So it turns out that if you make a commercial in which two men accidentally touch lips and then mortify their flesh in horror, some people will find it homophobic. Masterfoods USA has announced that it’s pulling the Snickers “Kiss” ad after protests from gay groups, thus ending the TV run of the most risque use of a chocolate confection since this (NSFW).
The TV run, I emphasize. For at least of this writing, the kiss ad is still going strong on YouTube, which is becoming both a post-game referendum on the Super Bowl ads and an important part of the big-game marketing scheme. Tuesday, the ad was the third most popular ad on the site, behind Bud Light’s Rock Paper Scissors and Carlos Mencia ads. Maybe Snickers just hasn’t gotten around to tracking down and yanking its online ads yet; or maybe we now have a two-tiered system, in which a PR failure among the general public is marketing gold among the YouTube audience.
But in broadcast television, anyway, apparently homophobia is now an exceptionally serious offense never to be tolerated. In other news, tune in to see Isaiah Washington in an all-new Grey’s Anatomy this Thursday. Go Dr. Burke! Rehab is truly a modern miracle!