A long-running TV commercial has prompted complaints after a recent airing in Australia: some viewers felt it could turn people gay, while others felt that it was mocking man-on-man affection
April 8, 2015
Viewers in other parts of the world, including the UK, will no doubt be familiar with a Maltesers advert in which two sleeping men cuddle up with one another.
The advert, which has been airing since 2007, shows two men asleep on a sofa.
Two female friends – presumably their girlfriends – are eating Maltesers and watching TV. Mischievously, the women position the men so that they are snuggled up against one another, and one of the men subsequently kisses the other man while they sleep.
The commercial has aired without much comment in many territories. However, in Australia, the Advertising Standards Board has been prompted to investigate after it received several complaints.
One complainant said: ‘I find it very offensive that while I’m watching tv with my child that an ad with a man kiss another man (sic) to come on to try and sell chocolates just like smoking and drinking alcohol leads to young people to do these things I feel strong that advertising homosexuals is try to turn young people gay.’
Another was disappointed that the commercial appeared to make the same-sex behavior the source of humor: ‘The two women place their boyfriends in a sexual/suggestive position while they are asleep. They are seen to kiss. The two women then laugh at what they have done.
‘This ad is offensive because it continues to perpetuate the idea that being gay or male closeness is something to be ridiculed and laughed at.’
In response, Mars Confectionary, manufacturer of Maltesers, stated: ‘The advertisement was created to depict a range of people acting in a playful, innocent manner as they consume Maltesers. The advertisement does not portray people or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community.’
‘The intention of this particular advertisement was to showcase a playful moment between two girl friends … The way they position their respective boyfriend is in no way sexually suggestive and in fact is something that would be acceptable to do in public without causing offence.
‘We do not believe that it is appropriate to draw the inference that by positioning the boyfriends to hug one another and kiss on the nose to infer that they are gay or of any kind of sexual orientation.
‘We also believe that the girlfriends laughing at their boyfriends hugging and kissing on the nose does not indicate that they are ridiculing or humiliating them for been (sic) ‘unknowingly gay’ or that male closeness is something to be laughed at.’
In judgment, the Advertising Standards Board dismissed the complaints. You can read its ruling here.
The advert was commissioned in 2007 by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in London. It was directed by Victoria Pile and produced by Brock Van den Bogaerde at Sneezing Tree Films Ltd.
Speaking to Gay Star Busineass, Van den Bogaerde – a nephew of the actor Dirk Bogarde – said: ‘The ad was nothing more than an innocent, playful comedy sketch which intended no offence to anyone.’
Mars has over 75,000 employees worldwide, and scored 60% on Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index in 2015 and 2014.
You can watch the advert below:
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"Fear Eats the Soul"
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