Madison Avenue is hot and heavy for the pink dollar. In this extended gallery from Radar's February issue, we find out what exactly they're trying to sell

This article is from the February issue of Radar Magazine. For a risk-free issue, click here

With a median household income of $83,000—and, typically, no tots to spend it on—American homosexuals are a marketer's dream. Last year, more than 180 Fortune 500 companies hawked their wares in gay publications. Skittish brands targeted gay consumers with subtly coded campaigns as sexually ambiguous as Anderson Cooper, while the more daring resorted to imagery that would make even Carson Kressley blush. "It's laughable," says Stephanie Blackwood, cofounder of gay-oriented ad shop Double Platinum, who says that major agencies tend to rely on crude sexual stereotypes. Radar sampled seven campaigns, ranging from the demure to the debauched, to get to the bottom of things.

THAT'S WHAT WE CALL A POWER BOTTOM
"You're the first person to bring it up," says GSD&M Idea City account director Corey Platt when asked about the seemingly suggestive advert. "I can definitely see how it can be taken that way, but we didn't set out to specifically target the gay audience. I think it was a bonus that it resonated so well with them." According to Platt, the ads worked particularly well in Miami and L.A. "We knew we could push it a little bit more in those areas," says Platt. You don't say?

TAKE A LASHING
"We did not do it as a gay ad," swears Arnie DiGeorge, creative director of R&R Partners, the agency behind this RuPaul–flavored advert. "You can interpret the ad so many ways, and that makes the experience even crazier. The gayish ad did indeed have crossover appeal. After first appearing in consumer magazines like People and Sports Illustrated in 2005 and 2006, it made its way to LGBT publications like the Advocate and Out in 2007.

GOLD-MAN SHOWERS
"We tend to believe in aspirational casting, people who represent a look that the consumer is going to aspire toward," says Howard Buford, founder and CEO of Prime Access, a black-owned ad agency that targets blacks, Hispanics, and gays. Eschewing the use of "gratuitous" and "sensational" sexuality in the agency's ads, Buford insists that he aims "to show the end benefit, someone using the product and enjoying it." In this case, a waterfall and some half-naked beefcake. This ad surely hit its intended demographic in 2006. It ran in the Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and on gay travel websites.

PRONE POSITION
"That was a little more blatant," admits John Nash, president of Moon City ad agency. The ad, which boldly claims, "One man's lap is another's luxury," pushed the envelope, but, Nash says, with positive results. The image received "great feedback" after appearing in the Advocate, Out, Instinct, and other gay papers.

Bed, Bath & Beyond
"It's the kind of thing you might see in a straight ad," says Dave Mills, owner of Ten4 Creative, the agency behind this tasteful depiction of two men spooning. "If we're talking about equality, let's demonstrate it."

Rear Impact
Don't forget to pull the e-break, by which we mean "erection." Volvo, the sensible Swedish automaker known for safety and reliability, may have gotten overly excited here (though we applaud the effort), which could also explain its coyness when pressed for details. The car manufacturer's PR rep in Australia, where the ad originally appeared, responded to an inquiry with: "The campaign is no longer relevant."

Brokeback Burrito
Believe it or not, the above ad was originally part of a mainstream print campaign. "It was a cowboy/horsey sort of thing," says William Espey, creative director of Chipotle's in-house team, who describes himself as "incredibly metro." But after it became clear that the ad was resonating with cowboys of the Ang Lee variety, Chipotle began using it to target gay burrito lovers as well.

Putting It Frankly
"This isn't pornographic, this is cheeky fun," insists Jason Sutherland, president of underwear label Ginch Gonch. Not everyone agreed: An ad from the same campaign was pulled from an electronic billboard in Times Square. Could it ever play to a straight audience? Of course, Sutherland says. "The men that are having their wieners eaten probably enjoy having their wieners eaten by both sexes."

Rocket Man?
To attract high-flying gays, Air Canada employed two well-worn icons—the phallus and the rainbow—to rather beautiful effect, though we imagine the promised "ride" might be more excruciating than enjoyable. "I don't think it was too risqué," says Tony Attanasio of the Marketel agency. "If people are offended, that's their problem."

Closet Case
"With Subaru, it's all about subtlety," says John Nash, whose agency, Moon City, apparently designed this ad for the elusive tranny demo. "Ads can be playful, but never crass. ... Maybe he likes to cross-dress, who knows? You don't have to knock someone over the head to make it a gay-friendly ad."

Rub-a-Deb
Innocent girl chat? Or opening salvo in a full-on sapphic orgy? What might appear banal in Glamour takes on new meaning in the Advocate. Dawn Meifert, CEO of MergeMedia, which targets gay consumers, says she based the situation on her own experiences in Palm Springs, California.


This article is from the February issue of Radar Magazine. For a risk-free issue, click here