Homosexual adertising: Does equality sell? : An experimental research to the effect of homosexual imagery in advertising on the attitude toward the ad and brand, with regard to sexuality, gender and liberalism

G. van Duijn

The display of homosexuality in advertising is becoming more common in mainstream media. However, some of these ads still get backlash from the audience. This current study is attempting to examine the effect of erotic homosexual imagery in advertising in comparison to erotic heterosexual imagery on the attitude toward the ad and brand, with regard to gender, sexuality and liberalism. Dutch people in the age range of 18-30 (n = 128) evaluated one of two types of imagery in an experimental study. Results show homosexual imagery is evaluated more favourably than heterosexual imagery. Only males with no same-sex attraction were more negative toward homosexual imagery than heterosexual imagery. This study suggests that marketing practitioners shouldn?t be too hesitant when it comes to portraying homosexuals in their advertisements. However, further research is needed to comprehend the effectiveness of homosexual imagery even more.