Bell Virgin Mobile sex ad: gays kissing
p2pnet news view | Advertising:- It’s even worse (or better) than we thought.
Worse because Bell Canada is openly promoting promiscuity not only in one advertisement, but apparently in a series.
Better because at least it isn’t homophobic.
Earlier today, ‘Virgin Mobile encourages casual sex’, said a p2pnet headline.
Bell Canada “suggests people should use one of its products to help them land temporary sexual liaisons,” we said, observing:
” In 21st century parlance, to ‘hook up’ with someone is to have casual sex …”
But there’s more than one of these ‘clever’ ads.
Another Virgin sex promo shown in Marketing has two guys hungrily kissing, with one of them clearly in the act of stripping off.
A third features a sexually provocative ‘angel’ posing in a miniskirt so short it looks like a large belt.
Says the story >>>
Agency of record Juniper Park created the new work to extend the “Fearless” positioning introduced in September. New brand-focused television, print and out-of-home ads encourage consumers to “hook up fearlessly” with secret lovers during the holidays–including one execution of two men kissing which Virgin says will run nationally.
Out-of-home executions show people kissing in elevators and boardrooms, a concept that emerged from research the company conducted that showed 62% of those surveyed want to have a secret love affair with a work colleague.
A billboard in Toronto’s Dundas Square shows a short-skirted model dressed as an angel enticing passersby to call a toll-free number.
Similar to the “hot texts” the company introduced in August, the pre-recorded message features a sultry female voice describing various service offerings with a sexy twist.
So what’s she saying?
“Hook up with us and I’ll give you everything you desire.”
And in an allusion to prostitution, “Once that phone is in those powerful paws of yours, we’ll make sure you’re totally serviced.”
Unbloodybelievable.
Apart from anything else, kids will be exposed to this unadultrated crap.
Jon Newton - p2pnet
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
p2pnet – Virgin Mobile encourages casual sex, January 8, 2010
Marketing – Virgin wants consumers to hook up fearlessly, December 3, 2009
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January 8th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Really? This is an issue in Canada? Save the children? Holy crap! The target audience is obviously not children. I have a really hard time believing this is an issue while we tolerate ads for beer and liquor that are patently worse. If you think Virgin is a conservative company and will hold back, you are obviously not familiar with them.
Be a parent and TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN. Ignoring it will only serve to confuse them more. Be open and honest with your kids is the way to make sure they are well adjusted and don’t become censoring bigots. Sorry, but the “protect the children” argument is not valid. While I would not expose my kids to pornography, I would rather talk to them about this. What I would love to see change is magazine covers that portray photoshopped models as ideals to achieve.
January 8th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Those ads are in poor taste. A lot of kids get cell phones from Virgin cause it is cheep. And I dont mean teenagers. Parents get phones for their preteens so they can be informed of where they are after school and things like that. HAving ads like this is wrong and really has nothign to do with cell phones. And whats the deal with an angel being in the shots?
January 8th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
@ John:
My wife and I are home-schooling parents. There’s nothing which isn’t openly discussed in our house.
Criticising this kind of garbage isn’t bigotry, and suggesting kids shouldn’t be exposed to it isn’t censorship.
Cheers!
January 8th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
“And whats the deal with an angel being in the shots?” Totally. I’m not religious or anything, but Jesus Christ!
January 8th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
^^^^^^ @RW & Jay, Obviously VIRGIN automaticaly equates to ANGEL…..gee, I thought everyone knew that!!!
January 8th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
so then after you get “hooked up” you are no longer a virgin?
January 8th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
These ads are gross. I find it disgusting to look at, and a company using this in an ad is just going to alienate a good portion of their current or potential customers, ie straight men and women.
BTW, despite all the backwards PC ninnies out there that will dictate what opinions are allowed and what opinions aren’t, there’s nothing wrong with being grossed out by looking at men kissing each other, just like there’s nothing wrong with being grossed out watching someone eat poo. I guess it’s not politically correct to state this opinion, but it is the truth (which some sickos have a problem with, I’m sure).
If anyone is looking for a cheap cell-phone that isn’t owned by Bell (like VM is) and doesn’t promote gay sex, 7-11 has cheap pre-paid that is $100 for a full year. I’m sure eventually they’ll change their expire times on their top-ups like VM did, but for now they’ve got the best deal in Canadian pre-paid.
January 8th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
“kids will be exposed to this unadultrated crap”
Kids ARE their main target. The young crowd is the sole and main target of Bell-Virgin.
January 8th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
“A third features a sexually provocative ‘angel’ posing in a miniskirt so short it looks like a large belt.”
Where’s the pic?
January 10th, 2010 at 2:38 am
OMG, kids being exposed to the idea of adults having sex? gosh, they might actually learn that it’s a normal part of life…
If kids are aware enough of sex to “get” these ads, then they are old enough that you, the responsible parent, should be making sure they know what they need to be safe (both physically and emotionally) so they can enjoy acting on the instincts that an all-powerful deity has implanted in us all.
January 10th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
People, you’re completely missing the point. Just because someone finds the ad to be distasteful doesn’t mean he/she is an overtly religious, sensitive, easily offended, conservative, stuck in the 18th century, won’t-someone-please-think-of-the-children prude. Nobody is trying to “protect children from the truth,” but the ads are undeniably in poor taste. Of course kids already know about sex from one information source or another, and exposing them to this sort of thing isn’t going to corrupt their minds, but I don’t believe that’s a valid excuse for showing something that is guaranteed to offend a lot of people.