I got a Brooks Brothers catalog in the mail and it had a few images that made me think that the company was trying to dip their toes into the "gay world" while maintaining deniability. I actually looked up the catalog online to see if anyone noticed this, but I couldn't find anyone raising the issue. On the men's catalog, on the first page, there are two guys and a little boy. One of the guys is being affectionate to the child, like a father and the other guy is smiling. It looks like a family with two dads. They even all have matching seersucker suits, like if its a family picture. On another page, those same guys are in together in a picture and smiling (or maybe it's two brothers or friends). Maybe I'm reading too much into this, or maybe that's exactly what companies like Brooks Brothers wants the gay community to see, a tacit nod in our direction in exchange for our money. Maybe later, once it's safe for them to come out as LGBT friendly will they then feature an overt LGBT family. Is this catalog ambiguously "gay friendly?" What is your opinion on companies that have ambiguous "gay" ads instead of overt/undeniably "gay friendly" ads, especially given that certain companies demographics may not be so "gay friendly" and may choose to shop elsewhere if they don't approve of overt "gay" ads? Spoiler
It's not obvious to me that they are two gay guys. Only one is giving affection to the kid and the other could easily be a brother or friend. However, I think you are right that they may have thought about them wanting to potentially portray it as a gay couple. I'm sure that ran through their minds. They probably wanted to make it ambiguous for the reasons you mentioned.
The first one to me suggests its two gay guys with a child but the second one kinda looks like to friends entering a fancy party at a mansion...
the first picture "looks" like they're a family, the second one not so much. it seems to me that even if we progress as an lgbt community, they're going to remake the image in their own world. soon enough we're going to have backlashes on why there aren't any fabulous gay men that aren't a stick figure and they all come in shapes and sizes and etc...
I think they are intended to be a very ambiguously gay family, so that gay people and straight allies may notice, but anti-gay people will either not notice or write it off.
As a gay person, they're obviously a gay couple. But it's a good idea that they made it ambiguous to keep the homophobes from freaking out and siccing their minions (*cough* One Million Moms *cough*) on them.
Deliberately ambiguous. Could be two dads, could be a dad and uncle. Could be an uncle and a godfather. One thing we can probably agree on is that both of those guys are really fookin' attractive in those suits. :love:
Short of the two literally making out, it's always possible to say "they're just close friends/relatives/etc". They're hardly going to chose an advert where the two guys look like they hate each other, either. I'd personally say it's ambiguous but I'm not sure it's intentionally that way.
I'd personally see them as gay ads although thats probably because a. I'm biased, b. there has been a lot of media discussion on gay adoption and marriage so it seems "topical". The second in particular - the "his and his" suits, immaculately dressed and in a "weddinglike" location does imply a same-sex marriage. Mind you there are no rings in sight so it could just as easily be two friends. Ambiguous is indeed the word! But hey, its not homophobic or offensive so its an alright campaign in my book!
