The Ad Council is launching a national effort to address LGBTQ+ discrimination across the country. The new initiative is part of its Emmy-winning “Love Has No Labels” campaign and comes at a pivotal time: Nearly a decade after marriage equality passed nationally, LGBTQ+ hate and violence are on the rise, and more than half of states still do not offer critical protections for LGBTQ+ people across fundamental areas such as housing and public services.
Created pro bono by R/GA and directed by filmmaker Luke Gilford via production company Golden LA, the “American Dreams” PSAs seek to bring together people from all walks of life to not only raise awareness of LGBTQ+ discrimination but share real-life experiences that drive people to take action to break down the barriers many LGBTQ+ people continue to face every day.
This PSA, “A Place To Call Home,” shows the housing discrimination LGBTQ+ folks face, in effect denying the American Dream of having a home to call your own.
“No one should face discrimination because of who they are,” said Ad Council president and CEO Lisa Sherman. “There is more that unites us than divides us, and this new campaign was designed to empower individuals across the country to see the inequities impacting so many and take actions that help ensure that LGBTQ+ people also have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”
Today, 28 U.S. states lack laws that protect LGBTQ+ people from being denied housing, public accommodations and other services based solely on their gender identity and sexual orientation. This means that in more than half of U.S. states, LGBTQ+ people could be denied housing just because of who they are. Concerningly, 50% of LGBTQ+ Americans have been harassed, fired or denied a promotion at work because of who they are.
The new “American Dreams” effort highlights the barriers that exist in achieving equality and protection against discrimination and threats of violence. It then directs audiences to the LoveHasNoLabels website. On the site, people are encouraged to learn about the legal protections that do (or do not exist) in their state, read stories from LGBTQ+ people about their experiences with discrimination, and access resources to help foster more accepting communities.
“The Ad Council’s Love Has No Labels ‘American Dreams’ campaign is more than just a message–it’s a call to action,” said Robin Forbes, global CEO at R/GA. “It’s an urgent reminder that we must all take steps to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals are treated with the respect and equality they deserve. Campaigns like this are a critical tool in the toolkit we can use to highlight our shared humanity and emphasize that discrimination has no place in our society. R/GA is proud to partner with The Ad Council to tackle these issues head-on, reinforcing that we’re all human before anything else.”
CreditsClient Ad Council Agency R/GA Tiffany Rolfe, global chairman and chief creative officer; Ari Halper, global executive creative director & head of creative excellence; JJ Lim, group creative director; Rowan Mansfield, Corey Thorn, Pawel Rokicki, creative directors; Artiana Wynder, Julian Soto, associate creative directors; Elizabeth Kenney, sr. designer; Raven Faux, copywriter; Jesse Sarfan, strategy director; Sunny Lee, Alexis DeBrunner, associate strategy directors; Jeff Skutnik, VP, executive production director; Ozzy Uzcategui, executive producer; Shakil Uddin, director, content production; Danielle Small, sr. content producer. Production Company Golden LA Luke Gifford, director; Matthew Marquis, managing director; Dahlia Stone, exec producer; Jake Agger, producer; Tori Storosh, production manager; Eric Yue, DP; Kelly McGehee, production designer; Meg Parsons, stylist; Zaheer Sukhnandan, makeup & hair. Editorial Cartel Addam Robinson, Nate Katz, editors; Andrea Norby, Nick Bruce, assistant editors; Ashton Evans, Julie Zivic, post producers; Evyn Bruce, exec producer. VFX/Post Transformer Mark Youngren, Justin Blaustein, Flame artists; Ted Stanley, Flame assistant; Chrissy Bruzek, finishing producer; Emily Stave, exec producer. Color Grade Color Collective Alex Bickel, colorist; Claudia Guevara, exec producer. Music & Sound Barking Owl Emile Mosseri, composer. Track name: “A Forest”; Greedy Heart Records, music label; Universal Music Publishing Classics & Screens U.S. on behalf of Warm Water Publishing, music publisher. Sound Design & Mix Barking Owl Elizabeth McClanahan, sound designer & mixer; Ashley Benton, exec producer; Jenna Pangilinan, jr. producer; Johanna Cranitch, creative director; Carol Dunn, managing director.
CarMax, The Martin Agency, Director Ulf Johansson Take Us To Car Dealership Run By Beetlejuice
CarMax, the used car retailer known for promoting “the way car buying should be,” understands that sometimes the best way to appreciate doing things the right way is by showcasing the wrong way. In collaboration with the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice team--which is elated given that the movie topped this weekend’s North American box office--CarMax is taking a playful approach to show what car buying shouldn’t be. Showing a family’s nightmarish car-buying experience by turning a character from the movie into possibly the most devious car salesman ever, the campaign, titled “BeetleMax: The Way Car Buying Shouldn’t Be,” humorously illustrates what to avoid when purchasing a car, highlighting CarMax’s commitment to providing a trustworthy and enjoyable car-buying experience for the whole family.
The campaign, concepted by The Martin Agency and directed by Ulf Johansson via Smith and Jones Films--includes this hero spot depicting a car dealership, Beetlemax, run by Beetlejuice himself.
“Beetlejuice is among Warner Bros. most beloved franchises and continues to be sought out by audiences of all ages. Theatrical partnerships with brands like CarMax and their BeetleMax campaign are exciting because they allow us to extend the cinematic world for moviegoers and offer an enhanced entertainment experience. We are thrilled to be partnering with CarMax in such an innovative and immersive way for Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,” said Dana Nussbaum, EVP of worldwide marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures.
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