WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY



Heineken - Superheroes

Company: Heineken International
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Brand: Heineken
Ad Title: Superheroes
Business Category: Alcoholic Beverages
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: Publicis Groupe
Year: 2005
Target: Mainstream
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Entering the armored inner fortress of an "X-Men"-type group of superheroes, an average looking fellow is introduced to the others to be inducted into the "league."

"Listen up, this is Darren," barks a tough-looking black character in a leather outfit with a mohawk, metal teeth and unreal looking eyes. The other members stand to see. "He's the newest member of the league.

Darren, with stringy brown hair, and a blue shirt, looks meek.

"Wait, hold up, what can he do?" asks another league member, who then disappears into a mist, ala Nightcrawler from "X-Men."

"Can he fly?" asks a woman with purple hair, as she floats over.

No, answers the leader. This time, a large, shirtless wrestler-type with sunglasses asks, "He's got superhuman strength, though, right?"

The Nightcrawler knockoff interjects, "Yeah, come on man, he gotta be able to do something-- levitate, go through walls, turn into vapors or something."

Finally, Darren speaks up. "I can do one thing."

This time, a Johnny Storm-type from "Fantastic Four" whose hands are flames, says, "Well, let's see it man."

Darren bends over to pull off a white sneaker from his foot. He touches it and the shoe morphs into a bottle of beer, to cheers from everyone.

Then, the woman with pink hair gives him a sexy smile as she puts her hand on her waist, and a male league member hopefully offers, "You can room with me."

A shorter pretty-boy standing next to him shouts in protest, "Hey!" Gently, the first man apologizes to his buddy.

Of course, the audience infers that the last two bickering superheroes are a gay couple. The ad is rated Equal because no spectacle is made of them, and they are included in a way that would have worked just as well if it was a straight couple.

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Bobby , Miami Beach, FL
This isn't homophobic, it's human-phobic. The advertising agency that produced this piece of garbage must fear and hate humans if they're gonna torture us with such cruelty. Of course, since the client actually bought it, the hate should be spread.

Dan , Los Angeles, CA
Seems pretty neutral to me. Seems the beer trumps the cute boy.

Lori , Los Angeles, CA
This is a great commercial. Very funny and really good special effects. The "Hey" superhero is a doll!!!

Jake , Wayne, NJ
I love this commercial. I am a straight man and love the possibility that the two heroes at the end could be together. It's hilarious.

A job well done.

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