Today, P&G launched the film “They Will See You,” which is the third in its series with Great Big Story. In the film, LGBTQ P&G employees, members of the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, and LGBTQ youth in Cincinnati, where P&G is headquartered, all discuss the importance of the LGBTQ visibility in media and advertising.
The film provides a first-of-its-kind look at the history of LGBTQ images in P&G advertising, from coded ads from the early 1900s to out and proud ads of today. Several distinct stories and experiences are shared, including those of different generations and backgrounds within the LGBTQ community in P&G’s home state of Ohio. All the stories share a common theme: that visibility is vital, and can change hearts and minds. The film showcases the impact that inclusion can have on local communities and how global brands can increase the visibility of marginalized people everywhere.
P&G and Great Big Story premiered the film yesterday during a virtual event hosted by CNN Worldwide anchor Kate Bolduan, and featuring P&G Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard, P&G Global LGBTQ+ Equality Program Leader Brent Miller, and GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
“They Will See You” is a complement to last year’s “Out of the Shadows” and 2018’s “The Words Matter,” both of which have received widespread attention for their transparent portrayal of P&G’s evolution of including LGBTQ employees and consumers. These films are part of P&G’s continuing work to highlight bias, drive a meaningful discussion, and provide context to P&G’s long-standing commitment to Diversity & Inclusion.
On Wednesday, GLAAD and P&G released the findings from the first-ever “LGBTQ Inclusion in Advertising and Media” study, which measures how non-LGBTQ Americans respond to LGBTQ representation in television, films, and ads. The findings of the study demonstrate high comfortability around viewing LGBTQ images in the media, favorability towards brands with LGBTQ-inclusive advertising, and that inclusive media images lead to greater acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community. Check out the full study here.
Today, we released the first-ever “LGBTQ Inclusion in Advertising and Media” study in partnership with @ProcterGamble. The study measures how non-LGBTQ Americans react to LGBTQ images in film, TV, and ads. Here is a thread of the key findings. https://t.co/ckSbvruRPh
— GLAAD (@glaad) May 27, 2020
As part of the release of the study’s findings, GLAAD, P&G, and the Association of National Advertisers’ Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM) also announced that they are developing best in class practices and standards for LGBTQ inclusion and segment specific advertising and marketing. The best practices developed through this partnership will create accountability through CIIM™, the Cultural Insights Impact Measure™, which measures the cultural relevance of ads and content and their impact on sales. These standards across the industry will provide an effective framework for LGBTQ inclusion and segment specific advertising that ensures brands and companies prioritize impact, as well as accurate and authentic representation.
For more than a year, GLAAD and P&G have been strategic partners helping to drive responsible LGBTQ inclusion across the advertising industry as a force for good. In June 2019, P&G brand Pantene announced its official partnership with GLAAD through the launch of “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m BeautifuLGBTQ+” campaign, featuring a range of people within the LGBTQ community and their own unique stories of transformation. At the end of 2019, Ellen DeGeneres premiered Pantene’s “Home for the Holidays” ad, which featured members of the Trans Chorus of LA and was created in partnership with GLAAD. P&G has released some of the other most memorable LGBTQ-inclusive ads within the past year, including Gillette’s “First Shave” ad featuring a young Black transgender man shaving with his dad, showcasing a diverse group of trans people speaking about the importance of hair to them. Earlier this year, GLAAD also worked with P&G and the Ariadne Getty Foundation to bring the discussion about the importance of LGBTQ inclusion in advertising during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos.