A spot that is part of the Anything But Cute campaign by BBDO Detroit for the new Dodge Caliber compact is causing a bit of a ruckus among gay advocates. The ads were created to target 25-35-year olds with "edgy", "off-color humor". Chrysler has received a number of complaints calling the spot stereotypical and "a cheap shot", although they have no plans to pull the ad. SuperAdgrunts, check out the spot here
"I think it's a cheap shot," said Kathy Ervin, a Manistee mother of a lesbian. "It seemed to me to be a broad caricature of the kind of stereotypical behavior people have in mind about gay people, flouncing and a little over the top." [snip] "We're kind of surprised that people are making a conclusion about someone's sexual orientation based on the clothes they're wearing," said Suraya Bliss, a Chrysler spokeswoman. "This guy looks pretty gay to me," said Jeffrey Montgomery, executive director of the Detroit-based Triangle Foundation, a civil rights organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. "I'm willing to believe they didn't intend it to be a gay man, but I don't believe they're shocked someone would draw that conclusion."
Commercial Closet reviewed the ad saying:
"It directly finds humour with the term fairy, referring not just to the type that flies around with a magic wand, but also the universally recognisable gay stereotype of an effeminate gay man."
Check out the other ad in the campaign,Moon Dog, here
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Offensive or not...this ad is anything but "edgy".
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PermalinkLooks like he got turned into an 80s preppie to me. No self-respecting gay dude would even consider wearing that pass
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PermalinkLike Claymore I thought the dude was turned into an obnoxious 80s ivy leugue preppy boy. Gay? Naaah. Though I hear that a lot of things get buggered up at Ivy legue schools....
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PermalinkIit sounds like Jeffrey Montgomery is the one stereotyping gays, not Dodge
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PermalinkGays need to GROW THE HELL UP. Part of being accepted in society is your own acceptance that other people will occasionally make fun of you. I don't get mad when people claim they've been "Jewed" out of extra money at the bargaining table through previously undisclosed fees. Get a clue.
The slogan for this product should be "it's so not gay". That would be much more viral; it would undoubtedly get more publicity and sell more cars, and since most networks would undoubtedly pull the commercial after a few days when the hate mail got knee deep, you'd even save money on air time.
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