Running a tip line from their beach shack, Foster’s advice gurus Brad and Dan answer an urgent question from a caller: Can I rub sunscreen lotion on my mate’s back without being labeled a queer? (Well, that last part of the question is implied.) The answer? Sure, but: no double coatings, and absolutely no rubbing is allowed if your mate is wearing budgie smugglers. Yes, your first inclination is right — this is homophobic. Literally. BY THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “HOMOPHOBIC.” The man calling up Foster’s masculinity experts is afraid of The Gay so much that he can’t even protect his buddy from the sun’s harmful rays without worrying he might look all faggy. Your options are: 1) Call Foster’s and complain about the ad; 2) Boycott Foster’s, but that would require you actually drinking that nasty shit in the first place. Fosters, Australian For Queer.
Just for shits and gigs, here’s a similar Foster’s spot:
[via]
Joseph
Fosters is horrible. I had only two points of it two weeks ago at a local G.G.A club and ended up getting sick outside the place. But the ad has been running for like weeks now and it doesn’t bother me.
Truthful
Queerty writers, you really need to do a spell/grammar check before you submit your articles. You all keep sounding like angry pre-teen girls updating their livejournals.
cybernoelie
Can’t believe you guys ran with this. Pink News had an article on this two days ago and almost all the comments slated PN for making an issue out of it. The majority felt it wasn’t homophobic and that PN was being a bit of a drama lama and in turn were belittling the gay ’cause’. I tweeted all of you guys about an app in Cydia named GayDetectorPro which is far more homophobic and none of you responded. Sheesh!
justiceontherocks
Seems to me like the ad makes fun of people who get crazy about “the gay thing.” I thought it was clever. Not great, but certainly not offensive.
TommyOC
Normally, even in ads deemed homophobic, I can at least figure out why someone would think it’s funny.
But not this ad. This ad wasn’t funny on any level.
But it was full of gay-panic fear-mongering. Good job, Fosters.
TheRealAdam
Yes, it is homophobic, anti-gay, and just plain stupid and unfunny. I don’t see straight women terribly concerned about this, and if they are, they should have their own commercial, too.
Now, cue the resident Uncle Toms here who will defend it ad nauseum.
Tommy Marx
Uncle Tom here.
I thought the commercial was funny. First of all, the situation was so ridiculous: what, the short guy was going to die a hideous death if he didn’t get sunscreen applied immediately? Second, the warning against scented candles and power ballads was hilarious. And third, when the guy told his friend he’d have to change, I think he was more concerned about getting an erection than anything else. The short guy was pretty damn cute.
But that’s just me. I have a somewhat dark sense of humor and don’t tend to get outraged over every fucking thing that’s ever broadcast.
And if the short guy still needs someone to rub lotion on his back, I’ll be more than happy to help. As long as I can drink a Blue Moon instead.
Just a Guy
I though the commercial was sort of funny. I interpreted it as a parody on homophobia, taking it to an absurd extreme. Now you’re boycotting the beer?
justiceontherocks
@TheRealAdam: Different day, same idiot.
Don’t know how things are in Whoville or where ever the hell you live, but here in the civilized world, joking about people’s irrational fears isn’t bigotry.
I know Foster’s is sorry they made a commercial that is so far over your head. They’ll try to do better next time.
Cue the insults from thin-skinned morons.
Shannon1981
I thought it was making fun of homophobia rather than gays…and I am usually in the camp of the self righteous gay police on stuff like this. I don’t see homophobia. I didn’t find it especially funny, just lame. But I think they were attempting to make fun of the homophobes and the ridiculousness of their constant fear of appearing anything other than 100% straight.
Kev C
It’s clever but is anyone in the ad straight, or is everyone closeted?
HeroQueero
So it’s safe to assume that every gay guy uses scented candles and listens to power ballads? Gimme an effing break! Spots like this do nothing to educate ignorant folks with the truth: that gay people are as varied and unique as everyone else! This is the same homophobic crap that started that whole ‘No Homo’ thing with scared straight guys who are so insecure with their own sexuality that they have to have some kind of reminder of how hetero they are. We don’t all listen to show tunes, dress in drag, or quote lines from ‘Mommie Dearest’. A commercial like this is no different that showing a spot where all blacks listen to rap or play basketball, but I don’t expect anything more from a continent that still thinks blackface is funny.
cybernoelie
@Shannon1981: Very astute observation which I’d agree with – they were in fact making fun of straight guys being homophobic. It’s sad to see that quite a few of the gay ‘media’ outlets have run with this story – but I suppose all of us commenting here are upping their page rank and hit counters for adverts so what do they care if they help our ’cause’ or belittle it as long as they get revenue.
jason
Australia is a backward hole full of beer-swilling morons. There are no civil unions or gay marriages in any part of Australia – they are totally banned. Nuff said.
jason
This ad appears to have been made for the UK market. I wonder if it was made in the UK or Australia.
