Snickers pulls plug on Super Bowl smooch ad

[Guard Dog]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- After a number of groups objected, Masterfoods USA, the maker of Snickers candy bars, has pulled the plug on a controversial Super Bowl commercial that showed two men accidentally kissing.

 

The 30-second commercial featured two mechanics who end up sharing both a Snickers bar and an inadvertent kiss, and then react by pulling out a clump of chest hair to "do something manly."

 

On its Web site, the candy maker posted three alternate endings to the commercial and reactions from NFL players.

 

Groups such as the Human Right Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) condemned the ad, saying it promoted anti-gay prejudice and condoned violence against gay Americans.

 

"That Snickers, Mars and the NFL would promote and endorse this kind of prejudice is simply inexcusable," GLAAD President Neil Giuliano said in a statement.

 

Masterfoods USA is a subsidiary of closely held Mars Inc.

 

Viewers were supposed to be able to go to www.SnickersSatisfies.com or www.afterthekiss.com Web sites to view the alternate endings and vote on their favorite which would air later this month. Visitors to the site are now redirected to the Snickers' home page.

 

Masterfoods, which has discontinued the ad campaign, said the intent of the ad was not to offend, and noted that feedback from its target audience had been positive.

 

"We know that humor is highly subjective and understand that some people may have found the ad offensive. Clearly that was not our intent," Masterfoods said in a statement. "As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer."

 

The ad, which was produced by TBWA/Chiat/Day New York, is the first time since 2001 that a Snickers spot was featured in the Super Bowl.

 

You know one of the biggest problems in the world today is too many people with a total lack of a sense of humor. The second biggest problem is too many other people walking on eggshells around these humorless idiots so as not to "offend" them.

 

To say this commercial (which was not really funny anyway) promotes violence against gays is stupidity in the extreme. Anyway, if you did not see it, here is the link on you tube: Super Bowl 41 - Snickers Kiss - Commercial

[Dark_Raven]

[Tale]

Commercial sucks, but GLAAD's objection sucks more. It does absolutely nothing to promote violence against homosexuals.

Edited February 7, 2007 by Tale

[LadyCrimson]

While I can understand the point of view, I also think some people are too touchy and have no sense of humor. I think it's more likely tho that they just saw it as an oppurtunity to get some media spotlight attention for their issue.

 

The commerical isn't very funny regardless...it's like a bad Sat. Night Live skit.

[Craigboy2]

It doesn't sound offensive.

[Pidesco]

Idiots.

[Pop]

One less ****ty advertisement on TV! Hooray!

[Weiser_Cain]

Is kissing a guy so bad you have to have your head slammed in a engine? There's enough homophobia without this ad.

[Sand]

Gotta love the immaturity in the world.

[Guard Dog]

Is kissing a guy so bad you have to have your head slammed in a engine? There's enough homophobia without this ad.

This commercial is not homophobia.

 

This is Homophobia:Murder charges planned in beating death of gay student

 

BIG difference.

[Dark Moth]

Ugh...stupid, but not hardly surprising. I saw the ad and don't see why anyone should be offended. There's really no nice way for me to say what's on my mind, sooo..

 

Anyone offended by that ad has no sense of humor, or is just plain an idiot.

[Purgatorio]

And Idiots make the most noise. I now have a craving for a Snicker, but I am now boycotting them for promoting violence against chest hair.

[Guard Dog]

And Idiots make the most noise. I now have a craving for a Snicker, but I am now boycotting them for promoting violence against chest hair.

 

[Enoch]

Is kissing a guy so bad you have to have your head slammed in a engine? There's enough homophobia without this ad.

This commercial is not homophobia.

 

This is Homophobia:Murder charges planned in beating death of gay student

 

BIG difference.

No, that's persecution and murder. There certainly can be homophobia short of extreme acts like that. Homophobia is the fear of associating one's self with anything perceived as being "gay." I think the commercial illustrates it pretty well.

 

GLAAD has every right to object. Behavior doesn't have to be as reprehensible as murder to be objectionable. The commercial operates on the premise that the preferences of many GLAAD members are something that should be feared by mainstream society. The only part of GLAAD's statement in the excerpted article I would take issue with is where they said that the commercial condoned violence against gays. I don't think it went that far.

 

 

(And, by the way, since when is tearing out hunks of chest hair a manly thing to do? Last I checked, the removal of body hair was, well, kinda gay. )

[Sand]

You know, when ever I see GLAAD I think of that old plastic bag commerical...

 

"Don't get mad! Get GLAAD!"

 

Of course if the snickers commercial depicted two drunks the marketing people would go...

 

"Don't get MADD! Get glad!"

 

Of course if the commerical had these guys drinking beer as well eating the snickers bar as they did the marketeers would have mixed signals!

