Well, I guess I'll be boycotting Snickers bars for the time being

[Bucky]

I'm not happy about that, because I love Snickers bars. But AmiericaBlog says their Super Bowl commercial was homophobic. He's an expert on what offends the gay community and so I'll play along too.

I disagree a bit with AB's analysis of the Snicker's website. The guys beating each other up seems to be making fun of homophobia, not homosexuality--and certainly it's not encouraging violence against gays. The point being made is clearly satirical. But maybe I can see that because no one is attacking my life style.

On the other hand, the ad where a third guy comes along and askes to join their "Love Boat" is pretty blatently anti-gay (I guess it's supposed to be funny because all gay people are supposed to be promiscuous. Ha ha? I don't get it). Plus the feature where NFL players act all grossed out by two guys kissing is also modeling pretty ugly attitudes for their young fans to emulate.

So it's no more Snickers for me for a while. I'll wait eagerly for AmericaBlog to cry victory. Frankly, thinking about Snickers bars this much is making me have cravings.

.

[Bluebear]

1. Mars family is one of the Republicans' top billionaire activist families

Maybe that will ease the pain. Meanwhile, also see:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=128937&mesg_id=128937

Thanks for the boycott :)

====

'Some of you mentioned that the Mars family, which owns Snickers and M&Ms and lots of other candy brands, isn't just the family that produced the series of violent homophobic ads yesterday, they're also one of the Republicans' top billionaire activist families.

Looking up the Mars family on FecInfo, we found over $10,000 in donations from a Jacqueline Badger Mars, of The Plains, Virginia, to Republican causes, including John McCain's exploratory committee for president. Jacqueline Badger Mars is also the name of one of the Mars daughters - she's worth $10 billion or so - and the Mars corportation just happens to be based in Northern Virginian which is where The Plains, Virginia is located as well. Thus, I think it's safe to conclude that this is the same woman.

And lest you think the Mars family keeps their Republican largesse to helping candidates, they were also one of the top billionaire Republican families funding the lobbying effort to repeal the Estate Tax. That means that you Democratic Hill offices out there, if you'd like to weigh in on this controversy, it's a two-fer - you can defend civil rights and bash a leading Republican activist donor family.'

http://americablog.blogspot.com/

[niyad]

2. yet another reason NOT to watch the super bowl,. no more snickers for me, either. (prefer european

chocolates, anyway!!)

[wakeme2008]

3. They are on youtube

here is one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHkoZ7ngAM0

[Solo_in_MD]

4. I tink for myself, belive they were humorous slams of homophobia, and will continue to eat Snickers

[Bluebear]

6. Another point of view: Human Rights Campaign statement:

Human Rights Campaign Condemns Violent and Homophobic Marketing Campaign by Mars, Inc.,

HRC Urges Ads Be Pulled from Campaign

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, is calling on the makers of Snickers, and its parent company Mars Inc., to pull the ad campaign launched yesterday during the Super Bowl. The ad features two presumably straight men who accidentally engage in a kiss and then try to distance themselves from any perception of being gay by “doing something manly.”

Three alternate endings to the commercial spot are posted on the Snickers website, one of which includes the two men violently attacking one another – which sends a dangerous message to the public condoning violence against gay Americans.

HRC President Joe Solmonese issued the following statement:

“The makers of Snickers and it’s parent company at Mars should know better. If they have any questions about why the ad isn’t funny, we can help put them in touch with any number of GLBT Americans who have suffered hate crimes.”

Two other video clips posted on the Snickers website feature players from the Bears and the Colts watching the ads and responding to the two men kissing.

Solmonese continued:

“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. Eighty-four percent of GLBT students report being verbally harassed at school, and this type of ad only reinforces that.”

“Is Snickers suggesting that people who eat their candy bars are cavemen? It’s an odd market to court, particularly after the Isaiah Washington flap a couple weeks ago, which clearly showed that there’s a strong distaste out there for people who portray themselves as anti-gay or holding on to old prejudices and stereotypes.”

“Mars and Snickers need to pull the ‘Wrench’ ad and the footage of the NFL players out of their campaign immediately, and begin a dialogue about why this type of advertising is not satisfectallent.”

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2007/02/largest-gay-rights-group-slams-mars.html

[IntravenousDemilo]

23. WTF is "satisfectallent"? That second half of the sentence is missing from the americablog article,

and now the sentence ends with "immediately."

[Katherine Brengle]

40. How dare you question whether satisfectallent is a word?

Didn't you get the "follow along blindly or get the treatment" memo?

(And btw, according to dictionary.com it's not a word in the English language.)

[IntravenousDemilo]

42. Hee hee

I think we all got the memo, but I have a special basket on the floor beside my desk for memos. ;)

And not only is "satisfectallent" not in dictionary.com, it's also not in the Americablog article. I think Bluebear may have pulled "and begin a dialogue about why this type of advertising is not satisfectallent” out of his arse or something. He hasn't responded to my inquiry yet, so for all I know, I could be wrong and he may have pulled it out of somewhere else. I'll just wait and see what he says.

[Rude Horner]

11. I agree

I thought it was funny, and had no problem with it. Some people need to lighten up.

[Bluebear]

19. Are you gay? nt

[Rude Horner]

27. No, but I'm short and overweight

You think short overweight people don't get made fun of all the time? Well, I got news for ya. They do. But I laugh along with it. I don't take everything so seriously that I can't laugh at a damn joke.

[Midlodemocrat]

32. Last time I looked, short and overweight people could marry.

So, what's your point? We should all laugh at the homophobic joke because it was funny?

Cause it wasn't funny. At. all.

[KittyWampus]

35. Yeah, but short/overweight people get paid less & fewer promotions. But you

just go ahead and be more liberal than thou.

