Gay Couples Showing Up In Tv Commercials

[california boy]

I'm not sure how this is all that astounding personally. In almost every show that I watch (I watch a lot of TV....usually while I'm cooking or doing mundane work. I grew up with noise always in the background) there is usually at least one gay/bi character, whether single or in a relationship. Several of these were recurring guests/side characters, but a number are main characters. Maybe it's just about the shows I gravitate to....but I doubt it. Honestly, For their actual population size I do think they have to be the most represented minority group on TV (that may be changing, a lot of my shows also have minority main cast members). And frankly, probably a little over-represented. So I'm not sure why it would be surprising that they're showing up in ads. Some of them feel like pandering.....but that's basically what ads do: pander to sell crap. Personally most people don't pay attention to commercials nowadays. Heaven knows I don't, I watch my "TV" exclusively on my computer through Hulu and Netflix. On Hulu when there's commercials, I mute it, skip it, or go read something. So frankly having something more "catchy" or socially pushy is probably an easy avenue to get attention.

 

Such as the cheerios ad that had a biracial couple and their kid in it. It picked up some racist flack on youtube and then it went viral because of it. Most everybody wouldn't have watched that commercial without the social commentary that happened after the fact. I noticed (you know, when I actually see a stray ad) that there are now more interracial couples post-cheerios ad as well.

 

Commercials: the epitome of selling out.

Now off to hulu...It's time for breakfast. French toast and a comedy feels about right.

 

With luv,

BD 

 

The percentage of gay characters on TV is 4% which is pretty close to the percentage of gays in the general population. It has been fairly close to that percentage for the past couple of years.  Your preception that they are heavily repersented is a myth.

 

Here is the report.  

[Buckeye]

The percentage of gay characters on TV is 4% which is pretty close to the percentage of gays in the general population. It has been fairly close to that percentage for the past couple of years.  Your preception that they are heavily repersented is a myth.

 

Here is the report.  

 

Interesting. Are you aware of any data on whether zombies are over/under represented as to the general population? They seem to be everywhere on TV, but I hardly run into them IRL.

[JAHS]

The percentage of gay characters on TV is 4% which is pretty close to the percentage of gays in the general population. It has been fairly close to that percentage for the past couple of years.  Your preception that they are heavily repersented is a myth.

 

Here is the report.  

 

I would expect Hollywood to have gays as characters in their movies and TV shows. That's been going on for many years now. What's different is companies are bold enough to actually think they can sell their products better if gays and even gay couples are represented. It is taking a big risk because a lot of people can rebel against it by not buying their products.

[JAHS]

A family is a family. The desensitizing accusation is ridiculous. Christianity or other monotheistic religions are not the center of attention. This ad is nothing special. People just need to get over themselves.

 

There are a lot of children out there already being deprived of either a mother or father for other reasons; why add one more reason to the problem? 

[Buckeye]

There are a lot of children out there already being deprived of either a mother or father for other reasons; why add one more reason to the problem? 

 

Because the children raised in these families are just as happy as those raised in straight families. Yes, there are some who say they wish they had a parent of both genders, but the vast majority couldn't imagine giving up one of their dads or moms - the same as you and I couldn't imagine giving up one of our parents. The underlying theme here is that most all children value their parents as individuals more than they value them as gender role models. 

 

Also, if you know any gay parents with children, you know they by and large they want their children to have role models for their specific gender. So two moms raising a son will go to great lengths to bring lots of father figures in the boy's life. Same thing for men raising girls. If parenthood is viewed as a community project, it's easy to see how children in gay families can find all the support they need for the few gender-specific issues children face.

[JAHS]

Because the children raised in these families are just as happy as those raised in straight families. Yes, there are some who say they wish they had a parent of both genders, but the vast majority couldn't imagine giving up one of their dads or moms - the same as you and I couldn't imagine giving up one of our parents. The underlying theme here is that most all children value their parents as individuals more than they value them as gender role models. 

 

Also, if you know any gay parents with children, you know they by and large they want their children to have role models for their specific gender. So two moms raising a son will go to great lengths to bring lots of father figures in the boy's life. Same thing for men raising girls. If parenthood is viewed as a community project, it's easy to see how children in gay families can find all the support they need for the few gender-specific issues children face.

 

If they have been raised having two fathers or mothers, of course they would not want to give them up; it's all they have known their entire lives. 

They are still being deprived of a parent on purpose, because of the wants of two gay people.

