Lesbians, Lingerie and Niche Marketing

Gay/lesbian niche marketing is my favorite topic on the face of the planet. Not because I want to become a lesbian niche marketer but because the idea that someone would set out to market an item specifically for lesbians is weird, cool, wrong, and too fascinating. The truth is, a little part of me jumps in glee when I see something marketed toward lesbians/ queer women. Even though the advertising only occurs because some corporation is trying to boost sales while also increasing their score with the Human Rights Watch, it's recognition, and it's also exposing "the gay" to mainstream audiences. Sadly, the little part of me that jumps for joy is overridden by the part of me that rolls my eyes at the glossy, one-dimensional, cookie-cutter stereotypical portrayals of lesbians in the majority of these mainstream ads. That's why, when I saw the commercial posted below my curiosity was peaked.

Some brilliant marketing executive in France had and ah-ha! moment and crafted this commercial for Boisvert Lingerie. The commercial is sexy, rather sophisticated, and does not shy away from the fact that yes, she is putting those garters on for her girlfriend. One could say that this commercial celebrates the fact that lesbians have amazing sex. However, what bothers me slightly is that in a perfect world, the question posed at the end, ( "Do men deserve it?" "No.") and the men shown would be pointless. In a perfect world hot femme and soft butch would not need the insertion of men, or be the center of a comical twist because their mutual attraction would be already acknowledged. I fear that the commercial in its current form is only sexy because society views lesbianism as taboo. Still, like all niche marketing, it is one step closer to inclusion. What we in the queer community must be asking ourselves is if inclusion is what we really want. So what do you think? Is the commercial a step in the right direction, problematic, or both?

Regardless, the lingerie makes me want to design pretty things for attractive ladies, which can't be a bad thing.