Heinz pulls ad showing men kissing

[meegbear]

Heinz has withdrawn its Deli Mayo TV ad that featured two men sharing a kiss and apologised to viewers after the advertising regulator received about 200 complaints that it was offensive and inappropriate.

The Heinz Deli Mayo ad has been pulled after less than 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 include that the ad 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.

"It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognise that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it," said Nigel Dickie, director of corporate affairs for Heinz UK.

Dickie added that the campaign for the new Heinz Deli Mayo product, which was due to run for five weeks, was meant to be humorous and that the company apologised to anyone who felt offended.

<snip>

Heinz's ad opens with a family on a normal morning routine with a young boy and girl getting ready for school and their father preparing for the office.

The young boy and girl go to the kitchen to get their sandwiches, which are being prepared by a man with a New York accent, dressed in a deli serving outfit, who they refer to as "mum".

When their father goes to get his sandwich he says to mum in the kitchen: "See you tonight love."

However, mum barks back "Hey, ain't you forgetting something?", at which point the two men share a kiss. Mum then sends the father off with the words: "Love you. Straight home from work, sweet cheeks."

The Heinz TV ad carried an "ex-kids" restriction, meaning it cannot be shown in or around children's programming, because Heinz Deli Mayo falls foul of Ofcom's TV ad restrictions relating to products that are high in fat, salt and sugar.

The ASA has not yet decided whether to investigate the complaints about the Heinz ad.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jun/24/asa.advertising

--------------------------------------

I'm sure BillO will be crowing about how he defeated the gay menace in Britiannia.

[LynneSin]

1. Geez, get over it - when & where are they showing this commericial?

I'm sure there are no kids watching when this ad is showing. What I would suspect is it's an add for a channel like LOGO, which is geared towards the GBLT community - so why are these fundie nutjobs watching a gay channel?

[stillcool]

2. This is from the U.K. ...

isn't it? I didn't realize fundies were prevalent there as well.

Our funding


We are funded by a levy of 0.1% on display advertising and airtime and 0.2% on Royal Mail Mailsort contracts. The levies are collected by Asbof and Basbof. Last year our income was £7,355,000.


Enforcing ASA decisions


The majority of UK advertising is within the Codes. When the ASA upholds complaints most advertisers agree to change or remove the ad. Media owners agree not to run ads that breach the codes. For the few who persistently flout the rules we can rely on the backing of the Office of Fair Trading and Ofcom. We can, for example, refer a broadcaster to Ofcom if a licensee is not sticking to the rules, or we can refer an advertiser, agency or publisher to the OFT if they persistently run misleading ads that breach the Codes.

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/about/short_guide/

[qb]

3. WTF is so difficult about discussing same-sex relationships?

If you tell a young child that that man has a boyfriend/husband instead of a girlfriend/wife (or that woman has a girlfriend...) the child will just say "Oh".

[Mabus]

7. As if the kids would ask

Kids are more likely to tune out if the commercial isn't about a toy than pay attention to a mayonnaise commercial. I think most kids would either giggle or not pay attention to it than start asking questions about domestic arrangements. And, as you point out, telling the kid the truth would reinforce to the kid that gays are normal and so are the loving relationships GLBT people have. If parents accept reality, so will their kids.

[Mabus]

4. I watched the ad and didn't find it offensive

I don't understand what all the rumpus is about or why parents would feel the need to discuss same sex couples to kids.

This article just tells me that there are some stupid, overreactive people in England, just like there are in the US. Damn. Sometimes I wish being stupid was fatal.

[closeupready]

5. Yet, baring breasts on Page Six is completely acceptable - can someone explain

how that works?

[notesdev]

8. Here's how it works

bigger audiences sell papers...

... women with nice breasts increase the size of the audience

... men kissing decrease it

it is really that simple.

Like it or not, 9 out of 10 men are thoroughly grossed out by seeing men kissing in a romantic way.

[closeupready]

26. But you totally have not accounted for the objections of the group in the starting post.

I understand that among anglos, homophobia is extremely strong. Heck, I lived in Europe at one point. I know what I'm talking about. Rather, my rhetorical question amounts to this:

You will claim that the appearance of two men exchanging physical displays of affection corrupts your children, and yet, females displaying their naked bodies as though they were slaves or cattle is perfectly acceptable. Hypocrisy, thy name is <insert name of protesting group>.

[notesdev]

28. Hypocrisy or not

that's just the way it is.

IMO it has a lot less to do with children asking questions than the objecting adults themselves being repulsed.

I can use myself as an example. I have absolutely no objection to anything anyone might do that inflicts no harm on any unwilling person. On the other hand, seeing two men physically romantic with each other makes my nauseous - not as a conscious reaction but a subconscious one. I could not change my reaction if I tried. And I am someone who has lived in places that are world-famous for their concentration of homosexuals - I'm no stranger at all to being a witness to the behavior in question.

So if I see this stuff on TV, I'm going to change the channel. See it in a newspaper I'm going to be less likely to buy that newspaper. And I have just as much right to do so as the actors in question have to engage in such behavior.

Would I call and complain? Absolutely not. My wish not to see it would be reflected in the dropping ratings of the TV show or sales of the newspaper. I would count as a mere single unit but countless people who feel the same would add up quickly.

Like it or not, it's different where women are concerned. In general, both men AND women like to look at attractive women more than they like to look at attractive men. Two couples encounter each other, all four people will look at the woman in the other couple before they look at the man. Ask any person in marketing research familiar with the impact of gender; they will confirm this for you.

That's just the way it is... wishing it to be otherwise, railing at the injustice of it all is an exercise in futility.

And I think it a mistake to push public images of gay men as an agenda item. I think it will threaten the advances already made. You push people into a corner, they will push back.

