Watch CBS News

Tiffany Ad Campaign Embracing Same-Sex Marriage Goes Viral On Social Media

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Tiffany, the 180-year-old company behind the famous little blue box with upscale jewelry -- has garnered a whole lot of attention with a new marketing campaign that embraces same-sex marriage with a real-life couple.

The "Will You?" campaign features seven different couples who have just popped the question, but it's the inclusion of the same-sex couple that is getting all the buzz. Discussion about the ad has gone viral on social media.

The company said in a statement, "Tiffany is excited to launch our new Will You? engagement campaign, reflecting a modern approach to love and romance. Nowadays, the road to marriage is no longer linear and true love can happen more than once with true love stories coming in a variety of forms. The Tiffany engagement ring is the first sentence of the store that a couple will write together as they create a life that is deeply intimate and exceptional, which is the message we hope to convey through this campaign."

KCAL9's Erica Nochlin reports the little ad has people on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue weighing in.

Singer Miley Cyrus has given the ad an enthusiastic thumbs up.

She spoke to several shoppers Sunday evening who appeared turned off by the ad but they were also reticent to comment.

Other shoppers were very much on board.

"If Tiffany's can make something like this, then maybe the rest of the world can slowly realize these are people and they deserve the same rights that we all have," said Eileen Romulo.

"I think it's amazing and speaks to how far our society has come," said Patty Nessen.

Lars Perner, a USC marketing professor,  told Nochlin the ad campaign was genius because it's reaching the type of upscale consumer the store is aiming for.

As such, he believes, an eye-opening campaign has a lower risk for this type of brand.

"It does help to be an upscale brand, upscale community, much more acceptance of the gay and lesbian relationship," Perner said.

The timing is also smart, said the professor. Thirty-six states have legalized same-sex marriage and it's becoming more accepted.

"The brand would get very stodgy if they didn't keep up with the diversity of the U.S. population," said Perner.

Many of the shoppers who said they supported the ad told Nochlin it wouldn't make them more inclined to make them shop at Tiffany's more.

But the marketing professor said the ad could help Tiffany's gain a whole new set of customers as more same-sex couples get married.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.