WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY



giggo.com - Son

Company: DaimlerChrysler
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Brand: giggo.com
Ad Title: Son
Business Category: Dot-com
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: Richards Group
Year: 2000
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Scott Seomin
Company: DaimlerChrysler
    View Company Scorecard | Contact Company
Brand: giggo.com
Ad Title: Son
Business Category: Dot-com
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: Richards Group
Year: 2000
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Scott Seomin
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A young man walks into the room where his father is working on an enormous model of a battlefield, and blurts out that he's gay.

Dad looks up and the scene is paused as a computer window opens up over his face that reads: "Adjust Dad's attitude" with a scroll bar that ranges from "hostile" to "supportive." The arrow slides the bar over to supportive and clicks off the box.

The scene resumes and that father says, "You know, there's a guy down at the plant that has a gay son about your age. I think you two would like each other." He turns to his son, who smiles with disbelief and says, "Thanks."

The narrator then says, "Wow, that was painless. Like giggo.com, where you take control of buying a car..."

The campaign for giggo.com (a unit of DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes Financing Group but acquired by PeopleFirst.com in September 2000) is mostly about unexpected outcomes that are "painless." This is a perfect example of how coming-out stories are innocuously making their way into commercials. Though there is no relationship to the product here at all, the advertiser puts a pleasant spin on the outcome.

As its TV commercial hit, Giggo.com also began reaching out to the gay market online. Unfortunately, this commercial barely aired in a few markets in the U.S. (more widely in Canada) because of a fear of controversy over its subject matter.

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Jonathan Anderson , Boston
Thanks for a great site. This ad is my favorite so far!

Steven Bluestine , New York, NY
One of my favorite ads in the entire collection. It's not the job of a commercial for a product to also be inspiring about "gayness," but it's great to see that it can be done.

Jeff , Monmouth Junction, NJ
I swear, this has been one of my favorite ads ever since I saw it on (US!) TV a few years back (before coming out)...I'm glad you have a QuickTime clip, because I didn't have the VCR ready!

Paul , Bayonne, NJ
This is a great commercial. Coming out SHOULD be that way. Selling a dot-com with compassion and wit...Kudos.

Erik , Long Beach, CA
WOW! Homosexuality dealt with in a humerous manner! What a great ad!

Merthedil , Liberty, IL
I'm not sure that I would liken coming out of the closet with owning a car, but whatever. I found this ad much better than most, not to mention rather FUNNY for dealing with coming out, while somehow retaining a certain amount of dignity.

Alicia , Keystone, SD
This one's cute and sweet. It should have been shown more.

David C. Jr. , Brattleboro, VT
Great commercial. If only it was that easy for everyone.

Amy H. , Munster, IN
This ad is one of my favorites. Very cute and funny. Although I will say that I need some coming-out support more than a car.

David Cappiello , New Haven County, CT
I absolutely love this ad! What a shame that it didn't air more in the USA.

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