New Snickers Ad Encourages Homophobia and Violence

The ad agency Omnicom which has produced homophobic and violent ads in the past is at it again.

Check out the video

[Fight for the cause]

I don't understand why a person would consider this an anti-gay ad, unless that person is sterotyping every gay as a sissy? This ad is anti-sissy,not anti-gay. I am all for fighting against homophobia, but we should be careful not to look for it when it is not there. That will not help our cause.

[Aspen CO]

I have to disagree with Houston. I do agree that we should be "careful not to look for it when it in not there" but that ad is extremely homophobic. Check it out and judge for yourself!

[dante2810]

Didn't strike me as Anti-gay so much as it plays on the macho attitude that most guys are indoctrinated with.
The guy "speed walking" didn't come across as gay, but more of a wimpy type of guy.

Not offensive to me, just low brow and I am sure its target audience will enjoy it. The rest of us will turn the channel.

[McMike]

Sorry but the ad is obvioulsy homophobic. The guy is swishing around and Mr T comes in and tells him it's time for him to be a "real man".

[KnightCraze]

I think the whole point of the comercial is making in fun of speed walkers...not the guy in general...they could have used a women speed walker...but then I guess the comment about Get some nuts wouldn't apply. I think it's even funnier that they used MR. T!!! what is he like 100 years old now? I'm Gay and I don't find it offensive....How ever I do find the song " I kissed a girl and I liked it!" very offensive and I'm a lesbian! So I guess its how you want to look at things in life.

[Bob from Los Angeles]

I also find this offensive. It justifies using violence against someone who doesn't meet some "manliness" standard. This isn't funny.

[Clerkerist]

I'm glad this phenomena is finally getting some attention in the media. As a sufferer of Graphaudixia, I experience the written word as sound. You can imagine then how violent I can become in a candy aisle, hearing the snickers of those damned candy bars. I've been banned from 37 different 7-11's in the Southern California area, plus several hundred others allow me in only if leashed and accompanied by a trained handler. Next week, I am testifying before Congress to mandate warning signs at the ends of all candy aisles, warning of the potential danger to the graphaudiologisticalismers, as we prefer to be called. Your support is greatly appreciated.

[charles]

Homophobic AND Racist.
Talk about stereo-types... sheesh.
Re-enforces the false belief that gays are sissies and blacks are violent.

White sissy (gay) power walking.
African American man in a big vehicle, big gun, yelling at the sissy and performing a drive by shooting.... oh... with candy bars instead of bullets so it's harmless?!
OK then...

This ad reaffirms some of my worst suspicions of humanity.

[Ziggy on High]

It seems we have an almost even agreement and dissent about this commercial. interesting.

I don't find it homophobic. Meatheaded crap perhaps, but not anti-gay. As Dante said, that speedwalker didn't seem gay, just a bloody nancy. I've known MANY straight nancy boys. I'm personally not a big fan of nancies either.

But remember... It's just a silly commercial. We have to remember not to get too up in arms over EVERY little POSSIBLE innuendo. Pick your battles. Fight the ones that matter. It's not always good to be too much of a bleeding-heart liberal. Sometimes we have to take life with a little grain of salt.

If you spend all your time being offended by everything, you will live one bitter pissed-off life. That's not good for anyone.

[CockroachSleeper]

not a getting the job you interviewed for is a form of discrimination, but it's a fine line. the issue i see in the ad is this, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EATING A SNICKERS CANDY BAR! plus, mr. t is a known homophobe and born-again cockroach (x-tian). the ad is pathetic.

[Claude]

dante2810 wrote:

Didn't strike me as Anti-gay so much as it plays on the macho attitude that most guys are indoctrinated with.
The guy "speed walking" didn't come across as gay, but more of a wimpy type of guy.
Not offensive to me, just low brow and I am sure its target audience will enjoy it. The rest of us will turn the channel.

I agree here. For those people who say this is anti-gay - have you ever watched speed walkers? It'll make the butchest guy in the world look wimpy or "feminine," (use of the word which in this case comes from aculturation)- the hips move and shake, baby! We do have to be careful not to look to the nth degree to try to find homophoebia where it might not be. Everything's not black or white. We need balanced, critical thinking.

[Chad]

I didn't see it as homophobic either. It was making fun of speedwalkers, which really does look ridiculous! But people will see what they want to see, just like that Heinz ad that was pulled off the air in England. Most people saw a gay couple, but I saw what the ad intended - the mother was seen by the family, but we saw the deli worker because the ad was for some New York Deli style sandwich spread. People take things too literally!

