The Use Of Gay-Vague Advertisements

http://www.styleite.com

Advertisers have been using sexuality in their ads for years, but in the 1990's a new trend appeared: what Michael Wilke referred to as "gay-vague" advertisements.  These ads, which we see most notably for brands such as Calvin Klein or Abercrombie and Fitch, include images that may appeal to both gay and straight consumers.  By encoding ads with visual cues so that gay individuals interpret the ad as gay, while keeping the cues subtle enough that straight individuals do not pick up on them, an advertisement can target two audiences at the same time.  This advertising strategy is based off of the idea that people see what they want to see, and even when presented with an image that appears gay, a straight individual will create a story in their head that aligns with their own beliefs and values.  The use of "gay-vague" advertisements has become a legitimate strategy since the 90's when the phrase was first coined, and used for all sorts of products, though most often for clothing brands.  While at first it seems a little far-fetched, that advertisers are hiding "codes" for the gay community to interpret while the rest of the population goes about their lives unaware, in reality this is an extremely effective strategy.  Just like politicians campaigning for election try to appeal to both parties without alienating anyone, clothing companies are able to market themselves to both parties while offending neither party.