WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY



Virgin Mobile - No Seas Normal

Company: Virgin Group
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Brand: Virgin Mobile
Ad Title: No Seas Normal
Business Category: Telecommunications
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: La Comunidad
Year: 2005
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Lilith Medi
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Two men are running on treadmills side-by-side at a gym, and one of them has very pronounced female breasts. The man turns to his friend and says, seemingly because of his breasts, "Mauro, I'm not normal."

Ignoring the "elephant" in the room of the obvious breasts, Mauro replies, "What are you talking about? Aren't you always surprised by the extra charges on your cellphone bill?" He says, "Yes."

Mauro continues, "Well, that happens to everybody."

Encouraged, his friend asks, "Then I'm normal?" Mauro tells him he is.

Returning to his boob-bouncing jogging session, the man proclaims, throwing his hands in the air with victory, "I'm normal. I'm normal!"

A man then appears wearing a signboard (suggesting a circus) that reads, "Don't be normal."

The intended humor is the disconnect between the dialogue of the men and the obvious abnormality to viewers -- the man has women's breasts and is not trying to otherwise pass as a woman. While some transgender people will bristle at the suggestion of negativity that the man feels "not normal," others will appreciate that his friend sees nothing to comment on.

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Bobby , Miami
I think the ad is positive. The "don't be normal" message is an important to hear in a society that is obsessed with making everyone into fat-free clones. If normal means working out all the time, taking crystal meth, dieting like crazy, and never feeling good about yourself, then I don't want to be normal either.

Kevin Ballie , Bronx, NY
I agree, I really like this ad and think that it has a positive message.

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