Catholics push Hyundai to kill soccer commercial
In a world where cartoons of Mohammed are banned, the objections below are no more than a call for equal treatment
"A 30-second television commercial that ran in the United States during the England-USA soccer match on Saturday has Catholic bloggers charging that the advertisement is blasphemous and mocks the core teachings of the church.
The ad begins with singing in Latin, and depicts an Argentine ‘church’ — complete with a stained-glass window of a soccer ball — in which the wildly popular sport is clearly what’s being worshipped.
Critics complain that Hyundai mocks the Eucharist, which Catholics believe to be the body of Christ, by showing ‘worshippers’ on their knees receiving slices of pizza rather than the communion host. … At one point the commercial shows a soccer ball covered with a crown of thorns. … Hyundai, a World Cup sponsor, apparently wanted to show how far some fans will go to support their cause.”
Source
One does wonder if Hyundai wants to sell cars to Catholics. It's an awful lot of people to antagonize. I think the Korean owners of the car-maker have been betrayed by Western ad-men. I hope Hyundai yank the account of the ad agency concerned.
30 comments:
American advertising agencies are devoted to one thing, and one thing only. Money! Their only true religion is the all-mighty dollar, and they couldn't care less about truth, accuracy, or anyones feelings or beliefs. And, since they live in a secret world where no one actually knows who's responsible for insults like this one, the best way to send them a clear message is via Hyundai. As in, BOYCOTT!
I thought you repugs are for free enterprise.
Having worked in advertising I can tell you that 99% of what we do is boring and not controversial in any way. Of course, people don't get upset over boring ads, look at the success of infomercials!
As for the commercial itselt, in some countries football IS like a religion and since the Eucharist is widely known, it would make sense to make a visual metaphor based on that. In fact, commercials with religious and catholic overtones are not knew. Kohler did one where an altar boy runs to get holy water from a Kohler faucet.
You're right about advertising agencies only caring about money. What's wrong with that? Money is the most important thing in the world. Yesterday I had an interview for a copywriter position and when I found out the job only paid $30,000 I decided right then and there I didn't want the job.
Christians in Korea are a persecuted minority. A Korean company doing something like this is not outside their cultural frame of reference.
As a Catholic with 16 years of Catholic school education, I am not bothered by this commercial. I think it is creative. The only reason it seems bad to most of us is that other religions get upset or kill over the same types of material. We should all lighten up or change the channel.
First off, I think people need to give their undies a nice tug to get them out of a wad. Secondly, I don't think advertisers or Comedy Central or anyone else who bows to islamist sensibilities have any less respect for Christianity than Islam. It is about FEAR for their lives and the lives of their employees. Frankly, I think it shows that they do respect Catholics. They know that Catholics may get a bit irritated when fun is poked at them, but they aren't going to go all bat shit crazy and blow up the advertiser's building.
no offense taken by me, but try doing this with Muslims. The results wouldn't be pretty no matter how funny.
no offense taken by me however try doing this with the muslim religion, no matter how funny the results the price may be dangerous.
Bobby said;
"What's wrong with that? Money is the most important thing in the world."
That makes you a pretty sad and empty individual.
And yes Anonymaggot, we do believe in free enterprise. We also believe in retribution.
"American advertising agencies are devoted to one thing, and one thing only."
Anon,
I hate to burst your naive bubble,
BUT
That's what makes the world go around......MOOLA!
NOT,
Morality, ethics or something as silly as conscience.
Besides the Vatican and the Vicar of Christ have 100 times more material wealth than the Hyundai Motors Inc.
By the way an aside question:
How is Hyundai pronounced?
1) Hi-un-die
2) Hun-day
Depends where you live.
Yeah there are a lot of Catholics, but even more Soccer fans. And most of the Catholics are Soccer fans. As a result you will end up with a few ticked off zealots on one side and a lot of laughing people who will remember the commercial on the other.
