Walmart has a new video up on Facebook featuring two gay men on a blind date at the mega-store.
Titled, "Love is in the Aisle," the short clip is one in a series by the retailer touting all the fun things to explore at Walmart.
Pat and Andy definitely have their own favorite items at the store.
Andy loves oatmeal cakes (Pat's never had one), and Pat insists that a gay man can't live without a cast iron skillet.
Ok, he's pretty much on point there.
There's also Andy's skepticism that shampoo/conditioner/body washes actually have all those ingredients in there. "How do we know?"
Of course, haters gonna hate...
The anti-LGBTQ organization, One Million Moms, are horrified. They dispatched an email to their followers complaining about "the video ad normalizing the LGBT lifestyle" and urging them write to Walmart asking them to remove the video.
Tim Wildmon, president of the virulently anti-LGBTQ American Family Association, urged his fellow-haters to sign a petition about the spot. “I honestly never thought Walmart would join the cultural revolution and reject the beliefs of its customer base,” wrote Wildmon in an email blast.
Whatever...
Check out the cute vid below to see if the blind date is a 'love connection.'
Kimberly-Clark has released two versions of its new commercial for Cottonelle toilet paper that encourages guys to get a ‘superior clean’ before meeting your significant other’s parents.
It isn't quite clear how this specific topic of personal hygiene comes into play when you meet your boo's parents, but we definitely know being 'peachy clean' is always a good thing.
These guys seem to think so as well :)
The pair of ad spots are practically identical except one features a straight couple and one a guy couple.
“Down there care from Cottonelle,” says the voiceover. “Down there because today you meet the parents. So before they sit you down give your bootie a confidence boost with cleaning ripples that remove more at once for a superior clean and makes you feel like the kind of guy she takes home to mother.”
The only difference in the gay version is swapping out the word ‘he’ in the final sentence: “…the kind of guy he takes home to mother.”
Watch the commercial below.
Folks on the conservative side of the social spectrum are not happy about the ad.
In fact, one Christian website declared, “We further progress down the road to destruction,” in denouncing the commercial.
Over on Twitter, some folks cheered the diversity and the inclusivity, but there were some haters who had to chime in.
It turns out the Cottonelle Twitter account can be pretty ‘fresh’ and sassy, too.
Here’s a new cottonelle commercial that talks about w guy taking his boyfriend home to meet his parents and I bout died y’all
Kudos to @cottonelle for the commercial featuring a same-gender male couple saying “the type he takes home to mother” way to go! #loveislove#cottonelle
Hi James, we know how feeling fresh and clean can provide an extra boost of confidence. Our products aim to improve the lives of our fans and the personal choices they make. Thank you.
Hi Kenny, thanks for reaching out. No matter a person’s orientation, gender, or anything else, being clean impacts everyone. Here at Cottonelle Brand, diversity is embraced in all aspects and we are proud to share a commercial that is representative of that.
Being clean impacts everyone, and it’s an important step to feeling your best. Here at Cottonelle Brand, diversity is embraced in all aspects and we are proud to share a commercial that is representative of that. Thank you for reaching out.
It’s a bummer you aren’t a fan of the peach, Olivia. We hope that even though you’re not a fan of our ad, you’ll be a fan of staying clean with our CleaningRipples. Thank you for reaching out.
Gillette has debuted a new campaign, “The Best Men Can Be,” with a minute and a half video that’s getting props and criticism.
The new messaging is a riff on “The Best a Man Can Get” tagline which debuted 30 years ago in 1989 during Super Bowl XXIII.
The new 90 second spot, titled “We Believe,” asks the viewer, “Is this the best a man can get?” as we hear terms like “bullying,” “MeToo movement,” and “masculinity” in the background.
The text of the voiceover reads:
“Is this the best a man can get? Is it? We can’t hide from it. It’s been going on far too long. We can’t laugh it off making the same old excuses. But something finally changed and there will be no going back. Because we, we believe in the best in men. To say the right thing, to act the right way. Some already are - in ways big and small. Some is not enough because the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.”
