Frank DeCaro, Rob Smith, and Jim Carlucci at the Commercial Closet Awards in NYC

Here in the big apple, sometimes it really is all about who you know.  Case in point: the picture above. That’s me flanked by comedian Frank DeCaro and his partner Jim Carlucci at the Commercial Closet Awards at the New World Stages in New York City on Monday night. Decaro served as the emcee for the event, which celebrates and awards positive images of LGBT people in advertising. 

I won’t bore you with the details of how I got to attend such a fab shindig, but suffice it to say that I was probably the most junior level person there who wasn’t walking around with a food tray in my hands. As far as being gay in the industry, I do work in media right now, and I will say that it’s a lot easier for offensive stuff to get out there if there aren’t any of us around to question it. 

Just ask Nike, who are dealing with a little homophobic ad scandal of their own right now. It is very important to have out and open LGBT people in the industry to help combat negative images and to push agencies and advertisers to do a little better, which is exactly why events like the CCAs exist. 

After loosening up with a few cocktails and a little sushi and engaging in a fair share of schmoozing and networking, the crowd assembled into the auditorium for the awards. It was actually quite nice to see such a cross section of gay and gay-friendly agencies, advertisers, and sponsors all taking part in an event of this sort. I saw myself as sort of the black, gay, 200-pound version of Eve Harrington, listening intently to the different conversations, taking mental notes of the various clothing styles on display, and figuring out exactly when and where I would sink my claws into New York’s gay advertising social scene. But I digress…

More on the evening's winning ads, after the break!

The Commercial Closet Association has released the Fourth Annual Images In Advertising Awards Nominees. The picture above is called "Tan Lines", and is one of the nominees in the category of "Outstanding Travel Campaign", and there are many other categories, including "Outstanding TV Campaign" and "Outstanding Interactive Ad".

The nominees this year in the biggest category, "Outstanding Commercial - Mainstream Market", include the Chemistry.com ad "Rejected", and commercials for Orbitz, Levis, Dolce & Gabbana, and Wrigley. Let's take a look at some of the print nominees.

BMW, Outstanding Print/Outdoor Ad - Mainstream Market

Paris Tourism, Outstanding International Print/Outdoor - GLBT Market

See more nominated ads after the break, and let us know what you think of the bunch in the comments!

The Commercial Closet Association, which monitors gay representation in advertising, have named American Express and Absolut Vodka as the "gold standard" for sensitive LGBT portrayals in their advertising. The CCA praised the two companies for great work in the past year, but also for a history of supporting the gay community. These sponsors' support includes not just marketing to gay customers and advertising in gay media, but also sponsoring and participating in community events.

American Express' history includes ads using out celebrities in such as Tom Ford, Ellen DeGeneres and Queer Eye producer David Collins. The company's has also addressed LGBT concerns with ads that bring up the different financial issues same-sex couples face.

Meanwhile, the CCA notes that Absolut has been buying ads in gay media since 1981, and was the first major advertiser to target LGBT customers. Absolut also has a history of incorporating queer imagery in national advertising, including Spada, the creator of the gay pride rings, in their 1992 "Absolut Spada" ad and the art of Keith Haring in the 1995 "Absolut Haring" ad.

The CCA is also launching their new AdRespect Score, which will attempt to rate how well national advertisers treat the LGBT community. The CCA's ideal advertiser is one who responsibly includes LGBT imagery, buys space in gay media and participates in community events. The scores will be included on the Commercial Closet's website, helping add context when browsing the site's collection of LGBT-themed ads.

Earlier this week we reported this year's recipients of the CCA's Images in Advertising Awards, which recognizes which companies are doing the best work (and the worst) in terms of LGBT visibility in advertising.

We followed up with Michael Wilke, Founder and Executive Director of the CCA, to get his thoughts on the state of gay advertising (Wilke is pictured at center above, with Anthony Cirono, a Board President of the CCA, and presenter Judy Gold).

AfterElton.com: You note that visibility for gays and lesbians is down in advertising, which is what we've also seen in terms of network television and movies. What do you think is behind this trend?

Michael Wilke: The novelty is wearing off of "what happens when a gay/lesbian person is added into this classic storyline?" Advertising is usually several years behind what TV and film are doing, but while there are similarities in how they function, since they both seek to entertain, advertising differs in that it also wants to make friends with the viewer to sell a product or service.

AE: What's the most common mistake used in ads that try to use "gay humor" (and fail)?

MW: Using GLBT people as a punchline -- "surprise" she's a he, "surprise" she's with her, or "surprise" he likes men.

AE: Do you feel that the gay community is too quick to take offense at ads that use gay humor?

MW: Frankly, I think the gay community is too lax most of the time to take offense. Today's world is perhaps too comfortable for many gay people, and they discount the power of advertising to influence how the rest of society views our community.

The Commercial Closet Association's Images in Advertising Awards were given out last night, seeking to highlight advertising campaigns that best exemplify inclusion of gay people in advertising. The big winner for TV spots was IKEA's "Living Room" ad, which depicts a tapestry of families that ends with a gay, interracial couple and their daughter. The commercial asks, "Why shouldn't sofas come in flavors, just like families?" The two men are shown being affectionate with each other and doesn't have a whiff of sensationalism about it. Loving, gay couples are presented in the same manner as the ad's other families, making them equals.

"We Fell in Love" by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, another furniture provider, was declared Outstanding Print Ad. The ad features a male couple cozily sitting on a couch with text describing their common love of design.