Super Bowl LV is this Sunday, and there’s more to celebrate than just football! This year’s event, broadcast live on CBS, will feature at least four LGBTQ+ inclusive ads from M&M’s, Michelob ULTRA, Logitech, and Paramount+.
“During one of biggest nights in sports and media, global brands like M&M’s, Michelob ULTRA, Logitech, and Paramount are raising the bar for inclusion by featuring LGBTQ icons after last year’s record number of inclusive ads,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis about the line-up. “More brands should now step up year round, as including LGBTQ people in ads is good for business and good for the world. GLAAD is working to grow the quality and the quantity of LGBTQ people in advertising, as it can have a profound impact on LGBTQ visibility and acceptance, especially during cultural events like the Super Bowl.”
The four ads do more than just include the LGBTQ+ community — they’re including actual queer celebrities. Logitech’s ad will feature Lil Nas X, M&M’s will have Dan Levy, Michelob ULTRA’s will star Billie Jean King, and Paramount+’s will feature RuPaul.
There were at least 11 LGBTQ+-inclusive ads last year from Amazon Alexa, Budweiser, Doritos, HGTV, Microsoft, Olay, Pop Tarts, Sabra, Tide, TurboTax, and Under Armour, according to GLAAD. The 2020 Super Bowl also featured Offensive Assistant for the San Francisco 49ers, Coach Katie Sowers, who took the field as the first openly gay coach — and first woman coach — in the event’s history. Prior to 2020’s record-breaking amount of LGBTQ+ ads, the community remained largely invisible during the sport’s broadcast.
Hate is Wrong, a nonprofit founded by gay former NFL player Esera Tuaolo that aims to foster diversity in sports, will be hosting a Super Bowl Inclusion Panel today to celebrate the sporting event. Moderated by Outsports founder Cyd Ziegler, the panel features Billy Bean, MLB Vice President and Ambassador for Inclusion; Andrea Jenkins, the first trans woman elected to Minneapolis City Council; Carley Knox, VP of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx; and more. The organization will also be hosting a Super Bowl Inclusion Party on February 6th.
Check out all four currently-known ads below, and keep your eyes peeled for even more this weekend! Super Bowl LV begins at 6:30 p.m. EST this Sunday on CBS.
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