Ok - now I'm pissed off again. It didn't take long.

[erastes]

The other day I saw this hilarious advert

- just caught a glimpse of it (so fleeting I actually thought it was Robert De Niro in it!!) and laughed my socks off. American Deli owner is substituted for English housewife and amusing slashyness occurs.  Funny, witty a nice twist.  But no. 200 people have complained and Heinz have dropped out.  It's not "suitable" to see two men kissing (even though they AREN'T when you think of it, but perhaps the 200 bigots who complained didn't see that this ISN'T a gay advert at ALL).

It's perfectly all right for half naked women (and totally naked men) to advertise everything from Ice Cream to Perfume, but a chaste non-gay kiss is objectionable???  It really annoys me that the advertising world is so touchy that so few people (works out percentage) 0.0003 of the population - can affect something like this.  It would be simple for any small group of bigots to get anything banned they fancied.

The Guardian have blogged about it here - and I for one am going to comment to the Guardian with my thoughts that people need to grow a sense of humour. Sheesh - aren't the English supposed to be reknowned for it?  It's a FUNNY advert, and the person who came up with it needs promotion in my opinion. It's along the lines of the Smash ads - and it's one that would easily run as a series and makes you remember the product, and there aren't many of those these days.

I hope I can encourage you to email the Guardian, or perhaps drop a note to Heinz and say how much you enjoyed the ad, or your feelings regarding their pulling it. Perhaps if they got a lot more than 200 people PRAISING the advert, they might think again.

Comments

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

Done! the sending of the letter to Heinz, that is.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yay! *waves flag*

[semioticwarrior.livejournal.com]

That's 57 different kinds of awesome.

[mzcalypso.livejournal.com]

Don't just send a letter to Heinz - send one to Theresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Senator John Kerry--yes, the one who had the Presidency stolen by the crooked Secretary of State in Ohio. Mrs. K has been gay-supportive and though she's the "Heinz" behind the name, I'm sure she wasn't in on the advertising decision.

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

The add is brilliant. Those 200 are nuts.

*shakes head in disbelief*

[leebenoit.livejournal.com]

That's priceless! I've sent a letter to Heinz reminding them of the considerable overlap between fans of m/m romance and buyers of their products. We need to be as vocal as the bigoted minority - they only seem so numerous because the speak so loudy out of their hairy, smelly bumholes.

[stitchwhich.livejournal.com]

Thank you for embedding it so the rest of us can see it. I'm going to write to Heinz directly and tell them how much I enjoyed the advertisement - even though I had to see it on the web because of their response to a few bigots.

Perhaps they should consider how many bigots would buy their product as opposed to how many normal people with a sense of humor.

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly certain that the bigots do not have bumholes, and that this is why they are so full of shit.

[souliesoul.livejournal.com]

Done! Even used my real name and everything. My friend and I saw the advert when she was over the other night and she commented how good it was to see a m/m kiss (even in this situation) treated in such a light manner and used for such an everyday product.

[liebesdammerung.livejournal.com]

Bah. That's so fucking annoying. 200 people! Any statistician would be laughin right now.

[joyful-molly.livejournal.com]

Mailed them and also inquired how they knew the complaining individuals were actual customers of theirs, not some professional whingers.

This would be a joke if it wasn't so sad.

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

that is a a GORGEOUS advert!!! I love it! why don't we have more adverts like this?????

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

Aaaand sent a letter to Heinz. :)

[angelabenedetti.livejournal.com]

Oh, good grief! That was a great ad. [eyeroll] I agree with the commenter on the blog post who said that the complainers need parenting lessons, if the idea of "explaining" two men kissing to their children sends them into that much of a panic. :/

Angie

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

Letter sent.

Oh for goodness sake, can't some people get a life?

[angelabenedetti.livejournal.com]

PS -- I wrote to Heinz too, although since I'm in the US I don't know that they'll pay much attention. [wry smile]

Angie

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Damn good point!!

[orchard-mnt.livejournal.com]

it's sickening...this anti gay attitude...

it's driven by GAY marriage laws in the USA...Virginia has outlawed it.

