Heinz: It's OK to be a homophobe
Mikey 22 comments
After no more than one week on television, the Heinz corporation has pulled it's latest TV commercial from the air after receiving around 200 complaints. Furthermore, the company formally apologised to the viewers who described it as "offensive and inappropriate".
So what was so offensive that a multi million dollar company would pull a TV spot based on a couple of hundred complaints? In the video (shown below) the 2 older male characters kiss. That's it. Seriously.
"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"
I think the add is actually kind of cute. I also think it's pretty dumb to act on the complaints of a handful of homophobes.
Right now I think they should be apologising to the gay community.
Edd
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 08:08 AMI would complain about that advert not for the kiss but for the fact that it doesn't make any sense at all.
Nate >.>
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 08:38 AM...in response to this comment by Edd. Yeah, I'm not a homophobe so I have no problem with the kiss, but like Edd said, the ad pretty much makes no sense whatsoever.
Joe Marco
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 09:17 AMman...some people are just so sensitive. That was a funny one.
Bob
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 10:06 AMGood tactics Heinz! Create something that people will reject and get more publicity and attention for it when it is taken of air.
What a stupid ad and idea to begin with! Talk about confused kids............. what are they trying to sell??????
Gina Squitieri
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 11:06 AMHomophobes? A wise Mother once said:
"Millions of homophobics exist today. These are the ones who are apprehensive of not harmonizing with the gay community, thereby publicly agreeing with them. It's called peer pressure."
I love that. Michael, it's okay to be a homophobe.
Joe Marco
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 11:31 AMAs my good friend Windship would say, as he was walking around naked in the barracks with a beer in hand and his testicles in the other, "You're just insecure about your sexuality!" (said in a thick Oklahoma accent)
Gina Squitieri
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 11:32 AM...in response to this comment by Joe Marco. Words to live by?
Anders
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 11:55 AMThe bottom line is that Heinz pulled the ad because a small portion of viewers are uncomfortable with gays. Both Hienz and those people have showed a dated politically incorrect view and should be ashamed.
Think about this - if 200 people complained that they didn't like seeing a black guy in one of their adverts, would they take it off the air?
Gina Squitieri
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 12:45 PM...in response to this comment by Anders. Think of this: If 2 million people claimed they didn't like seeing churches on every street corner, should the churches be taken down?
Rodney
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 01:22 PMIt's actually a smart move by Heinz. They can't be called homophobic because they ran the ad in the first place; so they're "progressive". Then they pulled it on a small number of complaints, so they're now able to say they listen to customer complaints, etc, etc... but can still come back and say they tried to be more inclusive in their marketing.
If their marketeers play it well, they'll win both ways. Gay people will be happy they "tried" and homophobes will be happy they pulled it...
Johnson's Wang
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 02:34 PMI would have thought acting in a complaint would warrant a significant amount of complaints. 200 is nothing. So if 1 million viewers complain that they gay family scenario was OK and that the homophobes should jump back into their time machines and go back the 1950's where they came from, will they put the advert back?
Mark
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 10:40 PM...in response to this comment by Rodney. Dunno, to me it was suggesting that man-man parenthood is weird - the kids still called him "mum" etc. - so why would the gay community embrace that. Then the ad runs for a little while but gets pulled just as some mild controversy builds, so they miss out on a bit of bonus publicity. Seems half-arsed either way.
I'm glad it was removed!
Thursday 26th June 2008 | 08:55 AMFirst, it makes no sense.
Second, respect your peers, what you want to do privately is your business.
Third, there are children that watch T.v. so have some respect for them.
Forth, it confusing children and influences them to not think for themselves.
Jake
Thursday 26th June 2008 | 09:05 AM...in response to this comment by I'm glad it was removed!. How does a man kissing another man confuse children? How does it influence them to not think for themselves?
What a perposterous claim!
Trev
Thursday 26th June 2008 | 09:09 AM...in response to this comment by Jake. Pay no attention to "I'm glad it was removed!". He/she's just trolling. No one can be that close minded....
Jake
Thursday 26th June 2008 | 09:15 AM...in response to this comment by Trev. And yet, heinz recieved 200 complaints and pulled the commercial.
I don't think he was trolling, his comment was valid and too the point, however bigoted and closed minded it was.
I'm glad it was removed
Thursday 26th June 2008 | 11:43 AMJake,
I have a right to my opinion, don't I ? And your correct, I did mean it.
On the other hand, I'm not going to answer your question because obviously we don't think alike, so I agree to disagree, and leave it at that.
I will leave it to your imagination than to argue with you about something I see clearly and you don't.
Am I a racist for stating my view ? I think not!
mini-mel
Thursday 26th June 2008 | 01:24 PMgood to see that there are still so many homophobes and xenophobes out there... ignorance is still rampant.
that ad is funny as.. it will be remembered due to the clever marketing ploy that heinz created. however the dicks that complained about it seem to have nothing better to do with their small, close minded little lives... i wonder if they sit in front of the telly wearing a white sheet over their head too?
Gina Squitieri
Friday 27th June 2008 | 12:52 PMWell, if they wore white sheets over their heads, they wouldn't be able to SEE the "telly," dahling.
Kathleen
Wednesday 15th April 2009 | 10:32 PMPersonally, I don't like it but the comment "sweet cheeks" made it worse. It's not acceptable for a heterosexual couple to say either since it is implied as a sexual comment. Heinz should stick with simple commercials.
Kissthis
Thursday 16th April 2009 | 04:37 AMSweeeet!!! I loved it!! But I'm a freethinking, people-loving, open minded liberal with an easily ignited sense of humor. What do I know?! :-b
Jake
Wednesday 25th June 2008 | 07:51 AMMike, you're right, it is pretty poor form on the part of heinz. Assuming that there are more than 200 homosexuals in Australia and assuming that there are more than 200 Australians who support gay rights, I dare say that heinz will have done more harm by pulling the ads than they would have by releasing them in the first place!