WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY

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Company: Mars Inc.
    View Company Scorecard / Contact Company
Brand: M&M
Ad Title: Shrek 2
Business Category: Confectionery/Candy/Gum
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: BBDO Worldwide
Year: 2004
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Angie Cox
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Theme(s)

Homo-queasy

Theme Breakdown

AdRespect Score: 
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This ad joins together the popular animation character Shrek with the commonly used male Yellow Peanut M&M and Red Chocolate M&M characters.

The ad begins with Shrek, Donkey, and the M&Ms walking through the forest. The Red M&M is examining a small green M&M candy. The Yellow M&M, walking behind him, ironically exclaims: "Look at the size of those M&Ms!"

The Red M&M then says: "They're ogre sized, just like him!" pointing to Shrek.

The Yellow M&M responds: "That's a lot of chocolate. Must be under a magic spell."

"So what do we do?" asks the Red M&M.
Shrek then chimes in, with a devilish grin: "Well when it comes to breaking spells, usually somebody's gotta kiss somebody." Looking back and forth between the two candy fellows.

With a dramatic sound, the camera pans back and forth between the two M&Ms, closing in on their panicked faces, as the music gets more intense and Shrek looks anxiously on.

Just as the Yellow M&M makes a kissing face, the Red M&M puts his hand up and exclaims: "That's not gonna happen," and walks away.

The announcer then cuts in: "Ogre-sized M&Ms: Get them while they're big!"

This ad can be seen as negative because of the disgusted reaction of the Red M&M at the thought of kissing his male friend.

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Andrew Ogus , San Francisco
This ad is rather tasteless, unlike M&M's themselves.

Tom , Boston
I wouldn't want to kiss my cousin either.

Byron Roberts , Stockton, CA
This add would mostly target young people. They get enough subliminal anti-gay messages as it is, this is rather blatantly anti-gay.

Jay , Miami, FL
This commercial is only amusing because of a male M&M kissing a male ogre. It's not anti-gay. It's the fact that he is about to kiss an ugly ogre. Kids will not see past that to see some male-male kissing disgust.

Lindsey , Sacramento, CA
I only saw the storyboard stills, not the actual commerical. With that said, based on the images and CommercialCloset's description, this ad does not seem that offensive. The frown on the yellow M&M's face is disheartening, but other than that...

Really, when it comes down to it, what type of person would make this commercial? Likely someone who supported the LGBT community, who wanted to insert recognition, however anticlimatic it might be.

TJ , Brooklyn
There are some guys who are gay that I don't want to kiss either. In addition, Red (the M&M), is always cranky! It isn't anti-gay. Do you want to kiss all of your gay friends?

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