[censoredagain]

I have to admit that several of you on both sides make some very good points. I also want to point out that the ad also perpetuates the socialization of what a "masculine role" should be in our society thus damaging all men because it tells them how they should act; what is proper for them to do and not do. This isn't anti gay it is anti individual and propaganda.

However, coming from the "Carlos Mencia" school of comedy I find the ad funny and somewhat entertaining. Somewhat? who am I kidding; I laughed my ass off. But I do understand how someone would find the ad offensive. But we have to understand that comedy by definition is intellectual violence and someone/something is always the butt of the joke. That is the nature of comedy. The answer is if you don't like don't watch it and/or don't buy a snickers bar or anything from Mars.

[ChefJJ]

KnightCraze wrote:

I think the whole point of the comercial is making in fun of speed walkers...not the guy in general...they could have used a women speed walker...but then I guess the comment about Get some nuts wouldn't apply. I think it's even funnier that they used MR. T!!! what is he like 100 years old now? I'm Gay and I don't find it offensive....How ever I do find the song " I kissed a girl and I liked it!" very offensive and I'm a lesbian! So I guess its how you want to look at things in life.

I find that song very offensive too. My straight friends didn't get why at first.

[Yobyag]

Ziggy on High wrote:

It seems we have an almost even agreement and dissent about this commercial. interesting.
I don't find it homophobic. Meatheaded crap perhaps, but not anti-gay. As Dante said, that speedwalker didn't seem gay, just a bloody nancy. I've known MANY straight nancy boys. I'm personally not a big fan of nancies either.
But remember... It's just a silly commercial. We have to remember not to get too up in arms over EVERY little POSSIBLE innuendo. Pick your battles. Fight the ones that matter. It's not always good to be too much of a bleeding-heart liberal. Sometimes we have to take life with a little grain of salt.
If you spend all your time being offended by everything, you will live one bitter pissed-off life. That's not good for anyone.

Absolutely right. People in general are far too sensitive to the smallest little things these days. It's the boy that cried wolf.

Granted, I can't view the video at work so I can't give a my true opinion of it until I get home.

[Ricky]

It is rather un-cool in my opinion. For starters... the guy walking is targetted because he is shaking his booty while he walks and then Mr. T (a reformed Christion right-winger... ahem!) starts shooting him with snickers. Second! I am a walker. And it is proven that walking is better for you than running... so... in this whole ba-a-man thing... they are not only promoting the consumption of food that is quite bad for you health wise... they are also promoting a method of excercise that deteriorates joints and knees. Wonderful. I'm through with snickers...(actually... I haven't had one in a few months... LOL)

[Casey_inBS]

Snickers are my favorite candy - upon reading this I was worried as a Gay Man I would have to support a boycott of snickers. After seeing the ad. Homophobic? NOT!! It may deal with what snickers thinks a real man should be - there they are wrong.

Why must we think this character captures the quintessential stereotypical gay? I did not see an earring, a poodle (toy dog), a rainbow sweat band or him holding his boyfriends hand. Can't we all agree that just because a man acts feminine - or in this case fast walks - does not make him a homosexual.

I going out to buy a snickers bar - watch me as i spit and scratch my balls.

[WAW]

After reading all the comments I feel I can see both sides. Hate me if you want but when I saw the video and saw a black man shooting at a white man's ass my knees went weak.

[devons]

I don't think it's homophobic I think it's just another commercial making men look like idiots. As a woman and one that has heard how badly men are viewed these days all you have to do is watch some commericals to find out why.

It's a stupid commercial that in my opinion is also violent and vulgar.

[peelnet]

The reason we are fighting the big battles today is because of "Little things" like this. The snide comments etc that were wispered as a gay or lesbian walked by. They were ignored however hurtful they were. Then those comments turned into violent attacks. Still ignored until one day someone started speaking up and rallied others to do the same. And that is the reason any comments that appear to be anti-gay racial etc. need to be fought. Not ignored or brushed off. I remember going to the first gay festival here in Cali. The hatred that came out of the mouths of people who called themselves christians was horrible, the physical attacks as we walked down the streets was violent...today their numbers are few and the signs are not as offensive. The physical attacks are far fewer and less violent. We will never have equality unless all of us fight each and every comment, slur or sign that appears to be anti-gay.