I’ve rarely been as pissed at the Super Bowl ads as I was yesterday. CBS rejected two gay-themed ads (albeit the production value of one was so low that I would have rejected it) because of their “standards,” yet the commercials they allowed unleashed a barrage of violence, alcohol and nudity. They rejected a fun, unoffensive ad featuring a fictional gay former pro football player, yet they accepted at least three ads with men in underwear, two ads of women stripping, people going to outlandish lengths to get beer, and countless ads featuring violence. Plus, of course, they allowed four airings of ads from an anti-gay hate group.
If they’re so interested in protecting kids and families, why did they show ads with kids slapping and punching adults? Watch a video chronicling all the Super Bowl ad violence after the jump.
Hat tip to Towleroad for the video.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 1:20 PM
I forget the ad, but there was also one that went to such lengths to encourage “acting like a man” that it was borderline degrading.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 1:29 PM
It was for the Dodge Charger. I thought overall that the quality (creativity) of the ads was down this year and the level of crude way up.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 2:37 PM
The Super Bowl advertisements now have reached a level that makes the Three Stooges look like Shakespeare.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 2:54 PM
Cyd – EXCELLENT ARTICLE!
You’re right, it doesn’t make sense that they would reject gay-oriented ads when they allow so many that promote violence, alcohol and sex.
I would love to hear what CBS has to say.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 3:50 PM
Can we move past the Mancruch scam, please? We all know that it was an attention-grab and never a serious contender for a Superbowl spot. As for the GoDaddy ad, I fail to see how a limp-wristed character is “gay” except as a stereotype, and if that’s your idea of a “positive gay role model in advertising”, seems to me you’re grasping at straws to make CBS look like the evil empire.
A good number of ads with so-called “violence” involved slapstick humor. None of you ever played “punch buggy”? Yeah, that’s where a bunch of the “violence” came from, a modernization of a game I know I played as a kid. Most of the remaining violence was slapstick and good-natured. I’m hardly going to censor the one or two I thought were in so-so taste (anything from Doritos this year, they were all awful).
A couple of the ads with men in underwear also featured women in underwear, and the stripping wasn’t shown, it was implied with a directive to go to a website. Overall, I found most of the ads to be tame, some funny, some lame and a few made me go “huh?”, but this level of outrage is coming across like a bad case of sour grapes.
Seriously, enough is enough already.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 5:14 PM
Oh please! Don’t you know what slapstick is? Your artical is really a stretch! Go get a sense of humor and grow another layer of skin!
I’m real tired of people that are so immature and really think the world should accomadate THEM! Shut up! Get a life!
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 7:22 PM
Wow, some ads were lame, some were kinda humorous. I played “slug bug” as a kid… not really violent folks. Kinda glad they skipped the “gay” godaddy ad as it was more offensive to me then not having a “gay” ad.
When you go looking for things to be offended by you can ensure you will be. Look, I didn’t care for the Tebow ad, but it was not flat horrible and no one I know talked about it today. I don’t think anyone other than those pre-disposed to visit the site anyway would have done so. And yes, I do understand why it concerns people.
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Well, there *was* that gay couple slapping each other in the Megan Fox Motorola commercial. Inclusion!
on Feb 8th, 2010 at 10:34 PM
I wonder how much of this commentary about violence, alcohol and nudity would have occurred had CBS run one or both gay-themed ads. This honestly comes across as sour grapes instead of genuine criticism.
on Feb 9th, 2010 at 9:43 AM
I agree with WestAtlBear. This comes across as tickytack and sour grapes. Does it honestly matter if there is a gay-themed commercial or not? People need to remember the game matters more than the brokedick commercials.