Add to…Cart?: Thematic and Discourse Analyses of LGBTQ+-Themed Ads’ Impact on Filipino LGBTQ+ Audiences’ Purchasing Decisions

This research report expands on the first author’s examination of how Philippine LGBTQ+-themed advertisements featuring non-stereotypical portrayals influence the purchasing decisions of Filipino LGBTQ+ consumers. The initial findings, obtained through thematic analysis, are further enhanced by discourse analysis in this article. Six focus group interviews with twenty-five LGBTQ+ participants from various regions in the Philippines revealed four primary reasons for purchasing decisions: the advertisement’s impact factor and company values, brand loyalty, personal reasons, and failure to connect with the advertisement’s story or messages. In further expounding these findings, this current research report highlights the advantages of integrating both thematic and discourse analyses into the participants’ responses to the advertisements, which uncovered new insights and complexities within the data. This mixed-method approach addresses significant gaps, such as the absence of participatory studies involving Filipino LGBTQ+ individuals, the lack of application of discourse analysis on LGBTQ+ media studies in the country, and the need for advocacy for these methodologies to enrich gender and media research in Philippine academia.