OK, kiddo! Here are all the fantastically amazing posts tagged with Advertisements
National Post Apologises for Publishing McVety Ad
The National Post, Canada’s largest right-leaning national newspaper, has apologised for publishing a transphobic advertisement from the Institute for Canadian Values, headed by anti-gay lobbyist Charles McVety. The ad—which pretends to be written by a doe-eyed, four-year-old girl—is headed by the phrase “Please! Don’t confuse me!”
“I’m a girl,” it reads. “Don’t teach me to question if I’m a boy, transsexual, transgendered, intersexed or two spirited.”
The ad was created as opposition to new anti-bullying measures being implemented in the Ontario school curriculum. The measures were created to foster an atmosphere of tolerance for anyone who doesn’t fit in with a simple gender-binary, heterosexual identity.
Despite McVety’s hysteria, medical and psychological organisations continue to scoff at the notion that there is any danger of children “choosing” to change their sex or sexual orientation as a result of an open, tolerant curriculum.
After legitimate outcry, the National Post issued an apology promising not to run the advertisement again and admitting that the ad breached limits of taste. Calling the ad “manipulative,” the newspaper said it will be donating the revenue from the advertisement to “an organisation that promotes the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people.”
The Toronto SUN also published the ad, without apology.
- An apology from the National Post [National Post]
- Post runs homobphobic, transphobic election ad from right-wing group [Toronto Openfile]
Calgary Mom Launches Anti-Homophobia Campaign
A Calgary mom has launched a new anti-homophobia campaign that will be gracing various public transit vessels in the city starting this September.
The campaign was originally conceived after the mother, who wishes to be identified only as Gail, became fed up with the harassment her teenage daughter has had to endure. Having worked on the campaign since May with help from Calgary Outlink, Gail said she thinks the message will pay off. “Calgary isn’t always known to be the most accepting city,” she told the media. “But there is this section of beautiful people that are coming up; we have to honour that part of our society.”
Personally, I think this is a wonderful little example about how one person, no matter where you may find yourself, can help make a difference. Transit ads might not instantly rid the world of homophobia, and they might not open up closed minds on the spot, but they will add an extra dose of daily visibility. Gay youth will get a quick reminder that they aren’t alone, and people whose minds are still clouded with homophobic sentiment will find themselves with another challenge.
Plus it’s something nicer to look at in the mornings than mobile phone ads. And everyone can appreciate that.
- Mom takes action on homophobia [Metro Calgary]
PR Campaign Uses Gays To Clean Up Tar Sands Image
Well, here’s a very special way to have your struggle for equality used by large corporations!
The Alberta tar sands, condemned internationally as one of the most environmentally harmful projects in human history, is having some understandable difficulties with its public image. Presenting the sands as an environmentally responsible project or merely downplaying its harm is an obvious non-starter, so hired PR firms are instead pointing to Canada’s record of human rights compared to other oil-producing nations in an attempt to re-brand it as “ethical oil.”
And cue our cameo!
Oil producers have created a video promoting Canada’s tar sands, contrasting images of gay men being executed by hanging in Iran with a gay Pride parade here in Canada. The comparison shows a clear improvement in civilization and human rights, but is utterly unrelated to oil production—and certainly no excuse for the irreversable environmental damage caused by it.
Still, as a metric to mark gay acceptance in the country, I suppose this is an interesting development. We gays are now officially considered more acceptable than tar sands in the public eye.
Yay?
And while I’d rather the money used for this campaign go toward developing, say, cleaner energy sources, I guess this is as close to flattery as you can get from large, morally void corporations. So, uh, cheers to that… I guess.
Lobby Group Angrily Demands “Grandma” Ad Pulled
Catholic Vote Action, a religious political group based in Chicago, is demanding that an ad supporting equal marriage rights in the state of Maine be pulled off the air.
The ad, which features a real family including a Catholic grandmother who supports her gay son and his adopted child, was produced by Protect Maine Equality in response to an upcoming ballot initiative that would take away the existing right of gay couples to marry in the state. “I’ve been a Catholic all my life,” the grandmother says in the ad, “my faith means a lot to me.” She continues, “Marriage to me is a great institution that works, and it’s what I want for my children too.”
