Watch the 10 LGBTQ-inclusive Super Bowl ads everybody’s talking about
| 02/12/24
Cwnewser
Unilever; Paramount; NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP; homes.com/CoStar Group
In the wake of Super Bowl LVIII, where the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, a spotlight shines on the inclusivity — or lack thereof — in the realm of advertising, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ representation. Despite an uptick in LGBTQ-inclusive ads, from four in 2023 to 10 in this year’s Super Bowl, a recent analysis by GLAAD’s Visibility Project reveals significant missed opportunities for deeper and more meaningful representation.
Volkswagen emerged as a leader in explicit LGBTQ+ storytelling through an ad that celebrated queer marriage with overt affection and support. According to GLAAD, this move comes as a refreshing pivot from the trend of leveraging LGBTQ+ celebrities without furthering the narrative on LGBTQ+ lives and issues. The ad challenges a year marked by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and sets a benchmark for authentic representation.
Despite these advancements, the landscape still reveals gaps, particularly the absence of trans representation and a skewed emphasis on white LGBTQ+ individuals, sidelining the rich tapestry of intersectional identities within the community, GLAAD notes. GLAAD’s inaugural Advertising Visibility Index underscores this point, highlighting a consumer desire for realistic and multi-dimensional LGBTQ+ stories over mere celebrity endorsements.
This year’s lineup of LGBTQ-inclusive ads included diverse brands such as e.l.f., Hellmann’s, Homes.com, Mountain Dew, NYX, Paramount+, Starry, and Volkswagen, with Homes.com featuring Schitts Creek star Dan Levy across three ads. Yet, it’s Volkswagen’s portrayal of a lesbian wedding that stands alone in weaving explicit LGBTQ+ narratives into the fabric of mainstream media.
The call for inclusivity extends beyond the ads to the broader cultural moments like the Super Bowl, which GLAAD president & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis notes as a missed opportunity for advertisers to connect with the next generation of consumers and employees, over one in five of whom identify as LGBTQ+.
“While the NFL proudly states football is for everyone, advertisers this year did not reflect that reality during commercial breaks,” Ellis said. “Brands like Volkswagen that move beyond merely featuring an LGBTQ celebrity, and brands featuring intersectional representation of LGBTQ people as well as other diverse communities will win out in the long run. Over one in five members of Gen Z are LGBTQ and more than half are self-described allies. Super Bowl advertisers are missing out on a major opportunity to attract the next generation of employees and consumers.”
Last year’s Super Bowl saw minimal non-celebrity LGBTQ+ inclusion, with an ad by McDonald’s featuring a queer couple as a rare highlight. GLAAD is calling for an evolution from quantity to quality of inclusive LGBTQ advertising, pushing for stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of LGBTQ+ lives.
Check out the 10 queer-inclusive Super Bowl ads you may have missed during Sunday’s big game.
Volkswagen | An American Love Story, featuring a lesbian wedding
In e.l.f we Trust | e.l.f Cosmetics Game Day Commercial, featuring Benito Skinner and Heidi N’ Closet
Mayo Cat – Hellmann’s Big Game, featuring Kate McKinnon
Homes.com | A goldmine of local intel, featuring Dan Levy
Homes.com | We’ve done your home work, featuring Dan Levy.
Homes.com | What he said, featuring Dan Levy
MTN DEW | Aubrey Plaza Having a Blast, featuring Aubrey Plaza
Cardi B x NYX Cosmetics That’s Suspicious, featuring Cardi B
Paramount+ | Sir Patrick Stewart Throws a Hail Arnold, featuring Drew Barrymore
Starry | It’s Time To See Other Sodas, featuring Ice Spice
