commercial loves you, doesn’t mean that capitalism does. Except for Nordstrom. I mean, they had a dog.
