Facebook Ends Ad Targeting By Sexual Orientation

For years, companies that offered services of specific interest to the LGBTQ community have been able to target their advertising to that particular audience utilizing the social media giant's "interested in" option.

But last month, Facebook quietly eliminated the ability to direct ads to folks based on sexual orientation. An exception, however, was made for dating apps to continue using that targeting option.

The change has impacted not only businesses that target the gay community, but important non-profit groups, like The Trevor Project, who offer life-saving services.

More from Buzzfeed:

Facebook stopped allowing “interested in” targeting as part of a major overhaul of its ad platform, which the company initiated after facing scrutiny from users and Congress last year. Bad actors have mercilessly exploited the platform in recent years, including Kremlin-linked trolls who used its targeting options to reach millions of Americans in an effort to divide the country during the 2016 election. And dozens of companies have used Facebook’s ad targeting options “to exclude older workers from job ads,” a recent Propublica investigation found.

Some organizations supporting the LGBT community aren’t opposed to Facebook's move. A spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) told BuzzFeed news that Facebook’s call to remove identity-based targeting while keeping interest-based targeting is “a fair compromise” that could prevent malicious uses of the ad platform. GLAAD, an advocacy organization, does not use the identity-based targeting, or have a need for it the way the Trevor Project does.

But Facebook’s reluctance to allow the Trevor Project to use the criteria, even as it’s made special accommodations for dating apps, has frustrated the nonprofit. It was using the targeting to promote a national mental health survey. “We have a very limited budget, and so now I have to throw money at the wind, hoping it’s going to reach the group I want to reach,” Stowell said.

Facebook says dating apps are allowed to continue using sexual orientation thanks to a "legacy requirement." The social media company added, however, that will end at the end of April.

Facebook banned ad discrimination by sexual orientation, yay! Right?

Except suicide prevention hotlines for LGBT youth can’t reach the people they need to, oops https://t.co/vfcdrxMqDJ

— Katie Notopoulos (@katienotopoulos) March 21, 2018

So Facebook no longer lets ads be targets by sexual orientation… except for dating ads. Of course they're not allowing non-profits like The Trevor Project…
gotta love facebook https://t.co/w7mrcwmyze pic.twitter.com/Wc3zigJyqC

— Pat Murray (@_patmurray) March 21, 2018

Commercials: Hershey's Kisses Celebrates Gay Family's Christmas Traditions

A new holiday spot for Hershey’s Kisses features a gay couple celebrating their holiday traditions in New York City with their mom for the first time in New York City.

“She and my father spent all of their lives making my brother Jason and me feel loved and accepted and supported. Now it’s our chance to do that for her.”

Ad: Rafael Nadal Strips For Tommy Hilfiger Underwear

Here's one way to wake up your Tuesday morning.

Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal invites you into the locker room and then teases the lens as he strips down to his underwear in a new ad spot for Tommy Hilfiger.

Initialize ads

Tiffany & Co. Feature Gay Couple In New Ad

Tiffany & Co. debuted a new ad featuring a same-sex couple — a very welcome first for the brand. The image is a sneak preview of Tiffany's forthcoming “Will You” campaign, which "honors the idea that love knows no boundaries," a representative told us today.

According to fashion/style website Refinery29, the handsome men in the ad are a real-life New York City couple.

The text of the ad reads:

"Will you promise to never stop completing my sentences or singing off-key, which I'm afraid you do often? And will you let today be the first sentence of one long story that never, ever ends?"

“Nowadays, the road to marriage is no longer linear, and true love can happen more than once with love stories coming in a variety of forms,” a Tiffany spokesperson told Elle.com. “The Tiffany engagement ring is the first sentence of the story that a couple will write together as they create a life that is deeply intimate and exceptional, which is the message we hope to convey through this campaign.”

Jerry Seinfeld Mocks Advertising As He Wins Clio Award

The 55th annual CLIO Awards, the most prestigious international advertising awards, were held in NYC this past week.

In his own unimitable fashion, Jerry Seinfeld mocks the advertising industry as he picks up his honorary Clio Award:

"I think spending your lives trying to dupe innocent people out of hard-won earnings to buy useless, low-quality, misrepresented items and services is an excellent use of your energy."

Target ad features LGBT family - "Made To Matter"

New Target ad for their "Made To Matter" line features two gay dads making art with their child.

Sweet!

Head-scratcher ad of the day: Duluth Trading Company

Hard to figure out who is getting insulted in this web ad for Duluth Trading Company...?

Is Duluth saying women are "pansies" for carrying a purse?

Or are men "pansies" for carrying a tote bag that's not an "oil cloth tote?"

Things that make you go "hmm..."

UPDATE: The Duluth Trading Company responded to blogger Joe Jervis of JoeMyGod on Twitter. See below:

(h/t JMG)

Bryan Fischer says Americans are tired of LGBT-inclusive advertising

Bob Witeck, president of strategic communications firm Witeck Communications, talks about the recent surge in LGBT inclusive advertising:

“What we’re witnessing is the idea that you don’t have to isolate gay ads and messaging to markets only intended for gay people. Families all look different from the traditional family Americans grew up with 50 years ago. They are far more multiracial, more single parents, more gay couples raising kids. If you start leaving them out, you’re not only erasing gay people, but you’re also erasing people who are part of people’s family.”

But of course, the haters have to weigh in on the dreaded diversity of America.

