New Maltesers advert features hilarious discussion about lesbian dating
(Maltesers/youtube)
A new Maltesers advert includes a funny discussion about the realities of lesbian dating.
Maltesers, which is owned by Mars, has followed in the footsteps of frozen food company McCain, which featured a lesbian couple in its advert after a gay couple in a previous ad campaign received horrific abuse.
Sarah opens the advert by looking balefully at her phone, before explaining to her three friends: “I think I’ve worked out why I’m finding this dating thing really tough.”
(Maltesers/youtube)
She picks up a Malteser and adds: “This is me: ‘Hi, I’m Sarah, please date me.’
“Almost like I’m being discriminated against or something.”
Silence abounds at the friends’ coffee table.
(Maltesers/youtube)
Then one asks: “Is it because you’re a lesbian?”
“No,” comes the laughing reply.
“Because you’re a vegetarian?”
(Maltesers/youtube)
Nope, that’s not it.
“What is it, then?”
After a shameful pause, she comes out.
(Maltesers/youtube)
“I’m an accountant,” she confesses.
“Oh my god, that’s disgusting,” comes the teasing response.
“That’s not natural.”
“Do your parents know?” asks another friend.
“Haven’t told them yet,” she says.
(Maltesers/youtube)
“Ooh, to be a fly on that wall,” another comments, making Sarah laugh.
Michele Oliver, Marketing VP at Mars Chocolate UK, told PinkNews that the ad was part of a broader drive to shine a light on underrepresented women.
“The adverts recreate real-life situations faced by women from different groups in society who you don’t often see or hear from,” said Oliver.
“We’re telling their stories to help combat perceived stereotypes and celebrate our similarities, whilst at the same time hopefully making people smile!
“These adverts explore the topics in a fun, engaging and humorous way.”
(Maltesers/youtube)
Michael Jones, the creative director of AMV BBDO – which created the ad – said: “We were keen to talk to women who are so often misrepresented in advertising.”
He added: “We met so many entertaining women and heard so many funny, outrageous stories. We were inspired.
“These women should get their own TV shows, let alone some air time in an ad for such a well-loved brand.”
The company also revealed that Stonewall helped to source some of the focus groups who contributed ideas to inspire the ad.
(Maltesers/youtube)
Mars appears to have come a long way since 2007, when it created an advert for Snickers which saw two men accidentally kiss each other before saying: “Quick, do something manly!”
In one version of the ad, one man used a wrench to beat the other man, who responded by slamming the hood of a car down on his head.
Mars pulled the adverts, but failed to apologise for their content.