Visually, we see a group of boys chasing other boys while slurs of “loser,” “sissy,” and “freak” are printed across the screen; fathers at a backyard cookout watching boys fight while saying, “Boys will be boys;” sitcom and movie situations where adult men pretend to grope women.
“Bullying. Harassment. Is this the best a man can get?,” reads the video description. “It's only by challenging ourselves to do more, that we can get closer to our best. To say the right thing, to act the right way.”
There’s also a link to a new brand site, TheBestMenCanBe.org, which offers more insight into the new company positions on healthy masculinity.
“As a company that encourages men to be their best, we have a responsibility to make sure we are promoting positive, attainable, inclusive and healthy versions of what it means to be a man,” says Gillette at the new site.
In addition, Gillette pledges to donate $1 million per year for the next three years to non-profit organizations that set out to “inspire, educate and help men of all ages achieve their personal ‘best’ and become role models for the next generation.”
Sounds like a worthy message, yes?
But if you click over to the YouTube page where the video lives, the comments are over-the-top negative.
At this writing, the clip has garnered 14K ‘thumbs down’ votes versus less than 2K ‘thumbs up’ votes.
Joe Jervis at JoeMyGod notes that the far-right, conservative website InfoWars sent their flying monkeys to the video page to troll.
"I hope this anti-male propaganda film costed you a lot and that the outcome will cost you a lot more." "Let's try cultural castration as our marketing strategy." "Two kids play-fighting on the grass, which is probably one of the most fun things to do as a kid with your friends and they break it up. It just shows how detached these pig feminist demagogues are." "Gillette getting Cucked" "Never shaving with Gillette again. Take your propoganda elsewhere." "My masculinity isn't toxic, your femininity is."
AdAge notes that Gillette’s new messaging joins other men’s personal care products, like Just For Men and Unilever’s Axe, that now aim for “an evolved outlook on masculinity.”
What do you think, readers? Is the new ad spot aspirational? Or insulting to men?
Are men stuck in a 'catch 22' in trying to be their best while attempting to fit into an ever-evolving definition of 'masculinity?"
MoneySuperMarket's new commercial features a G.I Joe lookalike that is so thrilled to save money, he busts a move with his military buddies to CeCe Peniston's "Finally."
The voiceover refers to the bearded action figure as "ActionMan" but we all know who they mean.
This isn't MoneySuperMarket's first trip to the audaciously gay commercial rodeo.
Back in 2015, MoneySupermarket gave us “Dave,” a high heel-wearing businessman sashaying to work in a suit, tie and denim shorts. The video garnered over 25 million views and delivered a 20% boost in revenue.
Furniture store Ethan Allen features a jazzy/pop version of Stephen Sondheim's "Putting It Together" in its new commercial and apparently it blew Tony Award-winner Ben Platt's mind.
I’m sorry but has anyone seen the Ethan Allen commercial that uses a pop version of Putting it Together from Sunday in the Park with George because it just came on my TV and I thought I was having a stroke
Sung by Anna Dellaria, the spot highlights Ethan Allen's attention to detail.
Bit by bit, piece by piece, we put together this game-changer of an ad to let the world know that Ethan Allen's designers – and the free design service they provide – are the best in the business.
LOL... I love that Ben is so attuned to Sondheim's presence in a commercial.
Philippine clothing brand Bench/ recently released its new commercial for their So In Love Body Spray that chronicles the charming coming-out story of a high school student named JR.
While home with his father, JR is the picture of a straight young guy complete with backwards baseball cap and girl talk.
But he lets his sassy side show when at school.
When the object of his affection, the oh-so-hot Vince, notices JR's So In Love scent it looks like there might be a love connection.
Bench/ titled the spot, “How Long Can You Keep A Secret?” And adds the tag line "Someone is bound to smell it."
Watch below and check out the charming twist at the end.
Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt has a new Michelob Ultra commercial set to air during the Super Bowl and Pratt is super-stoked about it.
In the spot, the action hero is shown doing bicep curls with a beer bottle while thinking up a character name (“Michelob Picklestein? Michelob. My name is Tommy Ultra. Tommy Ultra?”).
But it's not quite the role Pratt imagined when he arrives on set.
