Nicolas Jack Davies | It's James / 2020 [commercial advertisement]

what’s in a name

by Douglas Messerli

 

Nicolas Jack Davies It’s James / 2020 [1.05 minutes] [commercial advertisement]

 

In 2020 the British branch of Starbucks made one of the most important transgender ads.

     In the first several scenes of this well-made, very short commercial ad, the young transgender man is delivered a package addressed to his female given name, Jemma Miller. Soon after, visiting a doctor’s office, he’s called up by the attending physician as Jemma yet again. And, even worse, meeting up with his father in a bar, the elder introduces his son, saying “You remember my Jemma,” in response to which the young man winces.

 

    The award-winning commercial finally shows the boy visiting Starbucks, who ask for the name which they write upon the coffee container, and for the first time “Jemma” gets the opportunity to express his real identity: “It’s James,” a smile suddenly being expressed across the young man’s face when the cup comes back with the chosen first name.

      Created with the Iris agency, the spokesman noted: “We believe brands should be brave, progressive and challenge the status quo, which is why we’re so passionate about this campaign and the impact it’s going to have,” said Amy Bryson, managing partner at Iris. “We spent time with people from the trans community who have experienced ‘dead-naming’ to make sure our work truly reflects their experiences. We hope the campaign will raise awareness about the importance of identity and acceptance in a time when hate crimes are on the rise.”

     In hindsight, with the current attempt of the complete erasure of transgender individuals in the US, this ad, despite it's relative inconsequentiality, seems to be of great significance. 

 

Los Angeles, July 17, 2024

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (July 2024).