For the first time in 20 years, maker of delicious foods Mars is introducing a new chocolate bar. It's called "Fling," is just 85 calories, comes wrapped in a girly pink wrapper, and is described as a "chocolate finger." Wait. This thing is targeted at just women?
Indeed.
And there's no missing the ads inviting you to "Pleasure yourself," which, when combined with a phallic piece of sweetness, could be construed as an invitation to do something else altogether. Which is exactly what Mars wants women to think. (The official tagline? "Naughty, but not that naughty.)
On sale only in California and the web so far, Mars is hoping for a nationwide roll out if Fling proves successful. And how to up their chances for a blockbuster debut?
Start marketing this new candy to a certain set of same-sex loving dudes — who will either jump at the chance for an 85 calorie sexualized indulgence, or be repulsed by the idea of a "chocolate finger," which is often the last thing any gay guy wants to experience.
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I may be wrong, but M&M Mars is a private, family-held business and I don't believe M&MM is particularly supportive of the gay community. I doubt the company has a strong employee non-discrimination or diversity program. If I'm correct, I hope they spend lots of dollars advertising on websites like this, and, I hope most lgbt people won't buy their product.
Yuck. The whole idea of eating a "chocolate finger" is repulsive. Who the hell came up with that? Oh, wait… straight people.
@Jason in WV: "Who the hell came up with that?" Probably the same brilliant douchenozzle who came up with those ads for Betty Crocker Warm Delights. You know, the ones with those women finger-fucking their owns mouths?
@MTiffany: "douchenozzle" is my new favorite word.
"On sale only in California and the web so far"
My guess is…if you're ordering candy bars from the web, you don't care whether they're only 85 calories or not.
'cause, you know; food is gender-specific. God forbid i ever eat a girly chocolate bar.
BAD IDEA!!!!!!!!
I worked on this campaign. The candy sucks it's a rip off of twix. The packaging lookls like their should be two tampons inside. This would never sell in the Gay community it looks way to fem. This shit is not selling and they need a new direction I'm sure so since gay men are promiscuous and the andy says fling they go hand and hand. This smells like a bunch of straight dudes sitting around that think they just came up with a great idea. SUCKS.
It's not going to sell to anyone because the packaging is totally weak. It looks like a committee thing, or something the agency came up with when the client was coming up in the elevator.
I think Fling has been in Australia for about a year, or at least it's been advertised for about that long on TV.
Here's the TV ad, which is sorta cute, and the wrapper appears to be different when shown at the end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ6wv5mPNu8
This reminds me of the Nestle Yorkie, a candy bar you can get in the U.K. that has the words "It's not for girls!" in prominent letters on its package. My guess is that women play right into the marketing department's hands and buy them out of rebellion. I'm not sure that tactic would work with this candy bar. Men won't buy them because of the pink packaging, and women are probably going to resent being talked down to.
I do not buy the 85 calorie gimmick. These kinds of processed chocolate bars are pure artery cloggers, full of trans fat. Gays certainly do not need another health-risk promoted to them. To paraphrase Rhoda from the Mary Tyler Moore Show: I don't know why I bother eating this, I might as well stuff it directly into my heart.
So…It's peanut butter Twix with a pink wrapper?
@Jason in WV: EXACTLY
@villager:
Ha! I literally laughed out loud when I read that :)
This stinks of product placement. Shame on Queerty.
These look like dried turds. I hear Cadbury uses turds in production of its products.