Mars ran a TV commercial during the Super Bowl in the US, featuring as its “joke”, two men accidentally kissing while eating a Snickers bar and reacting with disgust. They then directed viewers to a website where they could vote for their favourite version of the commercial. Here are a couple of the choices, according to AMERICAblog, which is all over this story.
Ad 3: “Motor Oil.” After the guys kiss, they say “I think we just accidentally kissed – quick, do something manly,” and proceed to drink motor oil and I think anti-freeze – they guzzle it down, screaming at the top of their lungs, making them sick to their stomachs. The ad is vaguely violent – better to die than be gay.
Ad 4: “Wrench” (these are the actual names Snickers gave the ads). The two guys accidentally kiss, they say to each other again “quick, do something manly,” and one guy proceeds to pick up a huge oversized wrench and violently attack the other guy, while the second takes the first and throws him under the hood of the car, slamming it down on his head. Yes, the appropriate reaction to a guy kissing you is to beat the crap out of the guy who kissed you. Maybe Snickers should rename this ad “Matthew Shepard.”
The web site (which has been taken down following an outcry) also had bonus footage featuring players from the Super Bowl watching the ads and reacting with expressions of disgust and phrases like, “that ain’t right” — bear in mind these players are role models for millions of American children.
Essentially Mars used hatred (with a soupçon of violence) to sell chocolate, and it’s nothing short of disgusting. Certainly puts me off buying a Snickers bar ever again.
7th February 2007 at 12:47 am
this was a disgusting ad. th super bowl is family orientated. we don’t need exposed breasts or men kissing.there’s enough garbage on tv. i will never by a mars product again!
7th February 2007 at 12:49 am
get over it it was funny and thats all nobody went out on a rampage after the game.
11th February 2007 at 4:43 pm
Nasty homophobia. Full stop.