Ham Salad Please, Mum
First things first, watch the following video and make a note of your reaction.
This is an advert from Heinz publicising their new range of deli-style mayonnaise. Mmmm! I like mayonnaise. Goes great with ham salad. But, OH MY GOD, what’s that other taste in my mouth? It’s not just mayonnaise! I no longer feel the sweet satisfaction of a filling lunch. I now feel… UNCOMFORTABLE!
Why? Well, did you spot something in the advert? Something that might have caused an uncomfortable feeling? Yep, your eyes didn’t try to deceive you. There really was a man-on-man kiss thrown in there. Eugh! GAY!
Thank goodness there’s an organisation we can write to to express how horrified we are with gayness; The Advertising Standards Authority, who, due to the 200 complaints they’ve received about this funny and clever advert, will be still trying to push their front door open.
According to the Media Guardian;
Some complainants said the ad was “offensive” and that it is “inappropriate to see two men kissing”. Other complaints include that the ad was “unsuitable to be seen by children” and that it raised the difficult problem of parents having to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with younger viewers.
Meanwhile, Bill O’Reilly, an American presenter on Fox News and a man I find absolutely fascinating, felt he ought to add his two cents to the growing pile of small change.
“Obviously a gay thing,” he says. Wrong as usual, Bill.
I cannot believe that in 2008, I have to explain this to some people, but I’m going to do it anyway to help bring some clarity to the issue. The problem I think some people are having is interpreting the meaning of the advert. They’re seeing the two men kiss and are allowing it to blur their judgement. Mr O-Reilly, take notes.
The scene is set in British suburbia. In the kitchen, there is a man with a strong Brooklyn accent wearing full deli regalia. White apron, white shirt, white paper hat. This isn’t normal. British houses don’t have resident deli workers imported from New York to make the kids sarnies. Instead, it’s normally the mothers (female) who make the sandwiches. The product being used and being advertised is a range of deli-style mayonnaises. If you piece the clues together, you’ll see that the message of the advert is that if you add Heinz Mayonnaise to your ham salad bap, it’s just like eating a genuine New York deli-style ham salad bap. The typical mother (female) making the sandwiches is replaced by a New York deli owner making the sandwiches to emphasise this point.
It’s abstract. It’s not a portrayal of actual events. The female mother is replaced by a male mother to make a point about the quality and authenticity of the product. The two men are not a gay couple. It’s not “a gay thing.”
Obviously, the marketing people knew that by including the man kiss, they’d be opening a can of worms. Despite this in mind, it’s not a gratuitous kiss. It’s just adding to the realism of the situation within the abstract setting. In a normal situation, the husband and wife would kiss to say goodbye to one another.
I could go on with this and ask, even if it was a “gay thing,” why would that be a problem, but I won’t. There’s just no getting through to some people. I fully anticipate that the ASA will reject all of the complaints. There are absolutely no grounds for taking action against an advert that dared to do something different with clever and funny results.
Update: 24/06/08
This morning, I’m waking up to the new that Heinz have withdrawn the advert.
It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognise that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it.
Unbelievably bad decision!
