Same-Sex-Marriage Ad Times 50

Three leading pro-gay-rights groups are putting display ads in 50 markets talking up same-sex marriage. The ads feature five same-sex couples who have been together from 12 to 53 years.

The quarter-million-dollar campaign appears in big city and smaller papers from the New York Times to the Fresno Bee. A detailing press release is here. The lead organizations are the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Freedom to Marry.

From what we have seen in Maine's gay-rights fights as well as Massachusetts ones, the best ads are self-outed homosexuals, solo and couples. It's hard to want to punish your friends, family and coworkers. This effort aims to augment that and perhaps speed the process.

TaskForce Executive Director Matt Foreman commented, "Public support for legal recognition of same-sex couples has steadily grown in spite of an enormous and well-funded campaign based on defamation and fear, including dozens of anti-gay state constitutional amendments battles. Even our opponents understand it is not a question of whether we will win dignity and equality for our families, but when."

The ads have simple messages of equality. Signatories include:

• 14 gay, lesbian, bi and transgender groups
• 9 mayors (with Tom Menino)
• 11 religious leaders, six civil-rights organization
• 9 labor leaders

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Executive Diretor Neil Giuliano stressed the wide public-relations effort of the campaign. "The marriage equality conversation is happening around millions of kitchen tables coast to coast, and is certainly not confined to large cities. We specifically wanted to reach people well beyond the big urban areas, because gay couples, their kids and their loved ones live there, too."

---

Tags: massmarrier, advertising, same-sex