Mark from Queensland
@jason: ah mate, seems like you’re describing the States there. Granted you do have gay marriage in what, 4 locations? You’re rather like the pot calling the kettle black I think.
As far as being backward, we’ve had 4G wireless for well over a year – how bout up there in the states? Beer swilling? Have you ever visited Australia? How many Aussies do you know? Frankly, we’d rather have a great cabernet or merlot than swill something the likes of beer, especially american beers.
Mark
@jason: actually it’s aussie – Aussies call speedos budgie smugglers – use your imagination.
jason
One of the things that you need to understand about our modern society is that it has created the very stigma that it attempts to poke fun at.
Male-male is stigmatized from childhood. A child grows up feeling anxious and cautious about male-male touching. As he develops into adulthood, these feelings are carried through into some very hostile attitudes towards male-male sexuality. Then here comes beer company which attempts to poke fun at the very same attitudes that the honchos at the beer company helped to promote within their children.
It’s like a murderer returning to the scene of the crime to make light of the fact that there is still a blood stain on the ground where the murder occurred. Then he laughs it off and says “it’s only a blood stain, lighten up”.
Mark from Queensland
@jason: Oh yeah, bi-national same sex couples, here in Australia, the non Aussie can immigrate to Australia. Can’t do that up there with the yanks if memory serves.
Shannon1981
@cybernoelie: The gay outlets run with quite a few things that they shouldn’t, sometimes. There’s a lot of homophobia in the world, and 99% of the time I call it out, but I just don’t think that was the intent here. I can see how it would come off that way to some people, I guess, but I seriously think they were making fun of the stupid macho straight dudes who can’t touch another man without wondering if that makes them gay.
Red Meat
Australia has the worst English accent in the world. That being said, I wish we all spoke wuth Kate Blanchett’s ascent.
Casey
Lol, U mad.
This isn’t even homophobic, stop being a pansy and shut the fuck up.
Francis
Homophobic? No. Bad? Yes.
John
@jason: The WHOLE country? C’mon…
James Hyatt
I wouldn’t have a problem rubbing sunscreen on a friend….. but i would still tell him to change if he was wearing a speedo… er, budgie smugglers.
TheRealAdam
@jason: Exactly.
TheRealAdam
@Shannon1981: How can it be making fun of those macho homophobic guys when the commercial in effect promotes the same sensibilities? You can’t have it both ways.
jason
I always wear Speedos (budgie smugglers) to the beach. They’re comfortable and practical for movement through water. I loathe those over-sized table-cloths (dork shorts) that you see many straight men wearing these days. What are they afraid of?
jason
TheRealAdam,
Exactly right.
This beer ad is a form of two-faced humor. It purports to be making fun of homophobic attitudes but it’s making them seem cool in the way they are presented.
Nick Farben
Christ! IT’S A FUCKING PARODY. Ease up already.
From an Aussie TV point-of-view, that thick ‘Aussie’ accent and demeanor that they the Fosters blokes are putting on is very much TV-speak for ‘Clueless blokes’… our equivalent of stoned reefer dudes. They’re meant to be lovably stupid, since they aren’t so much homophobic as they are brainless.
Then there’s the guy calling, who is also meant to be an idiotic spoof of a confused ‘straight’ man.
Meanwhile, the friend who just wants to get lotion on his back, isn’t even sure what all the fuss is about. He just wants to not-get skin cancer. If they had portrayed him as a queen or gay stereotype, then maybe you could argue that they were having a laugh at the expense of gays, but he’s not, he’s not a caricature of any sort. He’s just a regular guy wondering why his friend won’t do a simple favour.
All in all, they are on-the-money for their target audience. Fosters tastes like piss, but is exported as an Australian souvenir in bars across the world. However in Oz, it is not considered local to any region. Every state and town has its own beers ranging from crap to boutique that we’d guzzle before we touch Fosters.
M
Check it out!! http://bit.ly/icQV6P
Jeffree
Rubbing sunscreen on another man made ME gay, so I think straight dudes should avoid applying SPF30 to each other.
OK, not really. But, this ad is one in a series in Fosters’ UK campaign. The concept is solid (what str8 guys are afraid of) but it wasn’t that funny to me nor really that offensive.
