Mars, maker of Snickers chocolate, removed from the air a commercial considered homophobic by the Human Rights Campaign, a North American LGBT NGO.
In the advertisement, a sprinter, who walks exaggeratedly and carries strong gay stereotypes, is ridiculed by Mr. T, actor from the now extinct series “Esquadrão Classe A”.
Mr. T appears shooting chocolate bars from a cannon and shouting: “You are a disgrace to the human race. It's time to teach you how to run like a real man,” he says.
The NGO criticized the commercial for using “gay stereotypes”. In a press release, Mars said the commercial's purpose was "to have fun" and that it was well received in the United Kingdom.
In 2007, another Snickers commercial, shown during the Super Bowl final, was the target of criticism from gay groups. In the film, two men almost kissed, in a game reminiscent of the spaghetti scene from the film "Lady and the Tramp".