Bryan Fischer, of the certified hate group The American Family Association, says ordinary Americans are growing tired of advertising featuring diverse, gay families:

“I think eventually this LGBT advertising push is gonna trigger a blowback from ordinary Americans. I think that ordinary Americans are getting fed up with having the homosexual agenda shoved down their throats when they’re watching TV with their families. What American families are gonna begin to react to is that they are recognizing that this is no longer about advertising a product. This is about propaganda for a sexually deviant lifestyle.”

Check out the "agenda" getting "shoved down their throats" via the recent Chevy commercial above. You'll note a family with two dads at the :10 mark.

Fischer is horrified, I'm thrilled. The diversity of our country is our strength.

(via Towleroad)

Cute Hotwire ad features gay couple

The travel website Hotwire has a cute spot that features a gay couple going on vacation for some much needed rest.

(h/t Boy Culture)

Very cool video ad on subway platform

Imaginative digital subway ad in Sweden for hair-care products recognizes when trains enter the station — and then showed a woman's hair blowing all around, as though windswept by the train.

Very simple, but seems to incorporate the technology into the environment.

Ad agency Akestam Holst and production company Stopp produced the ad for Apotek Hjärtat's Apolosophy hair care products.

Apotek Hjärtat - Blowing in The Wind from Ourwork on Vimeo.

Channing Tatum spoofs Van Damme VOLVO ad

Channing Tatum recently filmed a spoof of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s epic split ad for Volvo while on the set of 22 Jump Street, the upcoming film sequel to 21 Jump Street.

The spoof features Channing in character as undercover cop Greg Jenko standing on top of two food carts while being pushed along by crew members.

(via LaughingSquid)

Kmart ad: Show Your Joe

The holiday season is upon us and that means there are going to be new Christmas ads popping up between now and the end of the year.

First up in the race to come out on top: Joe Boxer with a short yet sweet ad that will have your junk jingling.

Or something like that.

I can hear One Million Moms lose their minds in 3, 2, 1...

So "show your Joe!"

I gotta say, though, this does remind me of a similar video from the world famous Chippendales. See the similarity?

(via OUT)

This is an ad for mascara

According to Benefit and the "creative studio" that helped make the ad, the commercial is "intended to break the mold of the traditional beauty ad" by making mascara get "in-your-face gratuitous with your fave celebrity packages (wink, wink)." Like the Zesty Guy or the Old Spice guy that came before — except this time, the connection between man meat and product is even more tenuous.

(h/t Jezebel)

One Million Moms doesn't like Kraft Foods "Zesty Guy"

Well, I guess you could have seen this one coming from One Million Moms (who are really more like 'less than 60K'):

Last week's issue of People Magazine had the most disgusting ad on the inside front cover that we have ever seen Kraft produce. A full 2-page ad features a n*ked man lying on a picnic blanket with only a small portion of the blanket barely covering his g*nitals. It is easy to see what the ad is really selling. A person has to look closely to see the item the company is marketing because the salad dressing bottle is so small next to the male model, picnic basket and other food items. There is also a small Kraft logo in the upper corners with the words "Silverware Optional - Let's Get Zesty." The website getmezesty.com is listed in the bottom corner.

Kraft has gone too far and will push away loyal, conservative customers with this new ad campaign. Christians will not be able to buy Kraft dressings or any of their products until they clean up their advertising. The consumers they are attempting to attract - women and mothers - are the very ones they are driving away. Who will want Kraft products in their fridge or pantry if this vulgarity is what they represent? One Million Moms cannot get over the gall of this company. It is unnecessary for Kraft to use s*x to sell salad dressing!

I think the ad is cute and fun, personally.  I feel the need to get "zesty" already.

And by the way, if you click here you can send a Zestygram!  I made this one for my husband Michael and sent to him via Twitter.  Lots of options and fun for a diversion :)

Best Super Bowl 47 commercial?

According to a poll done last night, this Budweiser commercial was chosen the best of Super Bowl ads.

Kind of has a "War Horse" tug to it.

Ah... I like.

What do you guys think? Did you have a favorite commercial this year? Or one you thought stunk?

(via JMG)

Gap leans forward

Today, Towleroad pointed out that Gap has jumped on the "attractive male duo" bandwagon with a billboard starring two handsome young men (caught via Twitter by Chris Votaw, or @votaw).

Earlier this week, the New York Times profiled Gap, Inc., noting that after a handful of tumultous, lethargic years, the brand is looking to recapture the sense of understated-cool that they originally heralded in the 90s.

In the 90s Gap was my store of choice.  For several seasons, Gap's "collections" of comfortable clothes perfectly suited my personality at the time.  I'd love to see them return to the cost-conscious but quality fashion focus they have shown in the past.

I, personally, appreciate the effort by Gap to make such a public endorsement of support to the LGBTQ community.

I've actually been meaning to drop by Gap for a little shop-shop anyway.  Now I have even more reason to go.

Next up, expect the advocacy group One Million Moms to start their boycott in 3...2...1...

Voskos Greek Yogurt ad

Excuse me, I feel the need to buy some yogurt...

Now THIS is how to sell air-freshener

The Renuzit brand of air fresheners is being expanded with the addition of a line named Renuzit Fresh Accents.

The campaign, scheduled to begin in earnest this week, avoids the approach common for the category of presenting homes transformed into gorgeous showplaces by a spritz or whiff of fragrance.

Rather, the campaign is centered on other gorgeous images: buff young men who are either shirtless or have opened their shirts to reveal chiseled midsections.

The gist is that Renuzit Fresh Accents is as gorgeous as the models because it is, the print, online and outdoor ads declare, “the first air freshener designed to look as great as it smells.”

My one question is: there's air freshener in the ad?