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Men Kissing? We can't have that now, can we?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Before you read the story, watch the offending advert. Fairly good advert I reckon.
Anywhere, then comes the story.
And then the backlash.
Still a long way to go it seems. :rolleyes:
Anywhere, then comes the story.
Heinz has withdrawn its Deli Mayo TV advert that featured two men sharing a kiss and apologised to viewers after the advertising regulator received about 200 complaints.
The advert has been pulled after under a week on air, after viewers complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that it was "offensive" and "inappropriate to see two men kissing".
Other complaints said the advert was "unsuitable to be seen by children" and that it raised the difficult problem of parents having to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with younger viewers.
And then the backlash.
Gaydar Radio, the digital station, became the second prominent gay organisation to call for a ban on Heinz after Stonewall urged its supporters to stop buying its products.
An online petition calling on Heinz to reinstate the Deli Mayo ad has attracted nearly 2,000 signatures. In addition, a protest group has been set up on Facebook.
"Come on, Heinz. Stand by your morals, if you have any, and don't back down to the bigots!" said Le Vans.
"Unless, of course, you'd prefer it if gay people around the world didn't buy your products in future. It's your choice. Would you rather keep your bigoted customers happy or your gay ones?"
Still a long way to go it seems. :rolleyes:
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Comments
I don't see the problem with this advert, I admit I haven't seen it but if all this fuss has been kicked up over an advert where two men kiss it's a bit sad when you see the amount of sexualized behaviour on the majority of adverts now . . .
the theme of this whole campaign is taking an everyday food scene, and replacing one of the characters with a New York Delicatessen man. In this case, it was a kids/dad going to school, and the stay-at-home mum was the figure replaced. (the kids called the deli-man "mum")
I think the problem is it suggests a pair of men could be part of a "normal" 2+2 family. That's not what the advertisers intended - it IS mum+dad+son+daughter.
Personally, I'm more offended by the stereotype it was emulating.
The kiss that was complained about was a going to work kiss (admittedly on the lips) - not a sexualised snog.
I initially considered it nice that Heinz thought gay parents to be such a non-issue that they'd not thought twice about running the ad. Then I realised they'd not seen the gay angle, or worse, considered the idea of gay parents to be a joke.
I think that language was chosen to press buttons with the marketing people - the "gay couple stereotype" (young, affluent, adventurous) fits the target profile of the deli-mayo marketing. the "anti-gay bigot stereotype" (older, working-class, conservative, low-education) does not. Of course, reality has no bearing on marketing
Oh and another petition with a facebook group set up, it must be serious, along the lines of the campaign against spaceraiders costing more than 10p :banghead:
To be honest the difference is a quick glance at the Radio Times would tell you when to avoid those, it doesn't tell you when a particular advert is on.
That said the advert is fuss over nothing - it's a quick peck on the lips, hardly like they were shagging each other on the kitchen table
I wonder if it would be pulled from TV if it were an inter-racial couple kissing.... Or somebody with a disability.... If enough people threw their toys from their prams would the aforementioned be banned?
This advert is completely harmless... What kind of sad person complains over something like this? They must have one hell of a bug up their arse. :rolleyes:
Whether people can or can't stand to see gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans couples kissing, they should just get over it. People kiss, it's affection. Better to share the love than spread bigotry everywhere and make people unhappy by pressurising them not to show their love openly like "normal" people.
Jeeze...
I've not seen it.
I have no problem with gay people.
I don't like seeing two blokes snogging.
Are my feelings now suspect?
Some people don't like watching men and women kissing.
Just don't see why people feel the need to announce some sort of repulsion at other people's relationships (especially on a thread about homophobia and for the record, some gay people are just as bad... Like one lass I was seeing a while ago... meh). it implies that one action is alright and the other isn't.
It's not about being suspect... I just don't get why people have to say it.:no:
If it was an advert initially that had no gay kiss instead, wouldn't be an issue. If I was running a business and ran any add that had a significant number of complaints I would pull it. Businesses are there to make money not to make political statements. Otherwise you end up alienating half your market.
As for the advert, I had a little giggle, but in marketing / PR (I don't work in it obviously as a student but know a little about it) you must always be sensitive to your audience. Notice how when women are in adverts in the mid east they're often covered. Maybe they should make a stand about how women don't need to cover their faces! But the fact is, it doesn't sell products, and that's what it's about, and I think people confuse that.
If it was the BBC pulling a show because of a gay kiss then it's completely different really.
edit: another example is the guy who worked for AOL who got sacked for calling a customer some nasty names because the customer was clearly racist. It might be the morally right thing to do in a pub or with friends, but when you're in a business if you say you dont want the business of anyone who was 'questionable' opinions on things, then you're going to go broke because there will be 10 other businesses waiting to snap up that customer's money.
I do.
What is so wrong about me stating my feelings?
Will that be controlled by law as well soon?
The ad wouldn't have been withdrawn if it was a man and a woman. And it's suitable for all audiences...
Indeed. Besides, 'sometimes, two men - or two women, love each other' isn't a particularly difficult explanation.
Heinz seems to think it's okay to appease homophobes - even if, they alienate decent, liberal and tolerant people...
The only plus side is, if they're complaining about something as petty as this then they're obviously not bothered about the real shit that's happening
See my post...
I mean, its just getting upset over nothing isn't it. Of course theres a controversy surrounding homophobia but I stand by heinz on this occasion. If people had complained they weren't going to buy heinz because the curtains in the advert were purple, would heinz be wrong to pull that advert and put in an alternative?