Heinz pulls mayonnaise ad over gay kiss furore

A mayonnaise ad that shows two men kissing has been withdrawn from television after 200 viewers complained that it was offensive. Heinz, which makes the New York Deli Mayo featured in the commercial, pulled the advertisement less than a week into its expected five week run, in response to the criticism. Viewers told the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the ad was inappropriate and unsuitable for children to see. The ASA has not yet decided whether to launch an investigation. snip..... It is understood that the commercial was not shown during children's television programming, because of new rules from Ofcom that restrict ads for products high in fat, salt and sugar.

The only important context here, contrary to your view apparently, is that my children may want to inquire of me about things like why are those kids calling that man mom? Or why are those two men kissing like you and mom do? Or who knows what.

You apparently don't comprehend the intentional ridiculousness of the whole scenario of the commercial, so no, I guess you wouldn't be able to explain it to your kids. It was supposed to be humor, but you saw man-lips touching and lost all ability to see beyond that.

Let's pretend instead that the commercial had featured a woman in a NY deli worker's uniform talking with the heavy-duty Brooklyn accent as she handed out lunches prepared with Heinz NY Deli Style Mayo to her proper British family. Does this help you see what the ad people were after?

"Let's pretend instead that the commercial had featured a woman in a NY deli worker's uniform talking with the heavy-duty Brooklyn accent as she handed out lunches prepared with Heinz NY Deli Style Mayo to her proper British family."

OK... I've pretended, but fill me in so that I can pretend consistently...do the kids call her dad? Does another woman rush out and do they kiss on the lips and does the "dad" say see you soon "sweet boobs"?

The commercial ends with "Mayo with a New York Deli flavor." Meaning, this stuff is so authentic, it'll turn the little lady into a New York Deli guy! Except, of course, if you take everything you see literally.

Obviously the ad people underestimated the sensitivity (or overestimated the capacity for humor) of the average viewer when they decided to air the commercial. It's happened before; many an ad campaign has been shown the round file because it didn't consider all the angles, and a group of people cried "foul!"

PlayStation:

McDonalds banner ad:

Intel ad:

Series of advertisements on Boston's mass transit:

Hook, line, or stinker? T, Legal Sea Foods dispute how 'fresh' ads can be

And with that, I'll not bang my head against this particular wall any further.

Not long after his arrival in Princeton Albert Einstein was invited, by the wife of one of the professors of mathematics at Princeton, to be guest of honor at a tea. Reluctantly, Einstein consented.
After the tea had progressed for a time, the excited hostess, thrilled to have such an eminent guest of honor, fluttered out into the center of activity and with raised arms silenced the group. Bubbling out some words expressing her thrill and pleasure, she turned to Einstein and said: "I wonder, Dr. Einstein, if you would be so kind as to explain to my guests in a few words, just what is relativity theory ? "
Without any hesitation Einstein rose to his feet and told a story.
He said he was reminded of a walk he one day had with his blind friend. The day was hot and he turned to the blind friend and said, "I wish I had a glass of cold milk."
"Glass," replied the blind friend, "I know what that is. But what do you mean by milk?"
"Why, milk is a white fluid," explained Einstein.
"Now fluid, I know what that is," said the blind man. "but what is white ? "
" Oh, white is the color of a swan's feathers."
" Feathers, now I know what they are, but what is a swan ? "
"A swan is a bird with a crooked neck."
" Neck, I know what that is, but what do you mean by crooked ? " At this point Einstein said he lost his patience. He seized his blind friend's arm and pulled it straight. "There, now your arm is straight," he said. Then he bent the blind friend's arm at the elbow. "Now it is crooked."
"Ah," said the blind friend. "Now I know what milk is."
And Einstein, at the tea, sat down.

You obviously have a keen sense for subtle, discrete humor when it is couched within a sexual context.

Can you find the humor in the Einstein story?

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