Do you remember the first time you saw an “unconventional” family, a transgender person, or a gay or lesbian couple in a television commercial? Believe it or not, some people have lived through decades in which diversity was completely lacking in advertising. Even though ads that feature people with non-normative identities are still few and far between, some companies have finally gotten the message that diversity in advertising is a good thing.
Just take Hallmark, a company that continues to get more inclusive with each sentimental holiday that comes around. Back in May, the greeting card and gift company finally decided to showcase motherhood in a non-heteronormative way by giving a shout-out to lesbian moms. Now, Hallmark is at it again with its new campaign for Valentine’s Day that features a lesbian couple.
The campaign is called “Put Your Heart to Paper,” and a video ad that accompanies it features girlfriends Corinna and Eugenia. According to The Huffington Post, “The series puts the spotlight on several real-life couples, including Eugenia and Corinna, who have been together for two years. The clip sees the couple reminiscing about how they first met and discussing the strengths of their relationship.”
The ad feels so much more authentic than so many cookie-cutter depictions of love and relationships in 2015. Including Corinna and Eugenia in its latest ad campaign suggests that Hallmark sees the value in being inclusive in its marketing efforts, and will hopefully spark a trend that more companies will follow.
“She is absolutely amazing and wonderful,” says Eugenia of her girlfriend in the “Put Your Heart to Paper” campaign. At One Equal World we happen to think that that Eugenia and Corinna are amazing, and that it’s pretty wonderful for Hallmark to have made an effort to showcase different kinds of relationships in its Valentine’s Day campaign.
There is still a long way to go until more brands embrace diversity and inclusion in their marketing practices, but we’ll take note of each company that helps to create a more equal world by creating LGBT visibility in advertising.