Snickers ad offensive?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 08-20-2006
Posts: 21,640
From: Hillsdale, Michigan
Snickers ad offensive?
I'm gay and I thought it was funny. Alot of people are like this including those guys at the movie theaters that insist on an empty seat between them and their male friends
. Oh well, can't SATISFY everyone 
.
Snickers Ad Lowers the Bar
Tue Feb 6, 7:12 PM
It isn't every day you can accuse Snickers of bad taste.
The makers of the classic candy bar have dropped their latest commercial from the airwaves and removed it from their Website after a couple of gay rights groups complained that the 30-second Super Bowl spot packed a homophobic message along with its promises of chocolaty peanut goodness.
"It was never our intent to offend anyone," Masterfoods USA spokeswoman Alice Nathanson said in a statement Tuesday. "As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer." (All of whom can still catch the video on the Internet, just not at snickers.com.)
"Feedback from our target consumers has been positive," Nathanson continued. "In addition, many media and website commentators of this year's Super Bowl commercial lineup ranked the commercial among this year's top ten best."
House Supersizes It
Super Ratings, Princely Reviews
Super Bowl XLI: Prince Goes Crazy, Goulet Gets Nuts
E! Online "We know that humor is highly subjective and understand that some people may have found the ad offensive. Clearly that was not our intent."
The commercial in question featured two burly guys working under the hood of a car who accidentally kiss because one can't resist taking a bite of the Snickers bar that the other fellow is enjoying. After they lock lips, they quickly pull apart and encourage each other to do something "manly" to compensate. The solution: they both rip out a patch of chest hair.
Masterfoods parent Mars Inc. had been planning to build a whole campaign around the ad, which encouraged viewers to go online to vote for their favorite alternate ending. Other options besides the impromptu manscaping session included the two John Does drinking motor oil, fighting with wrenches or being joined by a third mechanic who asks, "Is there room for three on this love boat?"
All of which were unacceptable according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Campaign.
"Mars needs to apologize for the deplorable actions of its Snickers brand," GLAAD president Neil Giuliano, who has found himself ultra busy a couple of weeks ago dealing with Isaiah Washington's verbal slip-up at the Golden Globes, said in a statement.
Another GLAAD spokesperson said Tuesday that the commercial's "kind of prejudice was inexcusable."
The HRC, for one, took major offense at a video posted on snickers.com showing football players hootin' and hollerin' at the onscreen kiss.
"This type of jeering from professional sports figures at the sight of two men kissing fuels the kind of anti-gay bullying that haunts countless gay and lesbian school children on playgrounds all across the country,'' HRC president Joe Solmonese said in a statement.
When asked if the New Jersey-based Masterfoods was planning to issue a public apology, Nathanson said, "We've done what we can."
Cyd Zeigler, cofounder of Outsports, a Website for gay sports enthusiasts, told USA Today—which ranked the Snickers spot number nine on its top-10 list of the best Super Bowl ads of the year, that he didn't see what the issue was.
"I just don't see how a couple of mechanics pulling out chest hair because they kissed is offensive," he said."
. Oh well, can't SATISFY everyone .Snickers Ad Lowers the Bar
Tue Feb 6, 7:12 PM
It isn't every day you can accuse Snickers of bad taste.
The makers of the classic candy bar have dropped their latest commercial from the airwaves and removed it from their Website after a couple of gay rights groups complained that the 30-second Super Bowl spot packed a homophobic message along with its promises of chocolaty peanut goodness.
"It was never our intent to offend anyone," Masterfoods USA spokeswoman Alice Nathanson said in a statement Tuesday. "As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer." (All of whom can still catch the video on the Internet, just not at snickers.com.)
"Feedback from our target consumers has been positive," Nathanson continued. "In addition, many media and website commentators of this year's Super Bowl commercial lineup ranked the commercial among this year's top ten best."
House Supersizes It
Super Ratings, Princely Reviews
Super Bowl XLI: Prince Goes Crazy, Goulet Gets Nuts
E! Online "We know that humor is highly subjective and understand that some people may have found the ad offensive. Clearly that was not our intent."
The commercial in question featured two burly guys working under the hood of a car who accidentally kiss because one can't resist taking a bite of the Snickers bar that the other fellow is enjoying. After they lock lips, they quickly pull apart and encourage each other to do something "manly" to compensate. The solution: they both rip out a patch of chest hair.
