Snickers Ad Out Over Homophobia Complaints

[Megs]

Perhaps they should make an alternative commercial with one gay man and one gay woman kissing and have them both be disgusted. Would heterosexuals then have a right to complain?

I think this was a harmless commercial and a few are making something out of nothing. What's next? Will Al Sharpton complain that one of the men in the commercial were not black?

Thank You! I'm sorry, but these men were NOT gay and that is why they were disgusted. How is that offensive?

 

[White Rain]

That's exactly what the ad was about! I don't understand why this group complained about it. All the gays I know (and I've lived in Atlanta for a while so I knew quite a few ) had a sense of humor. Sheesh.

Hey Janet, I'm a fellow Georgian here, about 45 mins North of you in Barrow County.

 

[Nova]

Thank You! I'm sorry, but these men were NOT gay and that is why they were disgusted. How is that offensive?

The objection is explained in the articles linked above and by Cyber in a very articulate post. I've explained why I feel differently, but the complaint wasn't random.

As for a proposed commercial showing a gay man disgusted by kissing a woman, THAT would offend me, because it perpetuates an unfortunate stereotype that we gay men find women physically repulsive.

 

[curious1]

My niece (who is gay) and I got a huge kick out of the commercial. When she sees this article she's gonna roll her eyes and say 'give me a freakin' break'.

 

[GlitchWizard]

This, and in most things - I think people are pretending to be offended that really aren't.

And to the person who said those men were not gay and that's why they were upset - who says they weren't? ;-) They might be laughing all the way to the bank, right now.

 

[Megs]

This, and in most things - I think people are pretending to be offended that really aren't.

And to the person who said those men were not gay and that's why they were upset - who says they weren't? ;-) They might be laughing all the way to the bank, right now.

LOL - They very well could be in real life! I just meant that the commercial was portraying two straight men.... or atleast that's how I took it. I don't know about anyone else, but if I had accidentally kissed one of those men, being a straight woman, I probably would have been disgusted too!

 

[southcitymom]

I had accidentally kissed one of those men, being a straight woman, I probably would have been disgusted too!

There's that!

 

[Nova]

This, and in most things - I think people are pretending to be offended that really aren't.

And to the person who said those men were not gay and that's why they were upset - who says they weren't? ;-) They might be laughing all the way to the bank, right now.

Glitch, I don't think they're "pretending" to be offended. I think the context of the Super Bowl may have affected their interpretation. Too many of us spent our teens being tortured by jocks who thought gayness was both disgusting and hilarious.

I might have been offended myself 20 years ago. But today, I think there are all sorts of representations of gay people and of attitudes about gay people, so these two idiots don't bother me.

 

[Paladin]

I thought maybe they were disgusted that they kissed someone with a mouthful of peanuts, caramel, chocolate, and creamy nuget. :crazy:

 

[Nova]

I thought maybe they were disgusted that they kissed someone with a mouthful of peanuts, caramel, chocolate, and creamy nuget. :crazy:

That would do it for me.

But I think Snickers wants us to believe that's a good thing.

 

[JanetElaine]

I thought maybe they were disgusted that they kissed someone with a mouthful of peanuts, caramel, chocolate, and creamy nuget. :crazy:

Ewwww..... Okay that's it, pull the ad!

 

[PrayersForMaura]

There's nothing new here, except perhaps that the media covers these things more.

Companies have always had p.r. problems and have developed various strategies to deal with those problems.

Snickers didn't "have to" pull their ad, and that's a fact, not opinion. They chose to do so (perhaps figuring rightly that the publicity over the matter was as valuable as anything the ad might have accomplished without a controversy). Snickers get to appear responsible, while sending millions to look at the ad on YouTube.

Like I said, the ad doesn't bother me, but the sky isn't falling because it was pulled.

I disagree with you.
I work in advertising and have for 12 years, and my comments are based on my professional experien. I know for a fact that these days, companies do get more complaints because of such things like "email". People have never had so much access to companies-- and so much time on their hands -- like they do now. The electronic world has made this possible.

I think people need to get over what bugs them in advertisements because the world revolves around the Sun, not them.

 

[j2mirish]

I disagree with you.
I work in advertising and have for 12 years, and my comments are based on my professional experien. I know for a fact that these days, companies do get more complaints because of such things like "email". People have never had so much access to companies-- and so much time on their hands -- like they do now. The electronic world has made this possible.

I think people need to get over what bugs them in advertisements because the world revolves around the Sun, not them.[/QUOTE]


bolded by j2m
well, their complaints got this ad pulled........

 

[Nova]

I disagree with you.
I work in advertising and have for 12 years, and my comments are based on my professional experien. I know for a fact that these days, companies do get more complaints because of such things like "email". People have never had so much access to companies-- and so much time on their hands -- like they do now. The electronic world has made this possible.

I think people need to get over what bugs them in advertisements because the world revolves around the Sun, not them.

I work in marketing myself and you are right: emailing is easier than actually typing a letter, stamping an envelope, etc. So, yes, there are a greater volume of complaints.

But advertising companies and marketing departments have been dealing with consumer complaints since time immemorial. And so they should, if they want to keep their customers.

And I hope we never reach a point where people just "get over" their political objections to media images and messages. That would be a sorry world, indeed.

While this case isn't my favorite example, the principle of speaking out against dangerous ideas is fundamental to our system of free speech. (For what it's worth, I have a stack of consumer complaints under my left elbow right now. I don't need the extra work, but the writers are correct to object.)

 

[PrayersForMaura]

I work in marketing myself and you are right: emailing is easier than actually typing a letter, stamping an envelope, etc. So, yes, there are a greater volume of complaints.

