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While last year, and certainly in previous years, there was still some commotion here and there about scandalous Christmas commercials—read: with a pink flavour—this year it’s quiet. There seems to be a shift from “big LGBTQ+ statements” to a more subtle, self-evident integration. No shame and boycotts, but searching, checking off boxes, staring, and reflecting.

I was tipped off about the casual diversity—which I love—in a few Dutch ads (Hema and Plus), but it was so casual that even I didn’t notice it. It’s really just vague extras, images on the wall, or a half-hidden rainbow. There, the agency is merely checking boxes, and “As soon as diversity becomes decoration, it loses its value and becomes mere marketing wallpaper” (according to my parasocial partner Gemini). That can’t be the intention, so it could be a bit more explicit. This can be done through images, words, or even symbolism. It took some searching, as the anti-woke storm in the US has made things a bit quieter this year.

John Lewis – “Where Love Lives” (UK)

British John Lewis is often seen as the “gold standard” for Christmas advertising. The BBC even says: “They are marking the start of the festive season” – and sometimes that’s sort of gay. In 2018, they had an elaborate video featuring none other than Elton John. This year, the campaign revolves around memories and music, featuring the 90s dance classic “Where Love Lives.” The commercial explores themes of male vulnerability and connecting generations, emphasizing a touching father-son relationship. The original artist (Alison Limerick) is a lesbian singer. Although the lead role is a father and son, the strength lies in the diversity of the extras and subplots in the background. It’s an example of “normative representation”: LGBTQ+ couples are simply part of the festive decor without it being overtly obvious.

Posten: “Carried by Repetition” (Norway)

In 2021, the Norwegian Postal Service went viral with “When Harry Met Santa.” The ad commemorated 50 years since homosexuality was decriminalized in the country. And they certainly knew it: it caused quite a stir, especially in the United States – how dare they suddenly make a non-existent person gay? The film won several awards, both nationally and internationally.

This year, Posten has decided to repurpose its most iconic ad under the banner “From a Viral Christmas Adventure to an Inclusive Culture.”

Posten’s Barbara Aarhus, explained that they are consciously choosing repetition now: “We can never stop talking about diversity and love… this is more important than ever after the events of recent years.”

By reprogramming the queer elements from their successful years, they prevent themselves from becoming “invisible.” It’s their way of demonstrating that their DE&I policy wasn’t a one-time action, but a lasting part of their identity. Because, as everyone knows, repetition is also the power of the rainbow message.

In 2022, Posten became an official partner of Oslo Pride. The terrorist attack in Oslo that same year put an end to the parade, but it confirmed the importance of continuing the partnership. They have participated in the parade every year since then, and both employees and managers show great commitment, says Aarhus.

With this specific title (“Carried by Repetition”), Posten Norge seems to be fighting against the idea that Harry and Santa were merely “decorative diversity” for a single anniversary year. By featuring the same film again, they are trying to demonstrate that it has become an enduring core value of the brand and not a fleeting marketing statement. That’s a powerful example of how a brand can maintain its credibility without spending millions on new production every year.

Conclusion

This year, visibility remains lower. If you apply the formula I’ve developed – Representation -> Visibility -> Normalization -> Tolerance -> Acceptance -> Respect – then we’re stuck at the second step in this “customer journey.” This is how we’re still feeling the effects of the American hurricanes of intolerance. But I’m hopeful for a quick recovery. It will take at least three years there, probably less here.

NB: You probably didn’t notice, but the main image doesn’t contain the correct LGBT rainbow colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. This is the best Gemini, in collaboration with its sibling Nano Banana, could deliver after 65 (!) attempts. It proves that even an advanced system with access to all the world’s information can’t respect the historical and symbolic precision of the six-colored flag above the “rainbow noise” of marketing and algorithms. So much for Marketing the Rainbow.