Underwear brand drops Christmas ad with gay couple sharing passionate kiss and homophobes are seriously triggered
Clothing brand BONDS dropped its Christmas ad campaign, copping criticism from anti-gay customers. (Instagram/BONDS)
Australian clothing brand Bonds debuted a gay Christmas advert starring a couple kissing and the response was precisely what you would expect it.
Yesterday, the retailer’s Instagram became a battleground between LGBT+ and homophobic customers.
The two camps argued about how ‘appropriate’ an advertisement featuring two men, shirtless, kissing is.
In the ad, two men share a kiss over breakfast, with one man hopped on a kitchen counter.
The post was captioned: “It’s the little moments that make the Christmas season so special.”
Anti-gay customers decry underwear advert for being ‘sexual’.
Many fans down under praised the brand for promoting “love is love” and showered the post with heart emojis, while others some wondered if it was “necessary”.
One user called Ray wondered: “Is this really necessary to advertise underwear, I mean each to his own but c’mon.”
In response, several users reminded the him that, in the world of underwear advertising, it’s rather commonplace for two people to kiss.
Which Ray replied: “I’m happy for you to love who ever you want, I just find this post over the.”
“Over the” what, Ray? We may never know.
“I think your marketing team is confused,” stated a user, “this has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.”
“It’s a [sic] inappropriate picture doesn’t matter what sexuality the people are kissing it would still be inappropriate if it was a man kissing a women like that,” said Jenna.
“There [sic] advertising undies not sex!”
Similarly, Mel called the Christmas campaign “unnecessary, why do they need to be so sexual?”
Although, a post from May which featured a woman sitting on the floor in-between the legs of a man, garnered no similar observations.
Moreover, Helen highlighted: “How does this have anything to do with Bonds?”
This came despite the models explicitly wearing Bonds-branded underwear.
Gay Christmas underwear ad celebrates ‘deep and meaningful bonds’.
Bonds head of marketing Kelly McBride told The Daily Mail Australia: “It felt natural that our finale to the year would be a celebration of the deep and meaningful bonds that make the festive season so special.”
Despite anti-LGBT detractors threats to unfollow the clothing account, it did little to drown out the overwhelmingly positive response from fans.
“Yay for representing love in all of its forms,” said Melissa.
“Good on BONDS for this!” said Steven.
“I’m going to buy some undies to support them for including two fellas in their Christmas campaign.
“I’m sure it will bring the haters out in force… but let them buy something else.”
Rebecca commended the brand for its tactical move: “Clever idea from bonds to weed out all the homophobes in their following.”
“Totally back this,” said Bella, “ads show couples all the time, so why not show a gay couple?
“My next question is where the lesbians at?”
