The Disney-Pixar film, Lightyear , became a topic of conversation from its first day of release. But not because of the adventures of the protagonist, Buzz, one of Andy’s favorite toys in the Toy Story plot, but because a lesbian kiss is shown in one of the scenes.
Postures were immediate. On the one hand, it is celebrated that the director of the animated film, Angus MacLane, and its producer, Galyn Susman, commented that Pixar supports the scene and that it is also a clear commitment to the LGBTQ + community.
On the other hand, the fact that Toy Story, and consequently Lightyear, is an animated film for children is criticized. Even digital users affirm that the little ones “are more vulnerable to following certain examples” of the big screen and that scenes such as the kiss between two female characters can “confuse their sexual orientation”.
“Although the children see the film, here the judges are the parents, who belong to a generation that grew up with a different type of culture, where openness or inclusion was not as visible as it is today. This is reflected in the controversy caused by the film ”, says Rafael Martínez, creative president of the Mayúscula agency.
From the point of view of the marketing experts consulted, the truth is that Pixar is gaining brand exposure. Today people don’t talk about the story of the guardian of the galaxy or if the movie is good or bad, but about the kiss scene between two female characters, regardless of the position taken.
Inclusion is a challenge for brands targeting a child audience
Disney-Pixar’s efforts to be more inclusive are giving it a big challenge. The biggest, says Martínez, is the cultural roots, especially in countries like the United Arab Emirates, where the film has already been censored. “It’s a difficult barrier to break.”
Malaysia is another country that took similar steps, while elsewhere the film was not banned, but Disney-Pixar was asked to remove the controversial scene. One of them was Indonesia. Or, it was classified as a tape for over 16 years, is the case of Singapore, whose penal code punishes homosexuals with up to 20 years in prison.
Despite this, Luis García, executive director of the Mexican Association of Filmmakers, AC (AMFI), believes that Lightyear, in particular, is not affected in its construction and brand perception because children do not have prejudices and stereotypes still they are not rooted, on the contrary, they question more and adapt better.
“It is showing that there is a segment of society that is not yet ready for the conversation, but it is not going to change, it is going to be maintained until diversity, equality and real inclusion in society are achieved. Today it is a complex and slow process, but it progresses every day”, he comments.
In fact, the director assures that inclusion is an issue that has been on the agenda of production companies for several months. There are significant efforts being made on inclusion that have opened up the conversation. For example, it is no longer just about the stories you see on the big screen, but also about the way in which the teams of people in a production are integrated.
The repercussion for Disney-Pixar?
Mayela Galicia, Director of Strategy at Tanque Group, considers that the impact for Pixar does not go beyond the censorship of the film in 14 countries. Certainly, he says, it is a great challenge that the brand has, but it is also carrying a great flag because Toy Story is taking a risk and fighting a battle, despite the possible consequences and that is something that will go down in history.
“It will be the first animated children’s film to dare not to ignore an important part of its audience. What it is achieving is the dream of all brands, which is to remain in the memory of its consumers and generate loyalty towards it. Without a doubt, Disney-Pixar can become a symbol of the fight for love, which is the most sublime and grandiose in the search of the human being”, external.
And in addition to the publicity gained, the specialist is convinced that Disney-Pixar is crowning itself as a studio, whose cinematography addresses relevant issues. That is a position that accompanies both Lightyear and future productions.
The issue here, he points out, is that there is a generational issue. Those who are scandalized by the scene are the older ones, because in the younger ones, gender diversity is something normalized because they do not judge people by how they identify themselves and the tastes they have, they simply see human beings being what they are and doing what What do you like.
In addition to this, 11% of the Mexican population openly belongs to the LGBTQ+ community, which is why the pink market has grown steadily. According to the Mexican Federation of LGBT Entrepreneurs, this community is made up of consumers who could contribute around 80,000 million dollars to the national Gross Domestic Product.
Today we know that new generations are more likely to consider buying a product or service if it had inclusive advertising, adds Galicia. And this encompasses categories like cars, beauty electronics, furniture, and finance.
“The magic of the Disney-Pixar strategy is that they are obtaining a business through representation, but it is not just about money, but about purpose and values, which is relevant for the new generations that in Mexico are more of 50% of the population. At a business level, the largest are now the minority”, concludes the expert.
