PinkNews Awards 2018: These are the amazing nominees for the Advertising Campaign of the Year

Oct 05 2018
Written by Josh Jackman

The nominated adverts (Kelloggs, Maltesers, Dublin Bus, Rowse Honey, Pride in London)

The nominations for PinkNews’ Advertising Campaign Award have been chosen — and they’re a wonderful mix of heartwarming and tear-jerking.

The award, which recognises adverts that celebrate or seamlessly integrate LGBT+ people, will be handed out at the PinkNews Awards on October 17.

Last year, the award was given to Skittles for its “Giving back the rainbow” campaign, which saw the company release its sweets in black-and-white packets because “during Pride, only one rainbow matters.”

You can cast your vote here.

Dublin Bus: Dads Get On Board With Pride by Rothco

This viral ad features a rainbow-coloured bus full of ‘Proud Dads’ surprising their children to take them to the city’s Pride parade.

Their children’s reactions alone are enough to give you a lump in your throat, with Michael — who came out as transgender eight months before — tearing up when his dad walks up and says: “Hiya Michael! Let’s go to Pride, son.”

Michael came out to his dad as trans eight months before the ad (Dublin Bus/Facebook)

Liam, clearly gobsmacked by seeing his father in a rainbow suit, grins and struggles to verbalise his reaction beyond delighted sounds.

One dad reveals to viewers: “This is her first Pride festival after telling everybody that she is gay,” at which point his daughter runs up and jumps into his arms, saying: “I thought you were on holiday!”

Kellogg’s, My Perfect Bowl by Leo Burnett London

Vivienne Lynsey and Miss Blair made history when they appeared in Kellogg’s adverts this year to talk about how they take their cereal.

Vivienne, a RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Ambassador finalist in 2015, said she preferred to eat a bowl “at nighttime” and Miss Blair agreed, saying she likes having cornflakes “around 1am” — but their opinions were secondary.

The ad was groundbreaking (Kelloggs)

What was so moving about this ad was simply that it included drag queens, treating them as regular people who, like everyone, have opinions about food.

Maltesers, Accountant, by AMV BBDO

This hilarious advert features four women discussing dating—when one suggests that she’s being discriminated against.

“Is it because you’re a lesbian?” one asks, jokingly, to which the main character says no, eventually revealing: “I’m an accountant.”

The ad was well-received (Maltesers/YouTube)

Her friends respond in mock horror and shock, telling her: “Oh my god, that’s disgusting” and: “That’s not natural.”

“Do your parents know?” asks another.

Pride in London: Somewhere Over The Rainbow by BMB

Ahead of this year’s parade, Pride in London created an emotional advert showing that the fight for LGBT+ equality continues in 2018.

A diverse group of characters come together to sing a chilling but eventually uplifting version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as the difficulties of their lives as queer people are placed on full display.

“We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a way to go” (Pride in London)

The ad shows a gay man being beaten up, a girl being told by her mum that “it’s a phase” and a trans woman facing abuse on the street.

Though it finishes with a hopeful message — “We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a way to go” — the arresting images of LGBT+ struggles linger long after the ad ends.

Rowse Honey, The Three Bears, by BMB

Goldilocks and the Three Bears has long needed a modern update, and it got made over in the best way with Rowse Honey’s offering, which played on the double meaning of ‘bears’ to show three gay men living together.