June 6, 2012
Posted by shollsten
Boy Oh Boycotts (and Other Reactions to JCPenney’s Advertising)
My friend called me this week and asked if I’d seen the newest Father’s Day ad from JCPenney. Before I could answer he said, “it was perfect.”
(COPY: “First Pals: What makes Dad so cool? He’s the swim coach, tent maker, best friend, bike fixer and hug giver — all rolled into one. Or two.”)
The copy, he went on to explain, “tugged at his heartstrings” and all at once made him (a gay man) feel simultaneously unique and accepted.
So, naturally, it’s surrounded by controversy.
This isn’t JCPenney’s first foray into the controversy arena. Earlier this year, One Million Mom’s was up in arms when JCPenney hired gay celebrity Ellen DeGeneres to be their spokeswoman. They boycotted the store and encouraged others’ to do the same.
(On a side note, I wonder if all of those One Million Mom’s also boycott Cover Girl, American Express, Pepsi, Healthy Choice and Old Spice – all of which have gay spokespeople. But I digress.)
But JCPenney didn’t even blink. In response to the boycott, they’ve kept running ads featuring gay and lesbian couples, taking a firm stance on one side of the culture war. So naturally, now they are being accused of using that stance as a media ploy. To, essentially, use same-sex couples to further their marketing needs.
But JCPenney isn’t the only retailer that features ads depicting gay couples. What about these ones from Gap, Wells Fargo and Ray Ban.
Images courtesy of The FW.com, Human Rights Campaign, Gay.net, and TowlerRoad
In my opinion, the reason it’s both controversial and occurring more often, isn’t because of the shock factor. It’s that it normalizes gay couples. It makes them look – gasp – just like everyone else. So all JCPenney and all other retailers who are choosing to run similar ads are really doing is marketing to their customers in a way that falls in line with their company values.
So, they’re advertising.
And if it makes people have a conversation, all the better.
2 Comments
June 6, 2012
I commend JCP and other brands that are embracing LGBT community. As you’ve said, it is controversial because it’s normalizing something that (depending on where you are) isn’t generally seen as something to be normalized. I’m very curious to see if JCP got this insight from being the National Student Advertising Competition client in 2011. The LGBT community has a significant buying power, and on a millennial level, where this (quote, unquote)”lifestyle” is becoming more accepted, it would only make sense to have ads that pay respect to this market. And, by paying respect to this market, I don’t mean just making ads tailored to them because they spend a significant amount of money, I mean giving them respect because they deserve it. Advertising to African Americans was seen as controversial in 1960, the world is becoming more tolerant, that’s a good thing. I applaud JCP and brands like them for taking the step in supporting community, regardless of different views.
Well Done.
June 8, 2012
“In my opinion, the reason it’s both controversial and occurring more often, isn’t because of the shock factor. It’s that it normalizes gay couples. It makes them look – gasp – just like everyone else.”
Really? Having a celebrity — any celebrity, regardless of lifestyle choice — front and center makes things seem normal? Or using a couple of same-gender models as the focus in an ad declares acceptance?
We are talking advertising here, right?
If these ads were not driven by shock value (i.e. ability to generate considerable consumer/viewer attention for the client) then it would be poor marketing strategy, wouldn’t it.
Here’s an interesting thought … In dictionary definitions of the word normal, the phrase “free from” is often used. As in, free from commercial (excuse the pun) exploitation, maybe.
Hey, it’s Madison Avenue, it’s expected. But let’s not get caught up in the spin. Many wise people will tell us that the road to true acceptance — and I’m not even sure I fully understand what that means in life — is long, hard, and based on experiential reality and influential social patterns. And two key intrinsic elements that keep folks moving forward on this road are aspiration and connection.
For what it’s worth, here’s a good, thought provoking article on a similar subject… http://on.msnbc.com/L4XqSN
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