[Midlodemocrat]

36. Yeah, that's what I said.

:eyes:

[Rude Horner]

37. I just think that sometimes people over-react

It was a commercial about two guys freaking out that they kissed. Big deal.

[Midlodemocrat]

38. But if you aren't gay, you don't get to say what is offensive to gays.

In much the same way that I don't. Like I don't get to tell my black friends what is racist or not.

If you're not part of the group that is claiming offense, you don't get to say it isn't. I defer to my GLBT friends. They're offended.

[Zhade]

44. I am, and I think it punked homophobes.

I wasn't offended.

[Eurobabe]

5. You should be eating Clark bars anyway Bucky.

n/t

[Bucky]

10. Ah, but you're forgetting that Clark bar taste like shit. Crunchy, sandy, shitty shit.

bleccch.

[Eurobabe]

28. Actually I rather liked them. Seriously!

But butterfingers are better.

[LittleClarkie]

7. All I know is that some of my gay friends were offended

Not being gay, I will defer to them.

[Solo_in_MD]

13. The gay couple who was at the Superbowl party we attened thought it was hilarious

different reads from different folks.

[Bucky]

20. Wow, it's almost as if all gay people don't think alike.

Next you'll be telling me they aren't all out to recruit our local boy scouts.

.

[Solo_in_MD]

21. Despite at times extreme pressure, there are those gays who think for themselves and

take positions different than the so called gay leaders whom the MSM panders to. This causes all sorts of consternation for those who consider themselves the annointed elite and leadership of that group. For example, the Pink Pistols. Using a mathematical substitution approach, many other groups can be substituted for gay & Pink Pistols including Democrats & DU

[ThomCat]

29. So,

The implication is that the rest of us Don't think for ourselves?

Funny, I don't recall looking to anyone else to get my opionions, and I still challenge homophobia and bigotry when I see it.

I also don't recall seeing the MSM pander to any "so called gay leaders." Perhaps you can point out where that happens?

[Midlodemocrat]

30. I am also not gay, and I was offended for my gay friends.

And, I agree with you about defering to the GLBT community about what is offensive.

[hedgehog]

8. Corn syrup AND partially hydrogenated vegatable oils:

you won't be missing much!

[Bucky]

12. Stop it, Hedgehog! You're making my stomach growl!

Mmmmm! Partially... hydrogenated... vegatable... oilllssss...

[DKRC]

9. Thanks for posting this. Didn't watch SB. Mars products off the shopping list immediately.

http://www.mars.com/global/Mars+Directory/United+States/Company+Search+Results.htm

Had to come back and add the link to the listing on the Mars site for the different brands they sell. Boycotting Snickers bars will send a strong message, but we'll be boycotting all their products right across the board.

[uppityperson]

14. Here is LINK to contact page for snickers.

http://www.snickers.com/contact.asp

[DKRC]

18. Done! nt

[diane in sf]

15. I prefer higher quality chocolates,

one can go for organic, rain forest helping chocolate and just eat less of it...

[Pathwalker]

16. Who had the commercial where all the men slapped each other?

I'd like to boycott them.

[sandnsea]

17. I think it was pretty juvenile

and unnecessary to be so insensitive.

But most straight men really aren't into watching male sex any more than most straight women want to watch female sex. I really don't know why we have to pretend to feel otherwise.

[DainBramaged]

22. Play along? This is serious business, nt a joy ride.

I agree with everything they said on Americablog. And I love most of the Mars candies. But until they apologize and take punitive measures against the people who created this insane campaign, I ain't eating none of their stuff, period.

[DearAbby]

24. Count me in

I had not watched the SB and did not see the ad. From descriptions of the ad. I found it offensive. (the NFL players showing their distaste..continues the attitude against gays.)

Hubby and I are chocolate fans, to the max. And we have enjoyed Snickers and M&Ms, in the past. Until they issue an apology and remove the ad. There will be no Mars products in this house.

[fishwax]

25. I can't get to the pages on the web site that America Blog mentions

is it possible that Snickers has taken it down? Whenever I click on the commercial, it simply redirects to the Snickers home page--no alternate endings or disgusted reactions from NFL players. They sound pretty bad, though.

[devilgrrl]

26. I see the Snickers commercial is this week's John Edwards house

:eyes:

Yes, it was a stupid homophobic commercial.... NEXT!

[Midlodemocrat]

31. Wow. So just because it didn't offend you, we should ignore it?

How incredibly progressive of you. :eyes:

[Maven]

33. For the last time, the ad was poor slapstick humor.

NOT SATIRE.

[KittyWampus]

34. Meanwhile, Time-Warner Screws Several Cities (Boston) W/ Their Ads, Yet DU'ers

prefer to bash the Boston police and actually DEFEND their sleazy marketing camaign.

Who cares if Time-Warner uses public spaces and city infrastructure without paying for it? And could very well have set the whole incident in Boston up on purporse.

The hypocracy is stunning.

[Mugu]

39. Can’t boycott something that I don’t use in the first place.

If I’m going to drive up my blood sugar level it’s going to be with ethanol not candy.

Regards, Mugu

[Mugu]

41. The Freepers are also talking boycott.

They think that it was pro-homosexual. Looks like Mars screwed up all the way around.

Regards, Mugu

[0rganism]

43. finally, we can agree with the freepers about something

if not the underlying causes, at least a course of action to address them... :P

If the fossil fuel companies start sucking up to environmental causes and addressing greenhouse gas concerns in ads, maybe we could get a similar win-win situation: we'll be cutting back already because it's the right thing to do for the planet, and the freepers will boycott because the Exxonites are playing nice with the eco-alarmist tree-huggers.