But advertising companies and marketing departments have been dealing with consumer complaints since time immemorial. And so they should, if they want to keep their customers.

And I hope we never reach a point where people just "get over" their political objections to media images and messages. That would be a sorry world, indeed.

While this case isn't my favorite example, the principle of speaking out against dangerous ideas is fundamental to our system of free speech. (For what it's worth, I have a stack of consumer complaints under my left elbow right now. I don't need the extra work, but the writers are correct to object.)

It is freedom of speech to object to the messaging, but it's also freedom of speech to create the message!
Can't please everyone.


Nice to meet a fellow marketer!
I have to admit, I love my job ... consumer complaints aside!

 

[Nova]

It is freedom of speech to object to the messaging, but it's also freedom of speech to create the message!
Can't please everyone.


Nice to meet a fellow marketer!
I have to admit, I love my job ... consumer complaints aside!

Absolutely. And as I have said, I really have no objection to this ad.

I've only been in marketing for a couple of years. Still getting used to that aspect of theater.

Most of the complaints I answer are political in nature. So it's interesting to craft responses. The "I couldn't hear the singer" stuff is handled by somebody else.

(ETA: I LOVE the product (our show). I don't know how I would feel about marketing a lousy show.)

 

[Mygirlsadie]

I thought the commercial was so funny. I guess I just look at it for what it is. A commercial... there is no hidden agenda there and people need to stop over analyzing everything. JMO

 

[Nova]

I thought the commercial was so funny. I guess I just look at it for what it is. A commercial... there is no hidden agenda there and people need to stop over analyzing everything. JMO

I don't believe the company was accused of having a "hidden agenda."

Let me just say - and this isn't directly just to you, Mygirl - that when you are a member of the majority, it's easy to say a minority complaint is "over analyzing."

Things often look different when you have been the target of discrimination and violence.

 

[CyberLaw]

Advertisements are intended to "influence" people, and advertisements could influence and perpetuate stereotypes, myth and prejudices.

How about a commercial that "intendes to influence" that men are macho and a men yells and screams at his wife, that "she eats candy all day, watches soap operas insteading of "cleaning" the house. She is an overweight women. This is intended to sell an "easy" method to clean the floors.

Or how about single working mother, only serving fast foods to their kids, how about suggesting that the women get married so she can "raise" the kids like a "proper mother", be married, and serve her kids "good food". This is for a cookbook advertisement.

Or black people lining up for welfare, instead of applying at an employment agency. We will start off the commmercial with a voice over of black people lining up in a welfare office. Then continue with, are you a "lazy" black person living off the tax payer and were denied welfare. Well apply to our "employment agency, instead of living on the streets.

Or an old man, who chases pretty blond 20 something girls. This would be for Viagara.

Or how about a single mother on the streets selling herself, to feed her drug habit,while her kids go hungry. This is for a course in "higher education", with the added benefit of a rehab centre.

Or a maid mistreated by "rich people" who feel they can "treat her anyway they choose. This would be for a "team" cleaning company.

Does anybody find the suggestions of those ads, "accurate", of course they will be funny..........

How about a single girl, who has a different man every night, to sell condoms and protect herself from STDS. We will start that with, "are you a single women, who picks up men in bars, sleeps with different men on a weekly basis, well will you know who the father of a baby is. Prevent pregancy and STD by using our brand of condoms.

Now the above ads may be "funny" to some, but to "stay at home Moms, single women, single working mothers, black people they "just may not find them "funny", but offensive and "fuel" the myths , prejudices, stereotypes of "specific" grroups of people, all to sell a product or service.

How does one man insult another. By calling him gay, how does a man insult a women who does not want to date him, by calling her a lesbian.

There was an ad for cheese. A "very well off, refined women allows her cat to "indulge" in bottled water and lobster. But no he cannot eat the cheese, because the cheese is like her, "old with character and she wants it all for herself. This ad showed her "pushing" the cat off the table to the floor and the cat landing in a loud MEOW. Now the ad shows the cat "just landing" on the floor with no MEOW.

So instead of being "pushed", the viewer is lead to believe that the cat jumped off the table on his own accord. Cat lovers, the Humane Society, animal rights groups complained and the ad was changed to a "view" that was more appropriate in the treatment of animals.

Some people who did not own cats, could not care less about animals, were indifferent, could not understand "what the problem" was with "those" people who complained. They found it funny that she pushed the cat on the floor and could not understand what the "problem" was with the original ad.

 

[GlitchWizard]

How about a single girl, who has a different man every night, to sell condoms and protect herself from STDS. We will start that with, "are you a single women, who picks up men in bars, sleeps with different men on a weekly basis, well will you know who the father of a baby is. Prevent pregancy and STD by using our brand of condoms.

I am a single woman. I might want to date one of the guy these other single women are picking up in bars. I'd like a commercial to get them to wear condoms so by the time he gets around to me, he's clean... in case I fall in love and want to marry him.

There is truth (some) to every stereotype. Everyone knows it. If there wasn't a grain of truth - no one would "get it." It doesn't make it wrong to reflect society if you are also suggesting a fix to it, in my opinion. You can actively CHANGE stereotypes if you acknowledge them as such. Perhaps the one commercial of the mistreated maid or the drug addict mother can show them how to get out of that situation and into a better one.

The situations can be real, why lie?

As for snickers - there was no violence toward each other, they remained friends. It was "okay" with them - they just wanted to pretend it wasn't by conforming to societies norms by the "do something manly" comment. I kind of thought it would make it more "normal" and relax some the uptight homophobes. SOMEDAY, it would be nice if people could see that the world is made up of real people - and all kinds of people - and that it always has been and always will be - so get used to it.

Someday will come sooner, if we show that through tv, commercials, radio and our own behavior.