The Ad Council wants to remind everyone that patriotism is about celebrating diversity
As America reels from perhaps its most divisive election in recent memory, a new set of ads seek to remind everyone that patriotism and respect for our country's diversity are two sides of the same coin.
The ads feature members of often-oppressed minority groups in patriotic settings. For instance, a gay military couple embraces in a train station, a transgender cheerleader poses in red, white and blue gear and a Sikh man prays in a gurdwara while wearing a star-spangled turban.
Their images, captured by renowned photographer Mark Seliger, will run in the form of billboards, bus and subway ads and other outdoor postings in to-be-determined locations around the United States starting this week.
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The campaign is the work of the Ad Council, a nonpartisan nonprofit responsible for many of the country's most iconic public service announcements.
It marks the latest installment in a series of viral hits from the group's "Love has no Labels" push, which is aimed at more broadly fighting prejudice.
The new ads strike a similar tone to one the group ran last Fourth of July, in which pro-wrestler John Cena appealed to Americans to remember just how much of their populace is constituted by various minorities.
At around 45 million views across platforms, the Ad Council considered that video a resounding success.
A spokesperson said the ads were particularly timely considering how the election and various other current events have put a spotlight on implicit biases.
Watchdog groups have registered a disturbing surge in hate crimes across the country in the weeks following Donald Trump's electoral win.
The campaign was created in partnership with New York ad agency R/GA.
Topics Advertising
Patrick Kulp is a Business Reporter at Mashable. Patrick covers digital advertising, online retail and the future of work. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in political science and economics, he previously worked at the Pacific Coast Business Times.
