Produced by Australian community advocacy organization GetUp!, this ad promotes marriage equality by following a couple’s romantic and relatable path to marriage. The ad juxtaposes a series of familiar images that we associate with heterosexual romance, only to reveal, at the end, that it is a gay love story. Since its debut in 2011, the clip has gone viral online, and has been praised for being a clever and cinematically beautiful argument for minority rights.

discussion

How does this campaign make an argument for marriage equality?

How does the ad play with our expectations regarding gender, sexuality and romance? Where do these expectations come from in the first place?

What formal strategies does the ad use to play with our expectations? Think about all the elements that combine to craft the storyline and feel of the ad, including direction, casting, editing, music, etc.

How would you rate the effectiveness of this ad? What thoughts and/or emotions did you experience while watching the clip?