Presenter(s): Sara Blackburn
Faculty Mentor(s): Kim Sheehan
Poster 120
Session: Social Sciences & Humanities
Although LGBT consumers have been targeted by various brands and organizations throughout the twentieth century, many scholars cite the 1990s as the era in which the “gay market” truly emerged and mainstream brands increased their efforts to actively and publicly advertise to LGBT consumers. The practice continues today, but such advertisements have typically featured mainly gay men and lesbians, largely excluding bisexual and transgender individuals. My study seeks to understand if modern mainstream advertisements are able to effectively persuade LGBT audiences that are not cisgender gays or lesbians. Through a series of structured, one-on-one interviews with college-aged lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender participants, this study seeks to gain a qualitative understanding of the efficacy of mainstream LGBT advertisements through interpretive analysis. Preliminary analysis indicates that modern mainstream LGBT advertisements are not universally effective for participants of any gender or sexual orientation. Additionally, participants frequently expressed greater desire for actual action on the part of the brands in support of LGBT individuals and communities rather than more or different representation in advertisements themselves. Such work creates a foundation that can give specific recommendations to help brands target LGBT consumers in a more effective and ethical way.