 

"Don't get MADD! Get GLAAD! No, I mean happy!"

 

I think I am going to end that here. REALLY!

[Volourn]

I thought the commerical was hilarious,a dn I never ever once though,"OMG! That's gay!"

 

Talk about lameness on the part of FLAAD which is not surprising since all 'right groups' have a habit of always overreacting, and whining like little babies which distrupts their actual worthwhile goals. Absolutely pathetic on GLAAD's part.

 

Stupid morons that they are.

[Titosros]

The Superbowl commericals this year were /yawn

[LadyCrimson]

O/T...

The Superbowl commericals this year were /yawn

I didn't watch the game, but looking at a page w/all the commericals, the click a mouse one is pretty damn funny...

[Hell Kitty]

Is kissing a guy so bad you have to have your head slammed in a engine? There's enough homophobia without this ad.

This commercial is not homophobia.

 

This is Homophobia:Murder charges planned in beating death of gay student

 

BIG difference.

No, that's persecution and murder. There certainly can be homophobia short of extreme acts like that. Homophobia is the fear of associating one's self with anything perceived as being "gay." I think the commercial illustrates it pretty well.

 

GLAAD has every right to object. Behavior doesn't have to be as reprehensible as murder to be objectionable. The commercial operates on the premise that the preferences of many GLAAD members are something that should be feared by mainstream society. The only part of GLAAD's statement in the excerpted article I would take issue with is where they said that the commercial condoned violence against gays. I don't think it went that far.

 

I agree with this. According to the imdb, the extended ad on the website featured "members of the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts also registering their disgust at the kiss."

 

Would the ad have worked if it was a man and woman accidentally kissing? Of course not, because there is nothing wrong with that.

 

The humour is on the level of a teenage boy laughing at something and describing it as "totally gay".

 

 

the click a mouse one is pretty damn funny...

 

Was that the one with the rabbit and hamster and the poor little mousey?

[Walsingham]

Does this mean we can get adverts ban just because they suck?

[LadyCrimson]

Was that the one with the rabbit and hamster and the poor little mousey?

Yeah...the Blockbuster one.

[Lucius]

I hate these rights groups always making a fuss, granted I'm not american, but something tells me they're probably a bunch of drama queens who lives up to the lame stereotypes.

 

However, the commercial in itself is just stupid, and the fact that some of the players felt the need to express that they were disgusted by it, is hardly surprising, American football is known for its rabid homophobia, which is somewhat ironic considering the enormous amount of buttslapping these dudes do.

Edited February 8, 2007 by Lucius

[Aram]

American football is known for its rabid homophobia,

 

Uh...since when?

 

I mean, I don't think I've ever seen a player get a yellow flag for uneccessary skipping.

Edited February 8, 2007 by Aram

[Guard Dog]

I agree with this. According to the imdb, the extended ad on the website featured "members of the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts also registering their disgust at the kiss."

 

Would the ad have worked if it was a man and woman accidentally kissing? Of course not, because there is nothing wrong with that.

 

The humour is on the level of a teenage boy laughing at something and describing it as "totally gay".

 

The fact is there is nothing funny (or in this case attemped funny) that does not offend someone. Make a joke about muslims on TV and three hundred million people want to behead you. Make a joke about about homophobia and GLAAD and it's ilk gets all upset and files protests, threatens boycotts, an on and on and on..... Kind of makes you appreciate Rednecks. Joke about them all you want and they laugh too.

 

By the way Kitty, most heterosexual men are just a tiny bit homomphobic. Anyone who says they are not is a liar. It is not right, it is not fair, it is a failing of the human character, but it is true. Might just as well laugh about it.

[Enoch]

By the way Kitty, most heterosexual men are just a tiny bit homomphobic. Anyone who says they are not is a liar. It is not right, it is not fair, it is a failing of the human character, but it is true. Might just as well laugh about it.

I'm sorry, but that is total BS. There's nothing inherent in human nature that makes people judge homosexuals as inferior and strive to avoid any activity that would associate themselves with homosexuals. It's a commonly shared societal prejudice-- nothing more. You might as well argue that it was inherent in human nature for caucasian men in the 19th century to believe that women and people of other races were inferior human beings.

 

 

And as to your point about humor being necessarily offensive, sure, there is often humor to be found in mining society's taboos and prejudices. But that doesn't mean that those offended by the attempted joke don't have a right to protest it. The offeror of the alleged humor must then balance the concerns of those alienated with the merits of the humor and come to a decision on whether to continue in that vein. Nothing is being banned or regulated here-- the advertisers simply offered an attempt at humor into the marketplace of ideas, certain groups took offense, notified them, and the advertisers withdrew their ad. If the advertisers had really thought that the humor of the ad was worth offending GLAAD and similar groups, nothing was stopping them from airing it 'round the clock.