07/28/2008
Nike Defends Basketball Ads, Pulls Some
Nike is pulling "specific executions" from its Hyperdunk campaign after concerns were raised last week that the ads were homophobic.
Nike statement via ESPN: "Nike is strongly opposed to discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting athletes regardless of their sexual orientation. The advertisement in question is based purely upon a common insight from within the game of basketball -- the athletic feat of dunking on the opposition, and is not intended to be offensive. However, after listening to concerns expressed around specific executions, we have decided to drop them from the campaign to underline our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and the workplace. Nike has a strong record of support for diversity and is proud to have been honored with a 100 percent score over several consecutive years in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index."
ESPN notes that "That Ain't Right" and "Punks Jump Up" have been removed from the blog of the ad agency which created them, suggesting that these images are among those targeted to be pulled.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 11:45 AM EST by Andy in Advertising, Basketball, News, Sports | Permalink
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Bring on the shithead apologists! "This isn't anti-gay BLAH BLAH BLAH..."
Posted by: John in Manhattan | Jul 28, 2008 11:49:46 AM
@JOHN IN MANHATTAN
Ha! I'm waiting too. 5, 4, 3, 2................................
Posted by: banjiboi | Jul 28, 2008 11:57:29 AM
1! .. here i am dahlings.... now, i for one found the pix quite homoerotic... your face, my crotch... it certainly got my yaya's going, nothing like a bit of hot manstink is there... yummmy!
Posted by: the queen | Jul 28, 2008 12:08:33 PM
Oh, come on, fellas--be gracious in your victory over us shithead apologists.
"shithead"... is that a butt eating session gone wrong? Maybe they'll do an ad where the guy dunking the ball lets go a mud slide on the other guy's head. Would that be homophobic or fecalphobic?
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jul 28, 2008 12:09:42 PM
Hooray! Now all homophobia in sports will come to an end.
Posted by: crispy | Jul 28, 2008 12:10:57 PM
Okay, Derrick.
One must always to remember to accept victory with a dash a humility. And besides, now that the The Queen has brought sexy/funny back, perhaps I can lighten up a bit!
Posted by: banjiboi | Jul 28, 2008 12:28:06 PM
Yeah Crispy, I know! Let's have a PARADE!
Posted by: banjiboi | Jul 28, 2008 12:30:48 PM
Nike, like Abercrombie and Bitch got all the PR they wanted for a lot less money than they normally would have spent.
Brills.
Posted by: thevegasstyleguy | Jul 28, 2008 12:36:33 PM
How can anybody say this is anti gay? I mean has anybody ever played basketball and got dunked on? If this caused an uproar then its just a shame.
Posted by: NIKEGUY | Jul 28, 2008 12:41:12 PM
Too bad Nike caved in to the hysteria.
Somewhere, Orson Welles just got his wings.
Posted by: Q | Jul 28, 2008 12:43:58 PM
Which Orson Welles?
There's the Orson Welles who made "Citizen Kane," and there's the Orson Welles who was the lover of midwestern humorist George Ade.
Meanwhile the "straight-acting/ straight-appearing" are going to be terribly upset with Nike for caving.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Jul 28, 2008 1:17:59 PM
The "War of the Worlds" panic-inducing Orson.
So does that mean that "flaming queens" were the ones complaining?
Posted by: Q | Jul 28, 2008 2:22:09 PM
"...'flaming queens' were complaining?"
Damn right...I haven't had a straight guy dunk his junk in my face in over a decade. You can't get gay guys to play like that...not the ones I've seen at the clubs anyway. Maybe they got them at the gyms? No?
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jul 28, 2008 2:33:45 PM
Haven't you heard, Derrick? They hang out at the basketball courts, "acting and appearing straight."
Posted by: Q | Jul 28, 2008 2:47:04 PM
Yup, i'm here too...score one for censorship and caving to the loudest in the room! i can't wait for the next offensive art exhibit and book burning rally!
i will say, what a gracious move on Nike's part, especially considering their dedication to our "community".
on a side note, i have never been called a shithead so many times in such a short period...it reminds me of high school when people were calling me "faggot" and slamming my "straight-acting/straight appearing" ass into lockers.
Posted by: JT | Jul 28, 2008 5:00:07 PM
I sent an e-mail to the ad firm and Nike expressing my concern....etc and gee Auntie Em, Bitching works!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: david in iowa | Jul 28, 2008 8:25:27 PM
Really?? Are we becoming THAT sensitive these days?? I think that if you WANT to read it as homophobic, then it will be. I see nothing wrong with that add at all and everyone needs to lighten up.
Posted by: JM | Aug 2, 2008 3:58:01 PM
Guess I didn't get the "homophobia" of these ads. I see them every day walking up the passageway at the West 4th Street station. I thought the first time I saw them, "HOT! I want a copy of these!" Um, it is taking the "in your face" to the extreme but if you've ever seen some really good slam-dunks, you'd know that that's all these are about--getting slammed and slammed good. Any other interpretation is just a bunch of prissy, sissy-marys once again jerking their knees instead of their dicks.
Posted by: mike | Aug 2, 2008 4:16:37 PM