Snickers: Not Satisified
Posted by: stuartdelony in Blogroll, Gay, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Human Rights Campaign, Lesbian, commercial, general, glaad, snickers, super bowl, super bowl commericals, superbowlA commercial for Snickers candy bars launched in the Super Bowl broadcast was benched after its maker got complaints that it was homophobic.
The ad showed two auto mechanics accidentally kissing while eating the same candy bar and then ripping out some chest hair to do something “manly.” One of the alternate endings on the Snickers Web site showed the men attacking each other.
The Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation complained to the maker of Snickers, Hackettstown-based Masterfoods USA, a division of Mars Inc., which also makes M&M’s and other candies. [ABC News]
Okay, I understand GLAAD’s point, so to offset commenters - yes, I get it. BUT, I have an alternative perspective.
This commercial is infact an honest and funny depiction of manliness. You think I’m kidding?
These two fellows, working on a car, encounter an awkward moment that challenges their masculinity. Out of their insecurity and desire to be seen in the context of who they are (men) they must rectify the situation and prove themselves (to each other).
There is an intense desire of men to be seen for who they really are (especially amonst each other). The male code or credo has often been falsely labeled “homophobic” - to which I disagree. In the quest to embody masculinity (the way God intended it) we are called to shake off all that is feminine (or seeming homosexual). So is this mindset homophobic? No, it is strictly a desire to be all that we are in the face of a world that doesn’t want to see it happen.
[yes I am also aware that most worldly views of a manly man are false - but I'm not talking about a worldly perspective of what a man is - I'll define that in an upcoming blog]
Sphere: Related Content
Entries (RSS)
The complaints over the Superbowl commercials doesn’t end there. GM is facing complaints from a suicide prevention group related to their quality robot as well as the NY Times running an article on the commercial’s reflection of our cultures contempt for the Iraq war.
http://higherbar.wordpress.com/2007/02/06/superbowl-commercials-violence/
People need to relax a little more and laugh at exaggerated situations such as this one. I thought the ad was hilarious and I would have thought the same even if I was a homosexual. This is who men are, just like you said. To complain about this ad is just asinine.
Much of the protest over this ad actually stemmed not from the ad itself but from the Snickers website which included alternate endings of the ad in which the men, in order to show they weren’t gay, start beating each other’s brains out. Some viewed this a veiled suggestion that a proper response to gay people is violence. Another ending showed an effeminate man approach the other two asking in a lispy voice something like “Can a third person get in on this action?” Additionally, the website showed video of superbowl athletes watching the commerical and reacting in disgust at the two men “kissing,” saying things like “That ain’t right.”
Well said!! People make way too much out of everything these days - me being guily as well.