Snickering to the Bank

"We want to make sure we have a 360-degree approach to reach our target audience at every touch point. We know the Super Bowl ads are the most talked-about ads of the year, and to provide people who are watching with some exclusive content, something interesting and unique, we think is just a great way to help us as a brand." Gillian Smith, Senior Director, Media and Interactive, Burger King Corp

Time to weigh in on the Snickers ad. Here goes...

It wasn't anti-gay. (If anything, it was metrosexually suggestive.) Bottom line, it was anti straight men -- another in a series of recent commercials depicting men as hapless idiots.

The people at Snickers knew exactly what they were doing.

Madison Avenue has relocked and reloaded on the shopworn--but apparently successful--advertising theme that men are stupid dolts who can't tie their shoes without help. And the buying public is being inundated with ads supporting that concept.

Think about it. Those award miles-challenged guys taking their families on outlandish vacations. The fat guy who locks himself out of the house. The loser who ends up under Jessica Simpson's boot. And dozens of dopey, helpless dads being endlessly outwitted by their clever, bemused wives and kids.

Market research must indicate the buying public likes that idea. At least the demographic important to Snickers and other advertisers does -- teenage boys, young men and exasperated women.

Who else would respond to that ridiculous Snickers Super Bowl ad?

I'm willing to bet that virtually every hetero man watching the ad squirmed with distaste as two dumb ole boys inadvertently kissed. And felt superior to them.

That hetero teenage boys laughed and jeered at those jerks. And felt superior to them.

And that their wives, mothers and girlfriends just shook their heads in disgust, already familiar with the feeling of superiority.

The current Snickers ad campaign--some guy crooning about "chocolate-covered mountaintops and waterfalls of caramel"--is clearly not targeting guys, gay or straight. It's aimed directly at the biggest segment of the Snickers-buying population: women.

I think the Super Bowl ad was too.