It would never be played on American TV. We’re too squeamish to even address the issue.
Shannon1981
@TheRealAdam: I think its all about perception. My gut reaction was failed humor, and that they are making fun of stupid macho straight guys. I’ve watched it three times now, and I see where you’re coming from, but honestly I just find it lame and nothing else.
uppity1
The concept probably sounded amusing on paper. I can see why Fosters would have gone for it. However, it’s poorly scripted and the Aussie blokes are poorly cast. So it comes across as too wordy, heavy handed and unfunny. But a snappier script in the hands of a good director, with actors versed in comedy, and this would have been funny. It still would have generated criticism from some gays but would have won over most as a lighthearted piss-take.
mister larry
stupid commerical but attractive white guys will always get someone’s attention. all commericals are full of blacks now.
Nick
It’s not homophobic! This ad is taking the mickey out of straight people!
mickey
Wow people, I mean come on… er’body reading way too much in this commercial. I thought it was rather clever, though like many ads really has nothing to do with the product. But that aside, it was simply a setup, challenge/decision and the ‘hook’.(or the twist in the plot, which is the humor) ie the caller at some level wanted to apply the sunscreen to his mate, but needed validation it was ok. You don’t realize this until he tells the mate you’ll have to change (out of the speedos) A little unexpected, a little chuckle and there it ends – just an average ~ ‘cute’ commercial. That’s it, that’s all, no more- no less, take it or leave it – you get my drift?
mickey
After further review… however there has been a reversal. There is much much more to this commercial than first meets the eye.
{ this is exactly what makes it BRILLIANT } It is targeted smack dab in the middle of the FACT that the vast majority of males subconsciously have some level of curiousity/tendencies etc – the commercial maybe hints too much of this theme to be a true ‘subconscious’ appeal but nonetheless it does the job of age old sex appeal marketing – it just does a perfect job of keeping it ‘under the radar’ so that it is extremely effective. In other words the message really is…IT IS OK, IF according to the commercial if you drink Fosters, call in to the advisors, follow a few rules (like NO Speedos etc) to explore, experience etc…
ABSOLUTLY BRILLIANT from a Corporate marketing standpoint. This particular shot may have missed the mark a bit, but what a target!
Mike in London UK
Queerty misses the point TOTALLY on the British/Oztralian sense of humour.
This is hysterically funny, BECAUSE its a play off on a guy NOT WANTING to “be seen to be too friendly” with his best mate.
TheRealAdam
The comments on this post only prove that the absolute idiocy and complacency of gay men knows no bounds. Or perhaps it is just indicative of the quality of the gays who patronize this site.
At any rate, it is revolting. Apologetic Uncle Toms should not be allowed to give their inferior opinions on anything. Ever. You people make me sick.
Jeffree
@TheRealAdam: Well said, but wrong. If we “idiotic” people here aren’t to your liking, you need to find a different site to read. Better yet, start your own. You have lots of opinions and a talent for writing, so put those things to good use. I’ll bookmark your site.
skzip888
If they’d clarified “you don’t want anyone else to think he’s taken” they might have saved it.
Nigel Puerasch
Well, I’m an Ozzie and I’m gay, and it didn’t offend me. As someone here said, if the guy in the yellow budgie-smugglers had been an effeminate caricature, it would have been *very* offensive. But he was just an ordinary straighto.
It’s Ozzie/English humour, as someone else said. The Ozzies would instantly get it: the stupidity and ignorance of the radio jocks (and there’s been much made here of the homophobic racist shock-jocks from talkback radio) — the caller is in Cyprus and the radio blokes say “buon giorno”? Can’t you see the savage irony there? The scaredy-cat behaviour of the bloke asking the question. Can’t see that he’s being made fun of? They’re mocking the straightos. Like, get over it, mate, it’s no big deal rubbing suntan lotion on your mate’s back.
I’ve noticed before that our humour is different to Americans’. But believe me, the ad is NOT homophobic. It isn’t very funny either, but it’s not meant to be taken seriously.
And Fosters *is* disgusting. Avoid it like the plague. If you’re ever in the small town of Woodend, Victoria (near where I live) try every one of the Holgate’s beers, porters and ales in their rather lovely Victorian pub: http://www.holgatebrewhouse.com/
These guys make beer which really tastes good, unlike Fosters and Victoria Bitter which taste like cricket’s piss. Or try Redback Beer from WA (not Washington — Western Australia): http://www.matildabay.com.au/home Or Little Creatures, also from WA : https://www.littlecreatures.com.au/
If Ozzies (excluding of course the guys who are gently mocked in this ad) drink beer at all, those are the kinds of beers they drink. Mostly we drink local wines which are cheap but far from nasty.