Essentially, it’s a real-life example of how it’s possible to harmonize one’s faith and family, supporting the loving relationships in which families can flourish.
Unacceptable, of course, according to Catholic Vote Action, who released a press release on Monday declaring that all Catholics do not support “counterfeit marriages” and demanding that the ad be pulled immediately. Because, as we all know, loving and supporting your family throughout hardships and mean-spirited attacks just isn’t a value worth keeping.
But back in the land of reality, for all my stateside friends who have a say in the matter, remember to support equality and vote NO on Maine’s Question 1!
Update: Slap reader Alan points out that you don’t need to live in Maine to help out with the No On 1 cause. With only a couple of weeks before the ballot, and with polls showing a statistical tie in opinion, now is exactly the time when volunteers and donations are needed the most! Visit ProtectMaineEquality.org and volunteer to phonebank from home or donate for more ad airtime.
An extended hat tip goes to Jim Burroway over at Box Turtle Bulletin for the story.
- Pro-Gay Marriage Ad Features Catholic Mom [U.S. News]
Mr. Sub Fires Marketing Firm Over Negative Gay Ad
Mr. Sub, a moderately popular sandwich chain in Canada, has gotten themselves into a tangy, sliced pickle over one of their new television spots. The ad was one of three to be aired over the next year, and I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to be sitting around the boardroom table during the pitch…
OK, I’ve got this great idea for your new ad. Picture this. An entire family is sitting around the dinner table about to eat, when the father taps his glass with a spoon. “I have an announcement,” he declares softly, with a smile. “I’m gay!” We cut to a shot of the family staring agape in shock, before his daughter asks disapprovingly, “You mean gay gay?” The father responds “Like, super, super gay!” Then we end with our new tagline: “Not everyone likes surprises, so count on Mr. Sub!“
Gosh, what a laugh riot! What will they think of next? ”Mom, dad: I’m marrying outside my race!”
“Not everyone likes surprises!”
Ah ha ha, brilliant!
Mr. Sub has since fired their advertising agency, BOS Advertising, over the spot (which is, of course, available on YouTube), despite having approved the ad themselves. A representative for BOS expressed their disappointment, but offered no acknowledgement that the ad could be seen as tasteless, instead lamenting “it is most unfortunate that others have interpreted this commercial [that way].”
Strangely, they even tried to paint the ad as a social catalyst for gay rights:
We stand behind our work. We hope that the debate and controversy that looms over this ad will bring about positive change and a greater tolerance and understanding of a person’s sexual preference.
Boy, that’s an even worse sales pitch than the actual ad. Particularly since they just declared that being gay is a “preference.” BOS is so clueless, that if a gay organisation ever hired them, they’d probably prepare another sandwich ad. (“Try our new, mouthwatering GLBT, made fresh to order!”)
All that said, the ad doesn’t particularly offend me as a gay person. Still, I’m happy BOS was sacked. Any decision that spares me from suffering through more terrible advertisements is a good decision in my books.
And with that, have a tasty long weekend, kids!
- Mr. Sub fires BOS after complaints of homophobia [Marketing Magazine]
Anti-Gay Lobbyists Batten Down The Hatches
Well, it’s the Easter long weekend, so let’s have some fun!
National Organization for Marriage, an anti-gay lobby group based in the United States, has released one of the wackiest anti-gay advertisements I’ve seen, comparing same-sex marriage to a violent storm. YouTube has the goods.
The disparity in outlook has taken a turn for the melodramatic, has it not?
I’ll leave the final bit of amusement courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign, who has managed to get the audition tapes for the spot—and, interestingly enough—every one of those concerned individuals is a California doctor and Massachusetts parent. Fascinating!
Anyway, thanks to everyone who sent this ad in. Have a great long weekend! Slap will be back on Wednesday instead of Monday. Cheers!
Soup Ad Draws “Pro-Family” Ire
The anti-gay lobby group American Family Association is steaming—boiling in rich, silky broth—after Campbell’s Soup placed an ad for Swanson’s brand stock in The Advocate, a gay magazine.
The ad, which shows two real-life, lesbian café owners in New York serving soup to their son, prompted the AFA to launch a hysterical campaign against Campbell’s. From the lobby group’s press release:
Campbell Soup Company has openly begun helping homosexual activists push their agenda. Not only did the ads cost Campbell’s a chunk of money, but they also sent a message that homosexual parents constitute a family and are worthy of support. They also gave their approval to the entire homosexual agenda.
