JCPenney's Two Gay Dads

It’s June – the month marketers usually bench creativity in favor of the simple rhyming convention “Dads and Grads.” Look, we get it. Early summer burnout – no one wants to think too hard about in-store promotions. There is one major retailer however; hell bent on breaking tradition in its pursuit of attractive new markets…

'Gay-CPenney' is at it again – (and we applaud thee).

On the heels Birkenstocks of the company’s first Mother’s Day ad featuring a ‘two mom-ed’ household, comes a catalog spot that celebrates gay dads. 

Visibility and acknowledgement have long been a problem in the gay community. So when promoted alongside hetero-sexual counterparts, same-sex sells.

And while ultra-conservative groups like One Million Moms continue to condemn the retailer for promoting alternative lifestyles – we hope JCP will keep the gay coming.

Both ads are subtle enough that they fly below the radar of the quick skimmer. Still, JCP is slowly but surely exposing a more fidgety nation to the idea that the loving family next door can be non-conventional.  With repetition and other retailers joining the fold, hopefully these types of ads will soon be common place and feel “natural.” 

Just in case you missed the Mother's Day ad...

And while we’re on the subject of JCP…

How’s that new direction we discussed back in February going?

Heavy Stat/Light on Tact

When newly appointed CEO Ron Johnson set out to rehabilitate the stodgy, aging retailer – he led the charge with a major overhaul to the company’s pricing strategy. But lately, it’s as if fair and square pricing has taken a back seat to campaigns that are pure brand.

And while JCPenney commercials of the last few months have been filled with rich, bright colors and video capturing the random playfulness of life – they haven’t reassured regulars that a retail world devoid of coupons can be good.

Perhaps JCP’s 15% miss against Q1 projections might have more to do with customer confusion than a lack of new brand resonance. It’s time to go back to basics and use commercial time to explain the new pricing strategy in more explicit terms.

The retailer should also fast-track legacy store renovation plans to bring drab, dim-lit in-store experiences up to match the fresh, new brand personality conveyed in the catalog and on TV.

Hang in there, JCP – you’ll find the right rhythm soon enough!

JBS only wants 'REAL' men in their underwear (whatever that means)...

I was exploring Tumblr the other day when I came across a unique take on advertising male underwear:

A promotion crafted for JBS Group – premier manufacturer of men’s underwear and other furnishings out of Denmark since 1939, the ad breaks the mold held by traditional men’s underwear advertisements which more often than not opt to feature scantily clad and sculpted male models. Instead, it fuses ultra-slim, sexy female models into traditional male activities.  

When I went to peruse the company’s website for more information, I was a bit caught off guard at what greeted me on the homepage:

"JUST FOR," eh?

Exclusion?

Presumably intended to fend off a JBS-defined sub-species of men; perhaps those prone to more feminine mannerisms, proud metrosexuals, and (if you dare go so far as to even consider them part of the male archetype) homosexuals?

Now, I’m not here to assume whether JBS is either for or against gay rights. Regardless of any specific issue, my notion of family run organizations is that they often lack introspection and an adequate pool of naysayers within PR.

Let’s assume JBS meant no harm or legit exclusion and that they’ll take anyone’s money; straight, bi or gay.

Does the ad even work on “real” men?

We doubt it.

For one thing, “real” men, (we’re asking you to pull out your deepest held stereotypes here) machismo overflowing, don’t give a crap (no pun intended) whether their undies are clean, let alone CK versus Hanes. They put little to no credence on advertisements when making their selections.

Who buys Mr. Man’s undies? His wife. Do you think ads that play up perfect-bodied alternates bode well with her? Do they foster brand loyalty or erode self-esteem?

Men Don't Want to Look at Naked Men?

BS.

The fact of the matter is all men, (gay and straight alike), have a predisposition towards comparison. 

The traditional ads work at selling underwear because, on a sub-conscious (non-sexual) level, buyers see idealistic versions of themselves in the ads. In that sense, and on a very rudimentary level, the purchase can become as much aspirational as it is functional.

Bottom line – keep the male models. “Real” men have other outlets from which they can score soft-core porn. They aren’t looking for it when they’re buying underpants.