[closeupready]

30. I did not initiate this controversy; these hypocrites did.

That may be the way it is, but it's not right, and I'm going to say so. You don't have to like it, you don't have to like me, I don't give a fuck. (Not YOU, just generally.) These people may have no qualms about the pornography on Page Six, but God forbid two men share an affectionate kiss. Pathetic.

[bullwinkle428]

27. Really? As a straight male, I'm honestly not affected by the showing of a

same-sex kiss either way. Not titillated by it, not "thoroughly grossed out" either.

[Lyric]

6. The problem isn't that parents suddenly have to "discuss same-sex relationships" with their kids.

The problem is that the kids will see the commercial, be completely underwhelmed/meh about it, and the idiotic, bigoted parents have to initiate a special "discussion" that involves telling their kids just how "NOT NORMAL" that sort of thing is.

Because we can't have kids seeing healthy same-sex relationships and thinking that they're normal. :sarcasm:

[terrya]

9. Damn, it's not like they were giving each other blowjobs.....

Two guys kissing is "offensive".

What a puritanical society we're living in. :eyes:

[Zuiderelle]

10. Oh for god's sake. This is infuriating.

Poor straight people with all the rights, having to explain a perfectly normal relationship to their children. And poor children to know nothing about people outside their own insular world.

[waiting for hope]

11. Okay - so it's perfectly acceptable

to show the "Girls Gone Wild" commercials - granted, they are on late at night but where's the outrage there? Asshats. They wouldn't know decency if it kissed them on the lips.

[Renew Deal]

13. The Girls Gone Wild ads are for videos that show girls kissing.

I don't understand why the kiss scene is necessary in this ad. That has nothing to do with whether it should be aired. I just don't get what it has to do with selling mayo.

[waiting for hope]

18. My point was that regardless

of the product that is being peddled, it's still a kiss between two people of the same sex. Where's the outrage? Or do fundie men get off on that? .... I think I know that answer to that one. :crazy:

[Renew Deal]

12. It's a good ad, but the kiss in unnecessary.

I don't see how it sells mayo. :shrug:

[NorthCarolina]

14. I think the kiss is necessary....

time for the country to grow up and get over it.

[Renew Deal]

15. But why is it Heinz's job to do that?

I get what they're doing. I just don't get why they are the ones doing it.

[Zuiderelle]

17. Someone needs to. If not Heinz then who would you be ok with?

[Renew Deal]

19. It's not about me.

I'm saying that Heinz is doing advocacy work and I don't understand why. I'd love to know what their thinking is.

[Zuiderelle]

20. Why is it "advocacy work" when it's displaying a valid segment of the population?

Was it "advocacy work" when companies started marketing to African Americans?

[Renew Deal]

22. I think the first part of the ad is marketing.

The kissing part went beyond that. Heinz had to know that it would be contraversial. I would like to know why they chose to do that.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

25. why do so many other companies do advocacy on behalf of straight people

and i dont notice you registering your objection to that.

[NorthCarolina]

21. Plus the Deli guy is about as polar opposite as you can get from a Raging Queen

Nice to see a more "masculine" portrayal of gay people for a change. These kinds of ads would be nothing new on the European continent, a testament to how much farther the world has progressed while we took a major slide backwards on the evolutionary scale.

[Renew Deal]

23. You're correct about Europe

Absolut has been targeting gays as well.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4PRN/is_2008_April_7/ai_n25128522

[Zuiderelle]

16. Just like kisses anywhere are unnecessary. Come on.

Do you really think the people who complained wouldn't have complained anyway, even without the kiss.

I see kisses all the time between straight people, in commercials, on ads, in our face all the time. One kiss between men and OH MY GOD, THE CHILDREN!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. heteros kiss all the time in things that are not meant to sell kisses

i dont what your point it.

is a homo kiss so offensive to you that it should be pulled off the air?

:eyes:

[Oeditpus Rex]

34. It makes the ad memorable

From there, it's a subtle connection, but a real one: remember the ad, buy the product. Ad execs know this as well as they know their names.

In the '70s, everyone in the country was saying "I can't believe I ate that whole thing" and "Try it, you'll like it!" They may not have immediately thought of Alka-Seltzer when they heard or read those words, but they sure as hell bought Alka-Seltzer.

[WillParkinson]

29. My letter to Heinz (x-posted from the Video forum)

From your website:
Diversity

One very important ingredient in the Heinz family of products is Diversity.


Diversity is recognizing and understanding the differences in culture, beliefs, and values each of us brings to the workplace.

At Heinz, we strive to encourage and foster a global workforce where all employees are valued and respected. It is this skilled and talented workforce that enables Heinz to realize its full potential and to be more responsive to the needs of our customers.

Diversity is a key ingredient in achieving future successes with employees, customers and suppliers at Heinz.
---
How much diversity is there when you pull an ad because 200 people complain?

The ad, "Mum", was in no way offensive. It was clever, well written, and just downright funny.

I'm greatly disappointed that Heinz buckled to pressure because others don't agree with the diversity that you espouse.

[swimmernsecretsea]

33. God fucking dammit.

Why? WHY!? ASSHOLES!

[MNBrewer]

31. it's not a "gay" ad

it's a cute, adorable ad, with a gay overtone. anti-gays are so tiresome

[tjwmason]

32. I didn't see this as a 'gay' advert at all.

The way I read it was that their product is so good, it's almost like buying one's lunch from a delicatessan - this is illustrated by having the "mother" role (packed lunch preparation) performed by person looking like a delicatessan-counter chap.

Heinz has rolled over here and should have stood up to the nonsense, the article does not say that the A.S.A. wanted the advert to be pulled.