The AFA goes on to urge their base to harass Campbell’s with letters, phone calls, and emails, demanding the company stop “pushing the gay agenda” and to “remain neutral in the culture war.”
Culture war. That’s a phrase I hear from these guys a lot. I’m not sure anything of the sort exists in reality, but even if it did, wouldn’t showing family types from all walks of life, including real-life gay parents, be precisely a neutral stance? I mean, neutral means either showing all types of families, or no types—including heterosexual ones. Deliberately banning portrayals of specific famliy types due to some frothy lobby group’s boycott would be a decidedly non-neutral action, if you ask me.
But that’s not how the AFA thinks, I guess. To them, simply showing a photo of gay parents serving soup amounts to “pushing the homosexual agenda.”
So the next time you need to entertain some AFA members, I suggest serving a nice, hot bowl of Cambell’s soup. And after a lovely lunch, don’t feel ashamed to brag about your generous donation to the food bank this year.
- Campbell’s Gay Soup Ad Causes Storm in a Bread Bowl [BNet Advertising]
- Campbell’s Offers No Concessions to AFA [AdAge.com]
CTV Pulls Anti-Gay Advertisement
CTV has pulled an ad for a Christian, ex-gay ministry after it was found to violate the station’s ethical standards.
The ad, which featured an unknown person claiming to have changed his sexual orientation from gay to straight, hinted that recent advancements in equality for gay people has somehow been preventing the public from learning about him:
You hear about gay rights, gay marriage, and the gay lifestyle being taught in our public schools to children. But what many people don’t realize and seldom hear about is that many homosexuals don’t want to be homosexual. What many who are struggling with homosexuality don’t realize and seldom hear is that they can change. I should know. For 13 years I used to be one.
The ad directs viewers to the Life Productions Ministries website, where no information or explanation is offered. Instead, they suggest that visitors enter their private contact information so the site owners can “direct you to the resources you or your loved one needs to overcome homosexuality.” No privacy policy or guarantees of confidentiality is mentioned, and the website suspiciously informs individuals that “due to high volumes of mail we regret we cannot answer everyone.”
Ex-gay reparative therapy is often promoted by religious organizations and lobby groups, but professional and medical organisations unanimously reject the notion that sexual orientation is something that can and should be changed. The American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Counseling Association, and American Psychiatric Association have all gone on record to say that ex-gay ministries are ineffective at best, and psychologically harmful at worst.
CTV has apologised for the ad, noting that they “do not condone, promote or engage in discrimination against anyone based on [...] sexual orientation”.
(Hat tip to Ex-Gay Watch and Truth Wins Out)
Car-Selling Fairies Fly to Canada
Gather ’round the television, boys and girls! Since “fairy” jokes apparently haven’t gotten old, Chrysler has imported their “too tough” ad to Canada!
The ad features a fairy flitting about, waving her magic fairy wand and sprinkling pixie dust on various items she deems to be too tough. A skyscraper turns into a candy-coated gingerbread tower; a city’s mass transit system becomes a toy choo-choo puffing cotton ball steam from its bright green smoke stack, etc.
Of course, she’s unable to turn the stocky Dodge Caliber into anything (since it’s just so darn manly) so she accidentally knocks herself into a building where a tough guy calls her a “silly fairy.” Then she turns him gay.
Heeheehee, I get it! Oh, Chrysler, you comedians, you!
Of course Chrysler denies the ad is meant to play off of gay stereotypes. “Hopefully we won’t offend people in Canada, because we didn’t mean to,” said VP of Marketing Judy Wheeler who approved the ad. “We were all shocked that [sexual orientation] even came up.”
So, there you have it. DaimlerChrysler is shocked—shocked—that a man dressed in pastels, with a sweater knotted about his shoulders, walking several lapdogs with pink leashes would be considered a gay stereotype. They’re equally as stunned to discover that their morning coffee gets cold when it’s left out too long. Look out, Chrysler! The sun rose again today! Eek! A cloud!
- Fairy flutters into Canada as Dodge launches Caliber [CBC News]
- Controversial TV ad to air in Canada [JAM! Showbiz]