In any case, it's a good excuse to see the hunky hero shirtless :)
Those three gay bears - Matt, Joey, and Phil - are back in the second installment of Rowse Honey's new commercials.
Clip description:
A busy day calls for a natural high-energy breakfast. Try The Three Bears Awesome Energy Porridge for a natural boost. Subscribe to our channel to follow their adventures, and find out more at http://www.rowsehoney.co.uk/threebears
Eat like a Bear, feel like a beast! Start the day right with a nourishing bowl of porridge and Rowse honey packed full of slow-release energy. Delicious caramelised bananas, potassium rich nuts, creamy porridge and sweet Rowse honey to top it all off.
Meet Phil, Joel and Matt – the bigger, grizzlier and infinitely more fabulous Three Bears. They’re the stars of an exciting new breakfast show from Rowse Honey. When it comes to delicious porridge and honey recipes, the Bears know best.
Episode one features the three bears recipe for winter survival - porridge with blue berry compote, heating long underwear on the stove ("hot pants") and ending breakfast with a big bear hug.
Ok, ok, - I'll be "Goldilocks." :)
In addition to the videos, there are recipes using Rowse Honey at the website.
A commercial spot for UK based McCain frozen potatoes has conservatives up in arms for including a momentary shot of two dads with their real-life 19-month-old son.
Seriously.
From the ad text:
"Or maybe it's dad who tucks you up? Dad? Daddy? Two daddies?... Families come in all shapes and sizes, but it's meal times that make a family."
Sharing that they've received dozens of hateful comments, Lee says, “We are shocked this kind of attitude exists in the 21st century. We’re proud of our little family and we have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Lee and Mat aren't the only ones being attacked, though. There are apparently equal opportunity haters on the job here. The spot drew additional ire for including mixed-race families.
Way-cute commercial spot from Procter & Gamble's Luvs Diapers featuring two anxious gay dads standing guard through their kid's first haircut.
Procter & Gamble has previously featured LGBTs in ads for Downey Wrinkle Releaser and Tide Detergent, as well as showing support via this tweet the day marriage equality became the law of the land.
The airline's latest spot features a gay couple enjoying the culture and nature of the Nordic nation.
From the Iceland Monitor:
“Icelandair’s customers are as diverse as they are many. We think it’s only natural to reflect that in our marketing material and therefore aim for a marketing approach that reaches certain groups and is suitable for certain media,” explains Jón Skafti Kristjánsson, brand manager at Icelandair.
He says this ad is not aimed specifically at queer people. “We just think it’s natural and normal for advertisement to portray diversity. LGBTI+ people enjoy travelling just as much as others, of course. In fact, they might have a slightly higher frequency in traveling than other groups.”
Google Home features two dads and their kids getting ready for the day.
The ad announces a new feature - multiple users. So now, Google Home recognizes each member of the family and can keep track of each person's schedule and more, providing a more personal experience.
The spot also shows how practically every family is the same when it comes to the morning routine.
Right there in the midst of Volvo's posh new commercial for the redesigned XC60 compact SUV is a handsome gay couple having a quiet moment.
Gorgeous arial shots of rolling hills, sexy cityscapes, luxurious penthouse views of sunrise and sunsets coupled with a moody cinematic score makes the message complete.
The casual inclusion is noteworthy when you consider not long ago the two second shot would have caused an uproar.
But LGBT inclusion isn't new for Volvo. Volvo has been focusing on the gay market all the way back to June 2001, with an ad for the S60 in Genre Magazine.
#makelovenotwalls is about tearing down the mental and physical walls that separate us, and let all sides come together in the name of unity and love.
Diesel takes on the Wall, a symbol of separation by definition, breaking it down to create strong storytelling throughout the imagery developed around it: walls are built and the Diesel love tank breaks it with a heart shape turning a symbol of separation into a happy place full of flowers of celebration of freedom and love.
“At Diesel, we have a strong position against hate and more than ever we want the world to know that,” explains Artistic Director Nicola Formichetti. “Love and togetherness is cru-cial in creating a society we all want to live in, and the future we all deserve.”
These themes are not new territory for Diesel. Last year, Diesel announced “This ad is gender neutral” as two Asian and Caucasian models, wearing the same sweater, embraced.
