IKEA International, Living Room
Active children are horsing around and jumping on furniture in a large living room, as their parents enjoy the scene of domestic bliss.
In the next shot, a young Middle Eastern boy upstages the rest of his family by coasting across the living room floor on his skateboard. His kin looks on as they rest comfortably on the couch.
The voiceover adds, "Why shouldn't people live in their living rooms?"
A happy couple are entangled on their sofa as they kiss, and the following shot shows a child doing a headstand The narrator asks: "Who says sofas are just for sitting?"
The inverted kid is knocked down from his headstand as the rest of his family joins him to wage a pillow fight. The voiceover continues, "Why can't pillows fight with each other?"
The narrator wonders, "Why can't a bookcase expand with your mind" as a father and his daughter, evidently a bookworm, hold stacks of books.
The last shot is of a happy gay male couple and their daughter on the floor, resting up against each other, as they lean on the front of their couch.
The voiceover poses the final question: "Why shouldn't sofas come in flavors, just like families?"
The ad earns a Positive rating because it shows an affectionate set of gay parents with their loving daughter.
The ad is airing on cable networks across the United States, though Ikea isn't targeting gays specifically and will not be in gay media.
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The imagery of was so heartwarming that it just seemed to flow from the television into the goodwill and respect of the viewer.
I hope someday IKEA will go even further and show an even rarer image of the loving gay couple, two black men. They do exist.