So many idols to worship - money, soccer/sport, the virgin mary, etc., etc. - and so little time on this earth to waste doing it!
Yesterday I had an interview for a copywriter position and when I found out the job only paid $30,000 I decided right then and there I didn't want the job.
Offered you too much for your skill set?
Or would you rather just continue to live off of other taxpayers?
I think the ad is an accurate description of sports fans. People worship ball games like the ball was a god and the stadium is a church. Maybe sports fans should get their priorities straight: God or a ball game.
As for the Catholics being offended: is it because they have a guilty conscious for treating sports as a religion? Besides, try making a fake religion based on sports that does not borrow from the practices of other religions.
bogsidebunny said;
"That's what makes the world go around......MOOLA!
NOT,
Morality, ethics or something as silly as conscience."
That's why the world is, and it's people are, FUBAR!
"get their priorities straight: God or a ball game."
Ball game. Ball games are real, the other is not.
"What's wrong with that? Money is the most important thing in the world."
That makes you a pretty sad and empty individual.
---Well, if you can pay your mortgage with good intentions and your credit card debt with love poems, you let me know. Because I live in the real world where people have bills to pay.
If money isn't important, tell Bill O'Reilly to do his job for $50,000 a year and give the rest to charity.
The truth is that money matters, in America we're not just happy having a wife and kids, we need the 4x4, the powerboat, the RV, the trips to Disney, Vegas, hunting in Alaska and much much more.
You want a simple life? Move to Denmark where the government gives you everything and takes 50%+ of your paycheck. Wanna buy a car? Good luck, in Denmark the tax is 110% to buy a car, which is why most people walk, bike or take public transportation.
Is that the kind of life you want?
"That's why the world is, and it's people are, FUBAR!"
I disagree, Anon....
It's a thing called: HUMAN NATURE!
Taking public transport would be better for the environment. Walking or cycling would be better for your health. Btw. Denmark enjoys a high standard of living, and none of the poverty you see in the States!
Sport like religion is "an opiate of the people", it distracts them from rebelling against the ruling elites who keep them in their place.
"Taking public transport would be better for the environment."
---Right, because we're supposed to worship the environment. Never mind that public transport is uncomfortable, unreliable, inefficient and unable to thrive without government assistance, by your standard we should all sacrifice our comfortable to "save" the planet.
If people like you really cared about the environment you'd develop actual solutions instead of forcing people to live badly.
"Walking or cycling would be better for your health."
---My health is excellent, I take cardio classes five days a week, I don't need a green nazi like you to worry about my health.
"Btw. Denmark enjoys a high standard of living, and none of the poverty you see in the States!"
---How do you define poverty? I've seen trailers in America with air conditioning, plasma TV's, jacuzzi bathtubs and the whole nine yards.
Please, in Denmark "high standard of living" means having healthcare and pensions. I'd rather have the freedom to make my own destiny, to succeed or fail, than to be a slave of the state for so-called "free" healthcare and a miserable pension.
"Taking public transport would be better for the environment."
---Right, because we're supposed to worship the environment. Never mind that public transport is uncomfortable, unreliable, inefficient and unable to thrive without government assistance, by your standard we should all sacrifice our comfortable to "save" the planet.
If people like you really cared about the environment you'd develop actual solutions instead of forcing people to live badly.
"Walking or cycling would be better for your health."
---My health is excellent, I take cardio classes five days a week, I don't need a green nazi like you to worry about my health.
"Btw. Denmark enjoys a high standard of living, and none of the poverty you see in the States!"
---How do you define poverty? I've seen trailers in America with air conditioning, plasma TV's, jacuzzi bathtubs and the whole nine yards.
Please, in Denmark "high standard of living" means having healthcare and pensions. I'd rather have the freedom to make my own destiny, to succeed or fail, than to be a slave of the state for so-called "free" healthcare and a miserable pension.
"Taking public transport would be better for the environment."
