See Chevrolet’s ad “The New Us.”
NEW YORK — While several Olympic sponsors have spoken out against Russia’s restrictions on gay rights, Chevroletis rolled out two ads on the U.S. broadcast of the Sochi Winter Games’ opening ceremony Friday that feature gay couples.
The ads are the first with gay couples on an Olympic broadcast, according to GLAAD, an advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. They come as a Russian law banning gay “propaganda” from reaching minors has drawn strong international criticism.
Three sponsors of the U.S. Olympic Committee — AT&T, DeVry University and yogurt maker Chobani — have spoken out explicitly against the Russian law. Companies that have remained silent on the issue have been criticized on social media. And there have been calls for a boycott of the games from gay activists and others around the world.
Chevy, a unit of General Motors Co. that is not an official sponsor, didn’t comment on the Russian laws specifically, instead saying that “these ads … are not intended as any political commentary.”
But some advertising experts say the commercials make a pretty clear statement. “Actions speak louder than words,” said Allen Adamson, managing director of the New York office of branding firm Landor Associates. “… It’s a very clear statement of what they believe Chevy stands for.”
One ad, called “The New Us,” for the Chevrolet Traverse crossover SUV, shows quick shots of many different families, including two men with a son and a daughter. “While what it means to be a family hasn’t changed, what a family looks like has,” a voiceover states. “This is the new us.”
Another ad, an overall Chevrolet brand spot, runs through images of America, including a shot of a gay couple getting married. “Like the old love, the new love starts with a kiss,” a voiceover states. “Like the old community, the new community still keeps us connected. … A whole new lineup for a whole new world.”
A Coke spot last week was Super Bowl ad with a gay couple.