Masterfoods parent Mars Inc. had been planning to build a whole campaign around the ad, which encouraged viewers to go online to vote for their favorite alternate ending. Other options besides the impromptu manscaping session included the two John Does drinking motor oil, fighting with wrenches or being joined by a third mechanic who asks, "Is there room for three on this love boat?"
All of which were unacceptable according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Campaign.
"Mars needs to apologize for the deplorable actions of its Snickers brand," GLAAD president Neil Giuliano, who has found himself ultra busy a couple of weeks ago dealing with Isaiah Washington's verbal slip-up at the Golden Globes, said in a statement.
Another GLAAD spokesperson said Tuesday that the commercial's "kind of prejudice was inexcusable."
The HRC, for one, took major offense at a video posted on snickers.com showing football players hootin' and hollerin' at the onscreen kiss.
"This type of jeering from professional sports figures at the sight of two men kissing fuels the kind of anti-gay bullying that haunts countless gay and lesbian school children on playgrounds all across the country,'' HRC president Joe Solmonese said in a statement.
When asked if the New Jersey-based Masterfoods was planning to issue a public apology, Nathanson said, "We've done what we can."
Cyd Zeigler, cofounder of Outsports, a Website for gay sports enthusiasts, told USA Today—which ranked the Snickers spot number nine on its top-10 list of the best Super Bowl ads of the year, that he didn't see what the issue was.
"I just don't see how a couple of mechanics pulling out chest hair because they kissed is offensive," he said."
Senior Member
Joined: 10-19-2005
Posts: 20,687
From: Miami
I agree with Cyd.......
Cyd Zeigler, cofounder of Outsports, a Website for gay sports enthusiasts, told USA Today—which ranked the Snickers spot number nine on its top-10 list of the best Super Bowl ads of the year, that he didn't see what the issue was.
"I just don't see how a couple of mechanics pulling out chest hair because they kissed is offensive," he said."
"I just don't see how a couple of mechanics pulling out chest hair because they kissed is offensive," he said."
Senior Member
Joined: 07-26-2006
Posts: 903
From: Soon to be Longview, Texas
These groups need to grow either a sense of humor or a pair of eyes. The ad wasn't poking fun at gay men, or inciting gaybashing at all. If anything, it's poking fun at STRAIGHT men who are insecure about their masculinity.
For the record, this opinion comes from a straight, married man comfortable enough in his masculinity to do his own interior decorating.
For the record, this opinion comes from a straight, married man comfortable enough in his masculinity to do his own interior decorating.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 08-20-2006
Posts: 21,640
From: Hillsdale, Michigan
These groups need to grow either a sense of humor or a pair of eyes. The ad wasn't poking fun at gay men, or inciting gaybashing at all. If anything, it's poking fun at STRAIGHT men who are insecure about their masculinity.
For the record, this opinion comes from a straight, married man comfortable enough in his masculinity to do his own interior decorating.
For the record, this opinion comes from a straight, married man comfortable enough in his masculinity to do his own interior decorating.
Senior Member
Joined: 01-13-2006
Posts: 3,000
From: Superior, WI - Over the Hill Warranty Club member
I thought it would of been funnier if one of the 2 got big teeth, groweled and bit the lips off the other to get the most of the bar... Comety graphics used that is, not to gross the kids out..
Senior Member
Joined: 02-01-2006
Posts: 2,300
From: Groveville, NJ
It isn't every day you can accuse Snickers of bad taste.
The makers of the classic candy bar have dropped their latest commercial from the airwaves and removed it from their Website after a couple of gay rights groups complained that the 30-second Super Bowl spot packed a homophobic message along with its promises of chocolaty peanut goodness.
The makers of the classic candy bar have dropped their latest commercial from the airwaves and removed it from their Website after a couple of gay rights groups complained that the 30-second Super Bowl spot packed a homophobic message along with its promises of chocolaty peanut goodness.
Senior Member
Joined: 08-25-2006
Posts: 438
From: Seymour, IN
I think that america has become way too sensitive. People get upset over the dumbest things and ruin it for everyone. I have no problem with any race, creed, or lifestyle. I'm waiting for a group of straight guys who fight hetrophobia
