Kira Michelle Sarsfield
COMM100s: Mass Media & Society
Love Has No Labels Case Study — Blog Post
Summer Session — July 17, 2019
Love Has No Labels Case Study — Blog Post
The Love Has No Labels campaign has shed a light on society’s unconscious bias. Even though times have changed since 2016 when the campaign was released, people’s opinions still influence their everyday lives. The Youtube video, Love Has No Labels, features several dancing skeletons hugging and kissing behind a screen. Once the skeletons reveal themselves, they are several people of different ethnicities and races embracing each other for who they are.
Ultimately, it promoted the acceptance and appreciation of all communities regardless of race, religion, gender, sexuality, age, and ability by raising awareness for implicit biases.This campaign targeted a specific audience which caught the attention of many sources that influenced and promoted the impact of the message.
Considered one of the most successful PSA campaigns in history, the Love Has No Labels campaign drastically took off in 2016 when Michelle Obama tweeted the iconic video of dancing skeletons with Macklemore’s song “Same Love”. According to Visible Measures, the campaign obtained over 2 billion media impressions from influential media companies like The Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, and CNN (R/GA).
The video was a viral hit, and was included in #TenYearsOfYoutube. Claiming it to be one of the ten most iconic videos in YouTube history, the Love Has No Labels campaign video touched the hearts of millions of people around the globe.
Along with the explosion of the Love Has No Labels campaign across Youtube, the campaign also took off through the launch of their website. The Love Has No Labels website has a very modern and retro theme, with several photos supporting their main message of inclusivity. Clicking on the home page, there is a slideshow of pictures of inclusivity between all ages and ethnic groups.
Along with the heartwarming photos, you can find ways to take action against unconscious bias in several different social settings, like “in your school” and “with friends”. These helpful links help promote and support their main message of inclusivity in communities across the world. The website is a message of empowerment to minorities everywhere, featuring credible resources for those who want to connect with other minorities and help themselves become more comfortable in their own skin.
Along with a website, the Love Has No Labels campaign also provided a support system for those coming out on social media. Couples across the nation posted about the acceptance of themselves on various social media platforms, generating a worldwide acceptance of ‘Love has no race’ everywhere.
With over 345 million views, this campaign was able to receive the Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial. This campaign has become so widely spoken about that top brands like Bank of America, Google, Johnson & Johnson and many others have become their activation partners. This campaign has truly left its mark on the nation, bringing people together during a time where it seemed that our entire country was divided.
The Love Has No Labels campaign, which is sponsored by the Ad Council, was present at New York City Pride parade and Pride festival. Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council, stated, “Pride is a wonderful depiction of Love Has No Labels and it provides the opportunity for each and every one of us to celebrate love and diversity” (Ad Council, 2016).
Love Has No Labels campaign provided a necessary message of inclusivity in our society today. The simple, yet very effective message successfully reached billions of people all over the globe. Becoming one of the most iconic PSA’s in history, Love Has No Labels challenged and questioned our society on matters of inclusivity and belonging.
Works Cited
Ad Council. (June, 2016). Love has no labels continues to extend the message of diversity
through brand partners. Retrieved from
https://www.adcouncil.org/News-Events/Press-Releases/Love-Has-No-Labels-continues-
to-extend-the-message-of-diversity-through-brand-partners
Love Has No Labels. (2015). Love has no labels. Retrieved from
https://lovehasnolabels.com/about
R/GA. (2019). Love has no labels: the story. Retrieved from
https://www.rga.com/work/case-studies/love-labels
Sherman, L. (February, 2018). How to sustain a viral movement: a love has no labels case study.
Retrieved from
https://www.adlibbing.org/2018/02/14/sustain-viral-movement-love-no-labels-case-study/
The Ad Council. (2016). Love has no labels diversity and inclusion campaign. Retrieved from
https://shortyawards.com/8th/love-has-no-labels-diversity-inclusion-campaign