Snickers Superbowl Ad Pulled Off the Air
The NFL and Snickers has come under criticism from various organizations including GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). The controversy not only surrounds the actual commercial that aired during Sunday night's Superbowl, but also the contest on the Snickers website. Visitors to the website were invited to view alternate endings to the commercial and vote on which one was their favorite.
The ending that aired during the Superbowl showed two mechanics working on a car. One of the mechanics pulls out a snickers and puts it in his mouth. The other mechanic then starts eating from the other end of the candy bar. The two men's lips inadvertently meet in a "kiss". One of the men exclaims "Quick, do something manly". At this point both men pull hair from their chests.
While many found the commercial as it appeared offensive, perhaps the more offensive ending was one of the alternate endings that appeared on the Snickers website. In this version, instead of the men pulling hair from their chests, they pick up wrenches and start to beat one another with them. According to www.canada.com, Judy Shepard spoke out against this ending. You will remember that Judy Shepard's son, Matthew Shepard, was beaten to death in 1998. She is quoted as saying "(It) encourages the same type of hate that led to the death of my son Matthew," she said in a statement. "It essentially gives 'permission' to our society to verbally or physically harass individuals who are gay, lesbian or bisexual. In particular, I am dismayed that these players, who are role models to our young people, would participate in perpetuating such discrimination and prejudice."
One of the alternate endings that is coming under scrutiny featured some NFL football players making faces that showed disgust after seeing the two mechanics accidentally kiss. This has caused the NFL to come under criticism for it's role in the commercials. According to UK Gay News, Joe Solmonese (president of HRC) stated "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,"
The largest organization in the USA, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), called for Snickers parent company to remove the offensive ads. Late Monday, Master Foods (the parent company of Snickers), announced that the articles would be removed. In a statement, Master Foods said it did not intend to offend anyone with the ads.
Published by Wendy King
After working 10yrs in Pediatrics as a medical assistant, I became a stay at home mom in 2002. I have 3 beautiful children. Two of my children have autism. View profile
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- The NFL and Snickers has come under criticism from various organizations including GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).
- The more offensive ending was one of the alternate endings that appeared on the Snickers website.
- The largest organization in the USA, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), called for Snickers parent company to remove the offensive ads
55 Comments
Post a CommentWho cares whether it offends them or not? I am HUGELY offended by much of the antics and displays of Gays, especially during thier "gay pride" events such as parades. They care nothing if they offend me in any way. In fact they seem to purposely be offensive in as many ways as they can arrange, so forget what offends them. They have a right to exist, just not in my world. The normal world. The rational world. The world where people are not freaks of nature.
NO drama here. I also see why they yanked it but all in all they got my attention. lol. I fell asleep during the superbowl party at my house so I missed out on all the commercials and am kicking myself about it. I thank people like you who write articles about it so that I can kind of get a feel of what the commercials where about.
Okay, I apologize, never mind. Daniel, maybe you weren't paying attention to the fact that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq--although our troops were sent there on that premise. I was trying to make a point about powerful political groups like GLAAD not seeing the forest for the trees. But never mind--sorry I interrupted your conversation about candy bar commercials.
After reading SarahJ's comment, I'm kind of starting to understand why it is offensive. It does seem that it sort of suggests that straight men are manlier. That they had to prove their manliness in some stupid way does kind of insinuate that they associate manliness with straightness, and there are loads of gay men who are QUITE masculine. I won't say it goes so far as to be homophobic, just two men who happen to be straight not wnating the other to think he's gay...but I will say that their actions in proving their straightness by demonstrating "manliness" do kind of perpetuate a stereotype and show a bit of ignorance.
Seeing the commercial for the first time during the superbowl, I thought it was pretty juvenile, and poorly thought through for its effect. I also laughed! However people wish to view or deconstruct it, that's how a lot of guys are. A little slice of reality TV, if you will. But these days, reality is not acceptable, and, frankly, if I want to see that sort of thing I'll just watch 2 1/2 men, or Will and Grace, or Friends, and so on. I think that "can't you take a joke?" is usually a recovery from a major faux pas, but in this case, it might just be an appropriate response to the gay groups. Of course, they do get time in the media by raising the issue, so it's a worthwhile point for them. I totally agree, the barbaric alternate ending might very well be what raised more ire than anything.
I read the article. Nice write. I still LOVE Snickers. I still think men kissing is ridiculously unnecessary and quite a way off from anything atractive and -it may have been sort of funny, but, then I have always thought all that was sort of silly anyway. I can't understand how Iraq has a thing to do with any of this, but I don't feel duped and anybody who does is...well, shall I say not paying attention? ...and, as for being offended...I don't care. If someone wants to feel offended, why should that bother me? I feel offended when I call a US number and some dope asks me what language I want...does anybody care? Kissing boys, eating Snickers and killing terrorists and freeing people from dictators! COOL BEANS and KUDOS!!!!
P.S.--that's not *my* picture on the avatar..so what do I look like? Other than someone who's trying to raise awareness about more important issues than offensive commercials?
And Shamontiel--would you please clarify your statement: "..just an FYI, to all of you folks who are saying you're tired of people being offended, I can pretty much guess what you look like and chances are, you have never been subjected to the same type of discrimination.." Just what do I look like? I sure hope you're not stereotyping me.
I think it is definitely homophobic, considering that the men trying to prove their manliness at the end in order to prove that they didn't mean to kiss each other is clearly reinforcing notions of only one type of masculinity being valid, and that type does not include wanting to kiss other men. AKA, homophobia. My full comments are posted here if anyone's interested: http://www.vibewire.net/sarahj/society/2007/feb/08/11/2007_s_wardrobe_malfunction
Offensive or not, that was a REALLY stupid commercial. I can't believe they paid that much money to air it.