Sorry, but your reasons and explanations are just not good enough for me. But that's just my opinion.

 

'

[Jeanne]

This was one of the few good ones!

Love this!  I am off to buy a package of gum..There has to be someone out there over sixty that could use some???

[BlueDreams]

The percentage of gay characters on TV is 4% which is pretty close to the percentage of gays in the general population. It has been fairly close to that percentage for the past couple of years.  Your preception that they are heavily repersented is a myth.

 

Here is the report.  

 

Good to know. It could just be the shows I gravitate to then. Several of them are probably more diversity conscious to begin with, such as modern family, black-ish, and brooklyn nine-nine, etc. Others are more for younger audiences/comic book-ish, such as Arrow, Gotham, and Flash. In these shows I can think of at least one, if not several characters who are featured prominently or as recurring characters. Of my roster, there's about a quarter of my shows who do not have a main or recurring character who is LGBT or had some form of a SS relationship. All of them have at least one main or recurring person of color and several of them have more or the same amount of brown/black characters as white.....so that kinda gives a picture as to what shows I tend to watch and which may bias my perspective....glad to see that my perception that there's been a definite up-tic in racial minority characters is true though. 

 

 

 

EDIT: Although, technically isn't 4% well represented for a population that ID's LGBT is at less than 3% (ergo the "a little over-represented" part). The GLAAD kinda misses that when discussing representation.

 

With luv,

BD

Edited November 23, 2015 by BlueDreams

[Gray]

What's a "TV commercial"?

[Calm]

"So I'm not sure why it would be surprising that they're showing up in ads."

That they haven't before that much is what surprises me.

[JAHS]

"So I'm not sure why it would be surprising that they're showing up in ads."

That they haven't before that much is what surprises me.

It's because they were afraid it would turn off and offend to many customers and hurt their sales. I plan on not buying their products. 

[Buckeye]

It's because they were afraid it would turn off and offend to many customers and hurt their sales. I plan on not buying their products. 

 

I believe these companies run the calculation that their taking a position on a hot-topic social issue will, on net, result in higher sales. Boycotts generally don't work - for either side of the political spectrum. Disney didn't back down from boycotts over its LGBT-friendly policies. Chick-fil-A didn't back down over boycotts of its opposition to SSM. Target hasn't been phased by the group(s) opposed to its gender-neutral toy catalogs. 

 

I rather doubt that Campbells of Tide will see a drop in sales over these commercials. If anything, there will be some financial benefit because (i) approval of SS families is now held by a majority of americans, (ii) pro-LGBT sentiments are at least a strong as anti-sentiments (and growing), and (iii) as shown by the Colbert clip, these types of ads can generate free publicity.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Buckeye

[JAHS]

I believe these companies run the calculation that their taking a position on a hot-topic social issue will, on net, result in higher sales. Boycotts generally don't work - for either side of the political spectrum. Disney didn't back down from boycotts over its LGBT-friendly policies. Chick-fil-A didn't back down over boycotts of its opposition to SSM. Target hasn't been phased by the group(s) opposed to its gender-neutral toy catalogs. 

 

I rather doubt that Campbells of Tide will see a drop in sales over these commercials. If anything, there will be some financial benefit because (i) approval of SS families is now held by a majority of americans, (ii) pro-LGBT sentiments are at least a strong as anti-sentiments (and growing), and (iii) as shown by the Colbert clip, these types of ads can generate free publicity.

Boycotts may ultimately not work against a company, but they work for me. 

[Buckeye]

Boycotts may ultimately not work against a company, but they work for me. 

 

What floats your boat. Just realize that if you publicize your boycott - even in a very limited manner, such as on this board - you may incentivize others to make up for your "lost" sales. That reminds me, it's been awhile since I've had Campbell's .....  

[JAHS]

What floats your boat. Just realize that if you publicize your boycott - even in a very limited manner, such as on this board - you may incentivize others to make up for your "lost" sales. That reminds me, it's been awhile since I've had Campbell's .....  

Actually we stopped eating any canned soups long ago because of the sodium content and other additives. We make it fresh from scratch.

[Hamba Tuhan]

I don't generally buy tinned soups, either, but I've been known to pick up Campbell's on rare occasions when it's on special for half-off. I don't expect they'll miss my business at all, but I'll sleep better at night knowing that I'm not supporting a company that thinks it's amusing to flaunt the laws of God and mock the very foundations of stable society in the name of profit-seeking. To each his/her own.

