In the most directly gay effort ever from Absolut, this outdoor advertisement features a three-dimensional series of nine "gay closets" -- featuring such things as a gay pride flag, a lavender door covered in a shoe rack, and other items.
The billboard appeared in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood in June and in New York in October during National Gay History month.
Through live and online auctions associated with the ads, consumers were provided with the opportunity to purchase pieces of gay history. Items were donated from the closets of celebrities including Madonna, k.d. lang, Ellen DeGeneres, Melissa Etheridge, Gus Van Sant and out former professional athletes Esera Tuaolo and Billy Bean that were auctioned off at live events and on eBay, with all proceeds benefiting HRC Foundation’s “National Coming Out Project.”
Absolut holds the title for earliest major advertiser, and has advertised nationally in gay media for 22 years, since 1981, brought in by Michel Roux (who, incidentally, was straight).
