British "Homophobic" Snickers Ad Yanked After Complaints By Americans

[BPSCG]

A chocolate bar advertisement featuring Mr T has been taken off the air after accusations that it is ‘homophobic’.

In the Snickers commercial, Mr T – who played BA Baracus in the 1980s show The A Team – pulls up in a truck alongside a man exercising in tight yellow shorts and shouts: ‘Speed walking. I pity you fool. You are a disgrace to the man race. It’s time to run like a real man.’

He then forces the man to break into a sprint by taking pot shots at him with a Snickers machine gun. The commercial ends with Mr T uttering the slogan to the current Snickers campaign – ‘Get some nuts’.

The commercial, which premiered in the UK on July 13, was made by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO – the same agency responsible for a Heinz Deli Mayo advert withdrawn last month after showing two men kissing.

That commercial prompted 200 complaints. In contrast, the Advertising Standards Authority has received only two complaints about the Snickers advert.

However, it prompted strong protests from the U.S. – even though it was never shown on American television.

Mr T forces the man to break into a sprint by taking pot shots at him with a Snickers machine gun

The U.S. lobby group Human Rights Campaign criticised Mars – which makes Snickers – for condoning ‘the notion that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is a group of second class citizens and that violence against GLBT people is not only acceptable but humorous’.

A spokesman for Mars said: ‘This ad is the second in a series of UK Snickers ads featuring Mr T, which are meant to be fun and have been positively received in the UK.

‘However, we understand that humour is highly subjective, and it is never our intention to cause offence. Accordingly, we have pulled the Mr T speedwalker ad globally.’

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Okay, I'll be the first to say it (here at least): M&M Mars needs to get some nuts.

 

[Mashuna]

I hadn't realised that speedwalking was the unique province of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. I shall watch the 50k speedwalking competition at the Olympics in a new way now.

 

[Giggywig]

And how do we know the target is gay? Is there some sort of rule about yellow shorts?

 

[lionking]

I haven't seen the ad, and obviously won't now, but wearing yellow shorts and speed-walking makes you gay now? Mars should have kept the ads on and demanded proof from the human rights lobby that they were depicting a gay man.

 

[Aitch]

And how do we know the target is gay? Is there some sort of rule about yellow shorts?

I was under the impression that green was the 'gay colour', but only on Thursdays. But I'm not totally sure why - let's blame Armisted Maupin!

 

[Wildy]

I hadn't realised that speedwalking was the unique province of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. I shall watch the 50k speedwalking competition at the Olympics in a new way now.

I'll be sure to ask some friends of mine who are part of that community about it.

 

[fuelair]

I was under the impression that green was the 'gay colour', but only on Thursdays. But I'm not totally sure why - let's blame Armisted Maupin!

That was indeed the saying - in the early 1960s - but gay was not the descriptor at that time.

 

[Aitch]

I'll be sure to ask some friends of mine who are part of that community about it.

Come to think of it, I have a transexual friend who does the London Moonwalk every year. Though that is more of a stroll than a power-walk.

That was indeed the saying - in the early 1960s - but gay was not the descriptor at that time.

I'm older than I look!

 

[Cainkane1]

I saw that ad. I thought it was cool. Next time I buy a candy bar it will be a snickers.

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

I saw that ad. I thought it was cool. Next time I buy a candy bar it will be a snickers.

Fag.

 

[Aitch]

Fag.

Unless CK1 is eating candy bars because he is trying to give up smoking?

Translator's note: in the UK, fag = cigarette. What was it WSC said about England and the USA: two nations separated by a common language.

 

[mrbaracuda]

Well, it's still on youtube!



And there's another one!



I lol'd.

Here you can see Mr T assembling the SNICKERGUN!

 

[Francesca R]

British "Homophobic" Snickers Ad Yanked After Complaints By Americans

Why do you hate America?

 

[BPSCG]

Well, it's still on youtube!

Argh - it got yanked, too (sorry, Francesca...)

 

[uruk]

Geez, I think peoples sphincters are clenched too tight.

And what the hell do we Americans have business in meddeling with what the brittish watch on TV?

For god sakes people! Chill out!

Lord knows Mr. T needs the money.

 

[Sir Robin Goodfellow]

It's a well-known fact that only gaysexuals wear shorts. I read about it in a pamphlet.

 

[mrbaracuda]

Geez, I think peoples sphincters are clenched too tight.

Like the speedwalker's!

Argh - it got yanked, too (sorry, Francesca...)

If you got there directly it should still be there. At least it is for me.

 

[Mark Felt]

In the Snickers commercial, Mr T – who played BA Baracus in the 1980s show The A Team – pulls up in a truck alongside a man exercising in tight yellow shorts and shouts: ‘Speed walking. I pity you fool. You are a disgrace to the man race. It’s time to run like a real man.’

The one with the tank is better. The "controversy" over this is still ridiculous.

 

[mrbaracuda]

The one with the tank is better.

No it's not! He doesn't shoot at the guy with his snickers cannon in that one, so it's lame!

 

[pchams]

Why does America hate Mr. T?