[Walden]

I would expect Hollywood to have gays as characters in their movies and TV shows. That's been going on for many years now. What's different is companies are bold enough to actually think they can sell their products better if gays and even gay couples are represented. It is taking a big risk because a lot of people can rebel against it by not buying their products.

 

Advertisers are most concerned with advertising to millennials (20-34 years of age) and Generation Z (those younger than 20). Advertisers know that theses generations are the future of their business, that these are the ages when purchasing patterns are still most open to new ideas and products, and that these generations are just beginning to make money, and thus the advertisers would like to get in on the ground floor of these generations lifelong buying habits.

 

These generations are also the ones most accepting of same sex relationships, and thus the least likely to "rebel" against advertisers for utilizing gay themes in their advertising. The advertisers will accept a little rebellion from their older customers if they think that they can hook the younger, more desirable audience.

 

I don't think that the new commercials are indicative of companies being "bold enough" to use gays to sell their products. Rather, they are reacting to the new paradigm in which same sex relationships are a reality and the moral/religious issues surrounding same sex relationships are of little concern to their most desired demographic.

[JAHS]

Advertisers are most concerned with advertising to millennials (20-34 years of age) and Generation Z (those younger than 20). Advertisers know that theses generations are the future of their business, that these are the ages when purchasing patterns are still most open to new ideas and products, and that these generations are just beginning to make money, and thus the advertisers would like to get in on the ground floor of these generations lifelong buying habits.

 

These generations are also the ones most accepting of same sex relationships, and thus the least likely to "rebel" against advertisers for utilizing gay themes in their advertising. The advertisers will accept a little rebellion from their older customers if they think that they can hook the younger, more desirable audience.

 

I don't think that the new commercials are indicative of companies being "bold enough" to use gays to sell their products. Rather, they are reacting to the new paradigm in which same sex relationships are a reality and the moral/religious issues surrounding same sex relationships are of little concern to their most desired demographic.

Could be, but I think there are still a lot of baby boomers out there who will not appreciate it.

[Calm]

Advertisers are most concerned with advertising to millennials (20-34 years of age) and Generation Z (those younger than 20). Advertisers know that theses generations are the future of their business, that these are the ages when purchasing patterns are still most open to new ideas and products, and that these generations are just beginning to make money, and thus the advertisers would like to get in on the ground floor of these generations lifelong buying habits.

 

That's about right.  I don't think I've bought Campbell's except perhaps for the occasional beef or chicken broth since I was in my 20's.  I find canned soup pretty nasty most of the time.

[Tacenda]

I don't even own a television. I mostly prefer to live actual life rather than watch people paid to pretend to do it for me.

No TV? That helps explain somewhat why you have so much time to serve others.

[ERayR]

What's a "TV commercial"?

 

It is that TV programming that is occasionally interrupted by an entertainment episode of some sorts.

[JAHS]

It is that TV programming that is occasionally interrupted by an entertainment episode of some sorts.

 

[Garden Girl]

Well, on Madison Avenue it is all about bottom line money... and how ads/commercials can convince people to buy a product, thus making money for the agencies' clients... An agency's commercials tend to try and stay just ahead/abreast of popular trends in order to capture those first dollars for their clients before other agencies catch on... very competitive... Commercials tend to evolve to follow or set the latest trend. 

My sis and I were talking the other day about the first time we saw a commercial featuring a black family... it was probably the late 60's/early 70's... A commercial for Chevron gasoline... depicted this black family pulling into the service station and the well dressed little girls hopping out of the car and running into the bathroom while the dad filled the tank, etc.  I must say it was very surprising to see... And then, more and more companies started depicting blacks in their commercials.  Why?  A new demographic emerging as consumers worth pursuing...

And just look at commercials today... We've come a long way, baby...

 

GG

[Damien the Leper]

There are a lot of children out there already being deprived of either a mother or father for other reasons; why add one more reason to the problem?

I'm fairly confident that you do not feel that 2 men adopting children is worse than a child remaining in an orphanage or the foster care system. Not even you are cable of such nonsense.

[JAHS]

I'm fairly confident that you do not feel that 2 men adopting children is worse than a child remaining in an orphanage or the foster care system. Not even you are cable of such nonsense.

You are sort of creating a false dilemma here. I would rather the child be adopted by a man and woman couple which could more easily happen than two men adopting the child. With the extremely larger number of man and women couples wanting to adopt, that is more likely what would happen and the child would not have to remain an orphan or in foster care system.