The Belgian Rainbows: a Burgundian approach to inclusive marketing

Marketing is different in each country. There will be a ‘NIMA’ everywhere that promotes 4 P’s, 7 V’s, AIDA and SMART, but the details are still filled in by the market structure, the media landscape, the legislation, the competitive position. But most important of all is the culture. What about the culture in Belgium and what about the rainbow diversity in TV commercials?

The same as I describe above applies – to an even greater extent – ​​to Marketing the Rainbow. After The Oldest Rainbows, The Dutch Rainbows and The Chinese Rainbows now a look just across the border: The Belgian Rainbows.

The Dutch and Belgians seem to be very similar; after all, we were one country for a while. Well, until that 10-day campaign, which we lost miserably. And even though we largely share a language, the culture is still quite different. If only because Belgium still limps on three legs between Flanders, Wallonia and the Rest (think Brussels, or German-speaking Belgium, or the fact that sometimes only the king is seen as Belgian).

Where in the Netherlands diversity is almost woven into the national identity – although that may not seem to be the case politically lately, and acceptance among young people is decreasing – in our country sobriety and casualness prevail. That is somewhat different with the Belgians. Their culture is somewhat more Burgundian (I would say joie-de-vivre, laissez-faire, or bon-vivants, but I do not want to get involved in their language battle) and their clash between Dutch and French is also expressed in advertising. That is often in English.

Started

Almost 25 years ago we saw the first TV commercial with a gay theme. In 2000, P&V Insurance made a short spot in which two men playfully – almost – share a toothbrush.We insure life as it is” was the pay-off that showed that this could be done quite simply. This spot was in French. The campaign that this video is part of portrayed various real family situations, including a half-brother and half-sister (one white, one black) and a widow with a much younger boyfriend. Diversity everywhere.

Years later, the DIY brand Impermo also had a video with domestic scenes, “Happy with your choice every day”, which also featured a male couple and a female couple happy & gay to participate.

THERE

Who doesn’t know it, the TV magazine with a sharp edge? HUMO had a funny commercial several times in which they announced that there was a gift with “next week’s magazine”. In 2002 it was a fruit flavored condomnicely depicted by a bee sitting on a lady’s lips. A few years later it was a ribbed condom, which was cheered on by a group of vaginas with “We Want More” (yes, in English, like the pay-off “Free with this week’s HUMO”).

Both videos give a final second gay twist to the story. Pay close attention: naughty, but funny.

Radio Donna

This radio station was also early, back in 2004, when they made this commercial. A cheerful coming-out story – that went down well with the parents. If only it always went that smoothly, but it certainly did with Donna.

You hear it, he sings in English.

Antwerp

Destinations always like to put themselves in the spotlight for gays, or is that: in the kaleidoscope. Antwerp was no exception: they wanted to profile themselves very clearly as a “gay-friendly” destination, as they call it there. They had the Eurogames, the WorldOutgames and welcomed the international IGLTA-conference with open arms. From 2004 to 2009 there was NaviGAYtion, a gay party on board ten party ships sailing on the Scheldt. Since 2008 there has also been the annual Pride festival, which attracts around 100,000 visitors.

There are joint promotions with partners such as airlines and tour operators to promote Antwerp internationally. There is a close collaboration with the German ‘schwule’ tour operator TomOnTour. A free gay map is available at the tourist information desks.

The Visit Antwerp website also has a rainbow pagewhere it is now called LGBTQIA+, because that alphabet soup keeps changing its recipe. Many tips are given there, such as Pancake: “Sunday dance parties with free pancakes and awesome queer vibes”. Who would have expected that combination?

Antwerp also had a spicy advertisement with the slogan “No stronger story than your own”. Behind two passionately kissing men, the shadow of the legendary giant Antigoon looms ominously. A tunnel was conspicuously lit for Pride. The city participated colorfully.

Douwe Egberts

This Dutch, no American, no Dutch brand from 1753 made a cute TV commercial in Belgium more than 260 years later with two young girls who clearly get along well. The clip is called “Something to share”. But then dad comes into the picture. How will that end…

All good, another sweet coming out story. The video went viral with over 13 million views. Most of the reactions were positive. In the DE commercial Beans from two years ago it seems to be going almost the same way with two tough guys, but to prevent that appearance, a woman also appears on screen for 2 seconds.

The Railways

In our country, the NS had the cheerful advertisement Taste the freedom with those two flirting girls, which made Claudia de Breij so happy. The sister company NMBS of the southern neighbors went one step further by showing two girls of color in an intimate setting. Again, the reactions were generally positive.

Jupiler

This was different for brewer Jupiler. They responded to current events with a major national campaign after Sarah Bettens of the rock band K’s Choice announced that she would henceforth go through life as Sam Bettens.

It was printed in full page in Het Laatste Nieuws and De Morgen: ‘Pintje, Sam?’ And Jupiler also posted the advertisement on Instagram, with the caption ‘What do you think, @sambettens?’

For one viewer disrespectful. For another viewer ‘well found’ and in favor of the visibility of the LGBT community. For some an example of trans-washing (for me also a new word, but immediately clear). As if the beer manufacturer Sam Bettens, and with him all transgender people who become men, only invites to drink Jupiler because he has become a man. This also refers to – a salient detail – the slogan of Jupiler: Men know why‘.

But that is certainly not the message, said Laure Stuyck, spokeswoman for the brand. “With the slogan Pintje, Sam? we congratulate Sam for his courageous decision, and we support him. Thanks to its weight and fame, Jupiler can weigh in on the social debate, in this case about transgenders. This is certainly a daring communication, which fits Jupiler perfectly.” The advertisement received more than 30 million impressions with an earned media of 1.3 million. Incidentally, the word transgender not be used as a noun.

It reminds me of last year’s scandal, involving another AB InBev brand, Bud Light. In that one too, a transgender person played a leading role: read Get woke, don’t go broke.

DreamLand

Finally, the chain of toy stores DreamLand, which made a touching film for Sinterklaas with a boy who is not like other boys. It is called ‘Unwrap your dreams’ (but in French). He would rather have dolls from Sinterklaas than soldiers or superheroes.

It’s cool that such an A-brand ignores conventions and doesn’t make the traditional pink/blue division among children. It looks a bit like the Zeeman commercial Children don’t pigeonholein which we also see a boy acting outside of his expected role pattern.

In short, Belgium is just cheerful, pleasant, topical, sometimes provocative, in English, and sincere. And that all fits neatly into the picture of gay-friendly: after all, they were the second country in the world to legalize ‘gay marriage’.

Alfred Verhoeven is in the final phase of his PhD research Marketing the Rainbow. He previously published about this for Frankwatching a series of relevant articlesunder which The Dutch Rainbows, The Oldest RainbowsThe Chinese Rainbows, Get woke, don’t go broke in Get woke, go broke in From representation to respect.