And yes we don’t have gay marriage, yet. It will happen, and soon, is my guess. At least we don’t have DOMA: our gays and lesbians have been allowed to serve openly for nearly 20 years: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gays_in_the_military If you’re from the US, you can’t lecture *us* about being backward! Good Grief!
jasun mark
When you go to Australia, the locals will all look at you like you’re nuts if you ask for a Foster’s. They all agree that it’s shit.
This commercial is kinda homophobic and it’s really not funny. Not sure what they were thinking when they OK’d this other than “this should get lots of press.”
Chris
@jason: Wow Jason, I’m not surprised you threw in some bigoted comments about Australians here. You really know nothing about the country do you? First of all, you have ads like this in the US (superbowl snickers ad anyone?) but is that indicative of a national society and people? No.
Also, we have domestic partnerships in most Australian states which, thanks to Kevin Rudd and the ALP, infer most of the rights associated with marriage. Also, same sex couples can adopt in several Australian states, including the increasingly right wing state of western Australia. This whole ‘australia is a hole’ thing you bring up every time my country is raised here is pathetic. Every country has their pros and their cons.
As to the ad, wake up people! It’s subjective, the people who say it’s homophobic are just as right as the people who say it makes fun of homophobes, it’s all in the eye of the beholder.
Disgusted Gay American
I thought it showed the stupidity of Straight men
hephaestion
Any country that creates the term “budgie smugglers” can’t be bad. I didn’t find the ad to be homophobic; to me it was poking fun at men who are scared of male-male contact.
Cam
@justiceontherocks:
Nothing to do with being thin skinned. Does the commercial bother me? Not really. Is it homophobiic? Sure it is.
Imagine a commercial about somebody not wanting to order order noodels in a restaurant because they were afraid they might seem Asian.
Or somebody not wanting to do something and calling a help line because they were afraid they would seem Hispanic.
We’re just used to “Gay” being used as a punchline so it doesn’t jump out at us as much as it would to other minorities.
Ted C.
“BY THE DEFINITION OF THE WORK ‘HOMOPHOBIC’.”
Work?
Palto
The only reason why I’ve stayed away from Foster’s for over 20 years is because it gave me one of the worst hangovers from Hell I’ve ever had.
Rob
Dumb ass ad.
Lucky Luke
It’s so unfunny and it felt endless.
Just a Guy
Because of the “rules” which the two “experts” recite as though they are cast in stone the interaction between the lotion guys has a lot of sexual tension — will a rule get broken? When the tall guy says, “you’ll have to change” they both look down at the shorter guy’s crotch.
The commercial is very fast-moving and snappy, and the Aussie accents are interesting to hear, though not every word can be understood by this American. The commercial is fun to watch and sexy, too. Even though the Aussies sound more like Brits, their body language and attitudes are much closer to Americans.
Chris
@justiceontherocks: Ah another asshole who sits pretty picking out others, while forgetting that mirror he keeps looking in to check out pretty bubble is cracked.
Chris
@justiceontherocks: Ah another asshole who sits pretty picking out others, while forgetting that mirror he keeps looking in to check out your pretty bubbly world is cracked.
Chris
@Cam: Thank you Cam!
justiceontherocks
@Chris: Want to try that again, in English?
justiceontherocks
@Cam: I agree with you often, just not this time. There are commercials poking fun at just about every demographic group. To be “homophobic” (or racist) they have to be hateful and mean-spirited. This one doesn’t strike me that way. Gay people aren’t made to look bad – the dumb straight guy is.
TheRealAdam
@Cam: Egggggsactly. Thanks.
TheRealAdam
@Justiceonthecrack – STFU, you overly-apologetic, feeble-minded, Uncle-Toming twit.
Mike in London UK
@TheRealAdam
Would you care to qualify your “oft used” (in this debate) meaning of “Uncle-Tom”.
Not sure if you’re insulting the Brits, the Ozzies or the Yanks.
justiceontherocks
@TheRealAdam: When you learn to put a coherent thought together get back to us.
Jeffree
@TheRealAdam: Go find another blog or start your own. Please leave us “idiots” &”UncleToms” in peace. Your namecalling and trolling have worn thin. Perhaps you’ll take Jason with you, por favor?
jason
Australians have domestic partnerships in a couple of states. These are on a par with a carer’s arrangement between a daughter and her elderly mother.