I don't know what's so wrong about a couple, whatever gender ID they take, having rights to property and end of life matters and other legal things as a sanctioned couple

I think marriage needs to be made illegal...or only a church title, and all unions be labeled as civil unions, whatever flavor they are.

mass media is just being drawn into it..and that poor pickle company is struggling to sell ketchup, not morals...little wonder they didn't stand up...they're not claussin..they aren't known for being firm! just zesty

tho they do have 57 varieties. certainly some are queer...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

That's very good!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Good idea, ta!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

There's no accounting for bigots.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It was a funny, refreshing ad, and deserved better.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

That's the trouble, it takes less than that, sometimes, I'd sure I've seen ads taken off with 50 or 60 complaints.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes! I use your product and I dislike your way of advertising it!

That at least would be honest.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Isn't it? :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Well done!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Well, they are in the States too, so hopefully!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I know - pathetic isn't it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Good points, all!

[leebenoit.livejournal.com]

Har! Well, that's one deep mystery cleared up. Thanks!!

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

I love this one! Sweetcheeks, lol.

I'm gonna email them tomorrow!

[suryaofvulcan.livejournal.com]

I actually loathe that advert, not beacuse two men kiss in it, but because of the female stereotype being portrayed. The ad was the inspiration for a rant I'm in the middle of writing on gender stereotypes in advertising. Have you noticed how many ads for food or cleaning products show those activities as purely the responsibility of women - often specifically stay-at-home mums? And how many feature women preparing food, cleaning the home, and in one case doing the ironing for menn?

This ad doesn't feature a gay kiss. It features a man playing a female stereotype. Anyone who's seen Les Dawson and Roy Barraclough playing Ada and Cissy should be familiar with the concept.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

It comes out the other end.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Well, isn't a man spoofing a gender stereotype pointing out how silly it is? There's no better way than ridicule to blow up a stupid notion.

[suryaofvulcan.livejournal.com]

But the ad doesn't point out how silly the stereotype is. It assumes the stay-at-home mum happily making lunches to order for her kids and husband is the norm - the joke depends on the viewer accepting that as the woman's role in the household. The peck on the cheek at the end is just the culmination of that. In my opinion you couldn't make a more hetero-normal ad if you tried.

[clarelondon.livejournal.com]

I texted in to Radio London last night in protest. My point was yours too - who the hell complains about a m/f kiss? or the half-naked women they use to sell every other f*g product? or the stereotypes of young people? or accountants?? (sorry, that one crept in...)
Seriously, I was incensed. Heinz were witty and creative to have aired it in the first place - why back out just after a few complaints?
And yes, the point was made by Stonewall that WAY more than 200 called in, in praise of it. Their opinion was that the complaints were part of a co-ordinated campaign.
Big big sense of humour failure, IMHO. Very depressing. Just feels like the world hasn't moved on, in oh so many years.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Wrote to Heinz!

Yeah, that's the sort of ad that makes it worth watching TV.

[rwday.livejournal.com]

Have written Heinz. I saw a mention of this ad on one of my blog feeds - a fairly well known radio/tv commentator was bitching about it, but I couldn't believe Heinz actually pulled it.

I mean, really, how horrifying that parents might have to *gasp* explain same sex relationships to their kids. Like they won't ever have to do that without mayonnaise ads. These bigots need to get wise to the fact that gay people are here and they're NOT going back in the closet.

Of course, considering that an American doughnut chain pulled an ad because Rachel Ray (cooking type) was wearing a black and white scarf that some blind morons said looked like the type of scarf that 'terrorists' wear, I'm not surprised. Corporations have no spines.

O'Reilly Factor

[naturalfractual.livejournal.com]

Apparently the 'esteemed' journalist and 'spokesman for the people' Bill O'Reilly did not like the kissing and encouraged people to complain.

Maybe everyone should mail him a bottle of mayonnaise - his comment was "I just want mayonnaise. I don't want guys kissing."

[ejab62.livejournal.com]

Done.

They should award it for its originality, really.

[feed-your-muse.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a great advert, very humorous and the kiss was well and unshowily presented. There was nothing offensive there at all. Some people just need to get a life. Honestly.
I *can* believe that they pulled it after only 200 complaints, I just wish that they'd had the balls to say 'no, stop being a bigot' grrrr