Lesbian Lipstick Smudges

'The L Word' Guerrilla Ads

The lesbian-themed TV show, The L Word, turned to ad agency Leo Burnett, Ireland to promote the show on channel six. The target demographic was females between 18-49 years old.

Leo Burnett came up with a creative campaign that catches these females off-guard in clothing stores. Double sided stickers of a pink lipstick smudge were printed on cotton and placed on the collars of blouses.

However, instead of the typically male “got caught” phrase, the reverse side says “It’s a girl on girl thing” with the TV show’s logo and the show’s air date and time.

Guerrilla Marketing
Opportunity for businesses to create unconventional and memorable advertising campaigns that catch consumers off-guard.
Targeted Advertising
Opportunity for businesses to tailor their advertising messages to specific demographic groups, such as females between 18-49 years old.
Creative Promotional Strategies
Opportunity for businesses to think outside the box and come up with unique ways to promote their products or services.

Who This Affects Most

Advertising
Opportunity for advertising agencies and companies to explore innovative approaches to reach and engage their target audience.
Fashion
Opportunity for clothing stores and fashion brands to collaborate with creative agencies for unique promotional initiatives.
Television
Opportunity for TV shows and networks to leverage creative advertising strategies to increase viewership and audience engagement.
SCORE
3.7 out of 10
GENDER
30% Men70% Women
MARKETTop markets: North America, Europe
GENERATION
  • Gen Z
  • Gen Alpha
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 47%
Activity 55%
Freshness 8%

Solutions for innovators working at the edge of change. We help transform emerging ideas into practical, durable solutions by combining strategic thinking, creative exploration, and hands-on execution.

Trends © 2026 Trend Hunter Inc. All Rights Reserved.
LinkedIn Instagram X