---Right, because we're supposed to worship the environment. Never mind that public transport is uncomfortable, unreliable, inefficient and unable to thrive without government assistance, by your standard we should all sacrifice our comfortable to "save" the planet.
If people like you really cared about the environment you'd develop actual solutions instead of forcing people to live badly.
"Walking or cycling would be better for your health."
---My health is excellent, I take cardio classes five days a week, I don't need a green nazi like you to worry about my health.
"Btw. Denmark enjoys a high standard of living, and none of the poverty you see in the States!"
---How do you define poverty? I've seen trailers in America with air conditioning, plasma TV's, jacuzzi bathtubs and the whole nine yards.
Please, in Denmark "high standard of living" means having healthcare and pensions. I'd rather have the freedom to make my own destiny, to succeed or fail, than to be a slave of the state for so-called "free" healthcare and a miserable pension.
Denmark enjoys a high standard of living, and none of the poverty you see in the States!
But the US enjoys a higher standard of living than Denmark and across a much larger geographical area.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index
http://skeptically.org/economics/id21.html
http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-quality-of-life-map.html
Bobby - Public transport can be made much better of course if there was a serious interest in reducing reliance on cars that congest, pollute and using up fossil fuel, and the road-building taking up ever more real-estate.
Denmark is a nice country - don't knock it - but maybe you're actually envious. It's small and can organize better. The US is continental-size. Not all trailer-parks are as luxurious as you make them out to be!! Not all the deep south is as idyllic as Jutland, etc. etc.
Thank you for calling me a nazi, green or otherwise. You must admit it's uncalled for even here.
You don't see the squalid slums and ghettoes in Denmark that are seen in many US cities, nor is there the same level of crime and violence. The nearest to it in Denmark relates to the recent immigrants.
The Danish media are also braver in standing up to islamic intimidation. The mainstream US media shied away from publishing those cartoons and even criticized Denmark for allowing them to be published.
"Bobby - Public transport can be made much better"
---Not really, public transport is managed by the government, they have no incentive in improving anything because their jobs don't depend on customer satisfaction. The only way to improve public transport is to have several private companies running it. Have buses compete with light trains, trolleys and subways. Have more than one subway company, make them compete and you'll see how quickly they either improve their service or die trying.
"of course if there was a serious interest in reducing reliance on cars that congest, pollute and using up fossil fuel, and the road-building taking up ever more real-estate."
---We use cars because they're convenient. You have to wait for a bus, you don't have to wait for a car. In your car you control the temperature, music, who rides with you, speed, etc, etc, etc. In a bus you simply don't. If the greens want me to take public transport, they have to make it better than my car. For example, at Disney World you can choose to stay at one of the Hotels next to the monorail, so the guests there don't bother driving.
"Denmark is a nice country - don't knock it - but maybe you're actually envious."
---Not really, I have friends in Europe, they do not live like us by any means.
"Not all trailer-parks are as luxurious as you make them out to be!! Not all the deep south is as idyllic as Jutland, etc. etc."
---Actually, some are more luxurious trailer/RV parks. In Aspen, Colorado there's a trailer park where you can buy your space for $1 million. The Travel Channel did a special on the most luxurious trailer parks, one of them was outside Los Angeles, directly in front of the pacific ocean and had incredible views. Of course, they call them "RV Parks" because the word trailer carries some stigma to it.
"Thank you for calling me a nazi, green or otherwise. You must admit it's uncalled for even here."
---I apologize, perhaps I went too far with you, maybe you're not a nazi, but Obama and his jack booted tree-hugging friends certainly are.
"Has being unemployed fucked up your head, Booby?"
---Funny how leftists always question my sanity rather than my arguments.
Seriously, why are you here? This isn't the Huffington Post.
"Seriously, why are you here?"
Pure entertainment. Repugs say the darndest things.
Funny how leftists always question my sanity rather than my arguments.
What arguments? You make unsubstantiated statements, which is very easy for you to do considering your line of business (advertising, i.e. lies and deceit).
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