Group Urges More
Inclusive Commercials

Advertisements should be more tolerant and less homophobic, the Commercial Closet Association said in a letter to several major advertising firms on Monday.

The letter asked readers to "reexamine any lingering conventional wisdom that LGBT stereotypes, homophobia, and transphobia are considered successful approaches to selling products by actually testing it with general audiences."

The letter was a result of a "critical mass" of intolerant advertising, Commercial Closet executive director Michael Wilke said in an interview with Advertising Age. Recent ads from Nike, Heinz, and Snickers have been called offensive by many, but the response to customers' complaints have been quicker.

"More often than in the past, advertisers are taking [insensitive ads] down quickly when they realize they're not being well-received -- and not usually with an actual apology, just acknowledging things are not going well," he said in the article.

The letter by Wilke was also signed by New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn and American Association of Advertising Agencies CEO Nancy Hill. (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)