They aren’t even recognized as civil unions, let along marriages. Australia, you’ve fallen behind the rest of the world.
Zeus
Apparently, it is common for straight Australian men who are comfortable with their bodies and sexuality wear “budgie smugglers”.
TheRealAdam
@justiceontherocks: Cam already summed up what I was unwilling to give you the consideration of stating.
Matt
PLEASE GET OVER YOURSELF.
It’s not homophobic in the slightest, it’s just highlighting the stupidity of the macho “we can’t touch each other in case people think it’s gay” attitudes that some straight guys have… the advert is poking fun at straight guys, not gay people… Clearly someone has a massive chip on their shoulder here. Pathetic.
TheRealAdam
@Jeffree: So, that’s what you do? You try to get rid of the people who have a dissenting opinion?
I don’t always agree with Jason, but he usually states his points logically, if somewhat unclearly. However, I have come to see that the people here react violently towards him. It appears that you simply don’t like what people have to say that contradicts your groupthink. You need to work on that.
And stop Uncle-Toming, too :).
@Mike in London UK: Re Uncle-Tom: It’s an American term that has a connection to black history and culture, about spineless blacks who appease whites by “accepting their place” and being subservient to whites and their bigotry, smiling happily and laughing while they’re being degraded.
So now we have the spineless gays here who will do everything in their power to overlook the obvious degradation occurring in this advertisement. It’s sad, but they cannot be helped. They choose to shut their eyes to the contempt that heterosexuals regard them with, and justify it however they can instead of seeing the obvious for what it is. Smiling and laughing…
Jeffree
@therealadam: I often agree with you and even if we disagree, that’s what makes a world. You seem very unhappy here, and seem to think we’re “idiots,” so I believe you’d be better off finding a different site or creating your own. I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ll read it.
As for Jason, he can’t help himself; his obsêssiòns and delusîons have kept him from being able to engage in regular discourse. You’re not in the same category. At least you didn’t used to be, before the OTHER adam showed up!
TheRealAdam
@Jeffree: I’m responding to the particular comments and hostilities displayed on this post. Justiceonthecrack brought his hostility into this post because we disagreed in another, and I didn’t appreciate it.
I am the same Adam. There are just some things that can’t be backed down from.
sfsyd
its kinda lame really.. just not funny – did Queerty happen to comment on the Westpac Bank commercial with the 2 guys that aired here in Oz? – caused a bit of a stink but i actually thought it was funny, would be interesting to hear how others felt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_fSIuNcJRw
Tom
The Interesting thing about this ad is that it’s aimed at people in the UK – if you look at the web addresses at the end, it’s clearly UK only.
Honestly, as an Australian I find it more than mildly homophobic and not hugely amusing – except for the fact that it’s an ad for Fosters which absolutely NOBODY drinks here.
What’s disappointing is that beer ads are often brilliant in Australia because the companies have so much money (check out this Cannes Gold Lions winner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY6uJlI-t14 )
Clearly we should boycott Fosters – but not because of this ad, just because their beer is bl**dy disgusting! Don’t Boycott Australia though – I like to think we’re pretty nice lol.
jason
I don’t see anything wrong with a man wearing tiny Speedos. Women wear tiny bikinis to the beach all the time. If women can wear tiny swimsuits I don’t see why men can’t.
We shouldn’t be bowing to the sleazy straight male perception of things. Sleazy straight men want everything to be on their terms – ie women in tiny biknis OK, men in tiny Speedos not OK. Let’s tell straight guys to fuck off.
Frankly, we’re sick of the double standards that straight men – and their female sluts – like to push on us.
Don’t underestimate the role of the female slut in all this. Females are notoriously jealous of the male body and they are also notoriously jealous of a straight-identifying man finding another man sexually attractive. This is one reason why female clothing has descended to sluttish in its nature whereas men’s has remained generally conservative.
Women want the double standard to exist. Without the double standard, they are powerless.
LancerLaw
Last time I was in Australia you couldn’t even find Foster’s at a pub… they don’t carry it, it’s Australian for “you’ve been duped by an ad campaign.”
Tym
I’m a gay man, and I thought that was a very funny ad!! Quite typical of how so many men think!!
Tym
Todd
As suspected: hay people are humorless.
lou
Amazing that the point of the Fosters ad can escape so many. I think a wise but useful suggestion might be ‘get a sense of humour’ and make better use of your time than analysing some tv ad that promotes its product under the guise of parody. Oddly enough ads are out there to grab people’s attention…gees…I think it worked. So…I think I give Deano a call and ask him over dinner. Good call.