How we did it
JCDecaux commissioned The Diversity Standards Collective to conduct research with the LGBTQIA+ community, as part of JCDecaux UK Reach’s mission to open up OOH to even more diverse audiences. The study, ‘Understanding and Exploring LGBTQIA+ Attitudes Towards OOH’ spoke to 250 LGBTQIA+ community members and interviewed 5 LGBTQIA+ professionals, working in the Creative and Advertising industry.
Rich MilesAs someone in the LGBTQIA+ community, I know just how important it is for brands to connect with us in a genuine way. While we knew that community-based media is a great way to connect with the Queer community, we didn’t know as much about how OOH connects with us – until now! We hope the ‘Pride in Posters’ research helps brands better advertise to their Queer consumers and gives them the confidence to create campaigns that are not only authentic but also stand out and, most importantly, work!
CEO and Founder at The Diversity Standards Collective
What we discovered
This new insight shows that OOH is viewed positively as a trusted medium and suggests that there is a new opportunity for brands to reach the LGBTQIA+ community through increased and more authentic representation on the public screen of OOH.
46%
of participants agree that their perspective on an OOH ad depends on whether the representation of the LGBTQIA+ community feels authentic and consistent
37%
said that their favourite ad was from McCain's, which featured a family with 2 dads. They felt like it showed the community in an everyday, ‘normal’ moment, while making clear the LGBTQIA+ representation.
I love the normalisation of queer blended families. I think the sexualisation of queer people is done a lot. But to show queer interracial families feels beautiful.
DSC LGBTQIA+ Collective Member
I think that because there is absolutely nothing trendy about chips it almost seems like McCain do not NEED to do this but are choosing to anyway. The men in the picture aren't supermodels, they're just Dads which is way more authentic. Not every gay man is a model, but everyone likes chips.
DSC LGBTQIA+ Collective Member
How we can help advertisers
From the research findings, we were able to create a ‘Pride in Posters’ guide, offering brands recommendations on how to ensure representation LGBTQIA+ in their OOH campaigns.
We also offer brands the chance to pre-test their advertisements using a range of creative and cultural testing tools, through JCDecaux and the Diversity Standards Collective. This is to ensure maximum engagement with this important audience.
To find out more about the tools available, please get in touch with thanh.catachanas@jcdecaux.com.
