Pacific Dunlop, Wedding

Members:

2000 Television 50% Report A Problem

A groom and his best man are preparing in a room inside the church when the best man asks the groom for the ring.

Suddenly panicking and realizing he doesn't know where it is, he starts searching for it and strips down to his underwear, which is where he finally finds it -- in the pocket of his underwear.

With joy, he jumps into the arms of his best man and they bounce up and down at their fortune. Just then, the door to their room opens and reveals the two in full view of the bride and guests in the church.

In horror at what appears to be the two men having sex, the bride storms out, the other family members scowl at the men and, to top it all off, the priest looks on with a faint smile of interest -- a double negative.

While some may suggest that the bride would have been upset no matter whom she thought her husband was "cheating" with, the commercial chooses the more "horrifying" -- and homophobic -- possibility of it being someone of the same sex.

Company

Pacific Dunlop

Brand

Underdaks

Industry

Fashion/Apparel

Media Outlet

Television

Country

Australia

Region

Australia/New Zealand

Agency

Campaign Palace

AdRespect Themes

Same-Sex Affection

GLBT Punch Line

User Comments

Rob Hunter

I agree with Eric. The horror could just as easily relate to the cheating issue as to homophobia. It's stretching it a bit to find the evil in this. And, having spent a fair amount of time in Australia, I can say from personal experience that Underdaks knows they have a lot of gay clients and they don't take the community for granted.

Tom Stewart

This ad is hilarious. Comedy is most often premised on mistaken assumptions and this ad makes clever use of that technique. As a gay activist I'm delighted to see a gay-themed scenario incorporated into mainstream ads. The underlying assumption here is that anyone might be gay. And that's a good thing!

Eva

What does "chooses" mean? Were they supposed to make the "best man" a woman and have her get undressed? This distracts from the real problem here; why the hell are they putting pockets in briefs?

Stu

I have to agree with others in that I see nothing wrong with this advert. It's hilarious Aussie humour, both underdaks adverts. Must we pull apart every nuance looking for the "homophobic boogieman"? If one doesn't understand British humour, how is one going to understand Aussie humour?

Chuck

By the way, I do believe it's the best man who misplaces the ring and has to strip. After all, he's the one who tells the other one not to be nervous at the beginning of the ad. The best man would have no reason to be nervous. In general, I find nothing particularly objectionable about the ad.

Alex

Some are seeing homophobia where there is none. And that look of horror the bride is wearing? Could it have anything to do with the fact that it looks like the man she is about to marry is having sex...in the church...in front of assembled friends and family... moments before the ceremony? Nah, it must be the whole gay connection. If it had been the maid of honor, she would have applauded. GET A GRIP! It's funny! The real question is: why did the best man store the ring in his briefs?

Jeffrey

I don't know why the editor would expect anyone other than the groomsmen to be in the room with the groom. This is a funny commercial. I have seen homophobic commercials and this, my friends, is not one.

Irving Schlebotnik

I'm not sure the bride and family the family's reactions show homophobia. How happy are they supposed to be, with the groom supposedly cheating on the bride?

White

I'm never buying their brand.

David

It's not hilarious, but it's just trying to be funny. As contrived as this is, how could they stage a last-minute heterosexual discovery?

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Pacific Dunlop, Wedding

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