LGBTQ+ representation lags at a critical time
From Ad Age’s count, only seven celebrities starring in this year’s Big Game ads are openly part of the LGBTQ+ community: Michelle Rodriguez (Häagen-Dazs), Jake Shane (Poppi), Dan Levy (Homes.com), Wanda Sykes (Novartis), Aubrey Plaza (Ritz) and Sha’Carri Richardson and Alexia Putellas (Nike). And there were no campaigns centered around authentic LGBTQ+ stories.
Last year, six celebrities who starred in Big Game ads were openly part of the LGBTQ+ community, by Ad Age’s count. However, last year, Volkswagen’s “An American Love Story,” from agency Johannes Leonardo, showed a wide array of VW customers, including a lesbian couple who shared a kiss in one of its cars on their wedding day.
The Super Bowl came weeks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order asserting that the U.S. government recognizes only male and female sexes, and days after his order barring transgender girls and women from competing on sports teams that match their identity.
“Outside of a few casting choices (Michelle Rodriguez bicon clocked) [and] a few gay icons (Miss Piggy), I have not seen much representation of my LGBTQIA+ fam thus far,” said Kindra Meyer, executive creative director of experiential agency Verb. “Where is the gender-inclusive diversity? Where are the gay people of color? Where are the different body shapes, sizes, and ages?”
My Code’s Lockett said the Super Bowl has historically ignored the LGBTQ+ community, but given the rise in states introducing anti-LGBTQ+ bills, brands have a responsibility to stand up for what is right on advertising’s biggest night.
“For LGBTQIA+ people, seeing oneself on this stage is a confirmation,” he said. “For supporters, it is understanding. And for the brands, it is both the right thing to do and the right thing to do for business. The LGBTQIA+ consumers are a big and loyal consumer market, and still, agencies and brands are afraid to suggest inclusive ideas, fearing backlash or turning off conservative buyers.”
Lockett said “things have changed” and younger consumers, especially, “appreciate the companies that do not only talk but act.” Execution-wise, he said a LGBTQ+ storyline doesn’t “always have to be the main plot.”
“At times, the strongest messages are delivered through small acts of incorporating diverse people into the world we all inhabit,” Lockett said. “Inclusion can be as natural and as unobtrusive and still feel quite meaningful.”
LGBTQ+ representation has historically been lacking in the Super Bowl.
The first in-game ad to feature a gay or lesbian couple was in 2014, a Coca-Cola spot featuring two dads who take their daughter roller-skating, according to research from Alltold, a self-described “people-first responsible AI company.”
Missing groups
Hispanic and Asian American representation is once again severely lacking in this year’s crop of ads.
While Hispanic representation in last year’s Big Game ads was limited, there were a few standouts, including Doritos’ “Dina and Mita” spot starring Hispanic actors Jenna Ortega, her on-screen abuelas and Danny Ramirez.
Lisette Arsuaga, the co-president and co-CEO of DMI Consulting and co-founder of the Association of National Advertisers’ Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing said there was no standout authentic representation of Hispanic culture in any of this year’s Big Game spots that she viewed.
Asian American representation also continues to be nearly non-existent in Super Bowl ads, aside from Miki Ann Maddox appearing in the DoorDash ad and a few non-celebrity AANHPI actor appearances.
“The Super Bowl, a major national cultural event, unites Americans,” said Genny Hom-Franzen, executive director of the Asian American Advertising Federation, who observed a huge gap in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation in this year’s Super Bowl advertising. “By 2040, the U.S. is projected to become a minority-majority country. As the fastest-growing consumer segment, Asian Americans contribute substantially to the economy and culture. We appreciate brands that recognize and authentically engage with our community, and we notice when we are overlooked.”
Hom-Franzen noted that the 3AF hasn’t necessarily seen any misrepresentations of AAPI individuals, but that’s “due to a general lack of any representation.” She said she can’t recall a Super Bowl ad, even in the past, that “exceptionally represented AAPI culture or, more specifically, authentically showcased their fandom of the NFL.”
“This absence itself is a missed opportunity and, in a way, contributes to a form of misrepresentation,” she said.
Hom-Franzen pointed to a Statistica stat that showed “a substantial 62% of the AAPI community are NFL fans. This demonstrates a clear and passionate connection to the sport, making the lack of representation in Super Bowl advertising even more glaring,” she said.
Accessibility and representation of people with disabilities
This year’s Super Bowl ads have included some representation of people with disabilities—but not much.
Along with the NFL’s “Somebody” spot, which features Special Olympics athletes, Rocket said it included a diverse cast across different “backgrounds, ethnicities, genders and abilities.” The company added that “Ryan Hudson Peralta, an internationally recognized designer and disability advocate is featured, ensuring disability representation was integral, not an afterthought.”
Still, no commercial so far this year seems to compare to Google’s in-game ad last year, which was hailed as one of the most inclusive representations of people with disabilities in Super Bowl advertising. Google’s 60-second ad for its Pixel 8 phone was partly filmed with a camera obscured by petroleum jelly, a choice blind director Adam Morse made to transport people into the point of view of a blind character.
This year, Google’s Super Bowl commercial focused on a father using its Gemini Live AI assistant to prepare for a job interview, as was revealed in a two-minute extended version of the spot.
Most of the advertisers that responded to the survey—including the NFL, Ritz, Booking.com, Haagen-Dazs, NerdWallet, Come Near and Rocket—said they followed best practices for making their ads accessible to consumers of different abilities. These in-game ads will have closed captioning and/or audio descriptions for broadcast.
NerdWallet said the company is also using “auto-generated text overlay captions for assets on social platforms” for its Super Bowl spot.
“We work to ensure legibility and accessibility to all viewers by paying attention to contrast when using on-screen text and providing closed captioning options, in addition to ensuring clarity in sound design, mix and overall comprehension,” the DoorDash spokesperson said.
Reflection of older individuals
One area where brands did seem to do a better job is in representing older people.
From Ad Age’s count, 28 celebrities starring in Big Game spots are above the age of 50.
Arsuaga said that some ads have “a really good representation in the aging segment” including WeatherTech’s 30-second in-game spot from agency Pinnacle Advertising.
The ad, set to the Steppenwolf classic “Born to Be Wild,” follows four daredevil grannies on a wild ride in their 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible, which is only protected from their shenanigans by their WeatherTech mats.