With the COO of McDonald’s Don Thompson announcing the new gay themed French McDonald’s advert would never show in the US and the banning of a gay family themed Heinz advert only hours after it first showed in the UK, you could imagine that the world was completely void of gay lead adverts. A quick flick through Youtube though reveals that the advertising world at least isn’t quite as homophobic as you might imagine as these ten LGBT focused advert show:

Now all we need to do is work out how to get senior management of these big companies and the homophobic viewers who complain to understand that just seeing an advert with a gay person in it isn’t going turn everyone gay…

1. Heinz Deli Mayo Advert

Even though this advert isn’t really gay (all it’s actually implying is using the Deli Mayo will turn anyone into a star Deli sandwich maker) it still managed to get banned in the UK. Go progress!

2. Levi 501 Jeans Advert

3. Norwegian PSA – “You Don’t Need To Be So Tough

4. McDonalds Come As You Are Advert

5. Hyundai Advert

6. Bjorn Borg Advert

7. Virgin Atlantic Advert

8. Orangina Gay Cat Advert

Whilst we’re all for the gay angle of this advert we’re not too sure what the bestiality element is all about

9. Levi 501 Unbuttoned Advert

10.ILGA Portugal Advert

Know of any other great gay adverts? Let us know about them below..

In response to increased attacks on public service employees in the Netherlands, the Dutch Council for Safety have employed some very clever augmented reality advertising to highlight how we, as the general public, all too often stand back and let it happen.

Employing green screen technology, the interactive billboard effectively holds a mirror up to people’s inactivity by filming them on the street, then showing it on the screen complete with an attack on ambulance workers. Entranced by what is happening people then act to do what they always – stop and stare.

Engaging and a very clever use of augmented reality, the advert then offers four pieces of advice on what people can do to help, finishing with the tagline ”You hold the key to greater safety on the streets”.

An impressive use of the technlogy by the Dutch Council for Safety, we’d love to see a LGBT organisation use it in a similar way to highlight the increased number of homophobic attacks, and what others can do to help prevent them.

Via Mastercom.

Giving your woman designer lingerie for Christmas is always a win-win option because she gets something gorgeous that you’ve put a lot of thought into, and you, you lucky thing, get to enjoy her in it.

But what to buy? And where from? If Victoria’s Secret had their way they’d like you to buy it from them, and we have to sayawith the release of a new underwear advert entitled One Gift…. A Thousand Fantasies they’re doing well in the persuading stakes.

Pretty much bringing the title to life this is an advert is filled with half naked ladies in a range of different fantasy situations. You can tell from the quality of it that a lot of thought, money and effort go into it…. which is of course the only reason we’ve got it playing on a loop on a big screen at Queeried Towers. Not because these are hot women wearing very little. Oh no. We’re not that fickle…

Now pleas excuse us we have women, we mean lingerie to admire.

Not read a book in a while? Forgotten about how it feels to get immersed in a story as you as read it?

New Zealand Book Council want you to get that feeling back, and they’ve done it in spectacular fashion with their latest advert. Created by Colenso BBDO, and made using stop motion animation put together by Andersen M Studo, this does literally make the story spring to life in front of your eyes, and if it doesn’t tempt you to put down your Kindle and pick up a real book nothing will…

If there is one type of advert that sure to make you cringe it’s cleaning product adverts, because let’s admit they’re just awful things filled with cheesy lines and awful jingles.

Well that is apart from this one by the People Against Dirty campaign. This is definitely not awful, maybe a little creepy though…

Produced by the Valentin & Bhyr advertising agency in  Gothenburg, Sweden, this advertising campaign for an exhibition on Voodoo at the Museum of World Culture is a brilliant example of guerilla marketing at it’s best with Valentin & Bhyr using the voodoo method of sticking pins in things and posters, billboard and the great outdoors as their canvas to great effect:

We think it’s pretty darn clever. How about you?

(Via Ads of the World)

Produced by Ogilvy and Mather in Istanbul, this amazing new advert for  Turkish newspaper, Zaman has an extremely powerful message that is likely to have a much bigger impact than just getting you to pick up the newspaper.

Depicting ordinary people being halted in their progress through life by unseen barriers, this advert uses these transparent blocks as a metaphor for their ignorance, showing how people can become trapped within their own narrow views, and the impact that creating these walls has on their lives and their contact with others in the world.

Gicen a bleak feel both in terms of visuals and the soundtrack, the advert shows that we, as individuals, all have the power to break down these self imposed walls – something reiterated in the copy for the ad which reads as “Our prejudices. Our invisible walls. Isn’t it time to demolish them?”