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Marketing is different per country. There will be a Marketing Institute 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 is the culture like in Belgium and what is the rainbow diversity in TV commercials there?

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. Yes, until that 10-day war in 1830, which we unfortunately lost. 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 casualness prevails. That is a bit 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.

The beginning

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 commercial 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.

The DIY brand Impermo also had a video with domestic scenes years later, “Elke dag blij met je keuze”, in which a male couple and a female couple happy & gayly also participate.

HUMO

HUMO is the TV magazine with a sharp edge. They had a funny commercial several times in which they announced that there was a present in “next week’s magazine”. In 2002 it was a fruit-flavoured condom, nicely depicted by a bee that sat 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 the story a gay twist in the last seconds. 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 – which went down well with the parents. If only it always went so smoothly, but at least it did with Donna.

You hear it, he sings in English.

Antwerp

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

Pride Antwerp

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 holebi map is available at the tourist information desks.

The Visit Antwerp website also has a rainbow page, where it is now called LGBTQIA+, because that alphabet soup keeps changing its recipe. Many tips are given there, such as Pannekoek: “Sunday dance parties with free pancakes and fantastic queer vibes”. Who would have ever 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 all lit up for Pride. The city participated in a colorful way.

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 “Iets om te delen”. But then dad comes into the picture. How will that end…

So all good, another sweet coming-out story. The video went viral with more than 13 million views. Most reactions were positive. In the DE commercial Bonen from two years ago, it almost seems to be going the same way with two tough men, but to prevent that appearance, a woman also appears in the picture for 2 seconds.

The Railways

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

Jupiler beer

That 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 had 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?’ (A beer, Sam?) And Jupiler also posted the advertisement on Instagram, with the caption ‘What do you think, @sambettens?’

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

But that is certainly not the message, said Laure Stuyck, spokesperson 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 in perfectly with Jupiler.” The advertisement received more than 30 million impressions with an earned media of 1.3 million. Incidentally, the word transgender may not be used as a noun.

It is reminiscent of last year’s scandal, involving another AB InBev brand, Bud Light. A transgender person also played a leading role in that: read Get woke, don’t go broke.

DreamLand

Finally, the chain of toy stores DreamLand, which made a touching video for Sinterklaas with a boy who is not like other boys. It’s called ‘Unpack your dreams’ (but in French). He’d rather have Santa dolls 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’s a bit like the Dutch Zeeman commercial Children don’t pigeonhole, in which we also see a boy outside his expected role pattern.

In short, Belgium just does it cheerfully, pleasantly, up-to-date, sometimes provocative, in English, and sincere. And that all fits neatly into the picture of holebi-friendly: after all, they were the second country in the world to legalize ‘gay marriage’.