Damage Control

Interpublic Group (IPG), the parent company of global ad agency McCann-Erickson, has issued their own apology for the Hanes ads, saying the work was done without their approval is order to compete in India for a local advertising award. The apology appears on a single-post blog created by IPG titled Apology 4 Fake Hanes Ads.

Fake local print ads were produced by McCann Erickson India – without the knowledge, approval or consent of Hanesbrands Inc. – solely for the purpose of entry into creative competitions. These fake ads were wholly inconsistent with the interest of the Hanes brand, would never have been approved had our internal procedures been followed and, accordingly, should never have been publicly distributed.

We have apologized to Hanesbrands for developing this objectionable work, which uses hateful language. We extend our apologies to those who these fake ads have offended, as well as to Hanesbrands’ customers and business partners.

The ads in question were developed and run locally, without the knowledge of anyone at IPG, or of McCann’s global management. The ads appeared once in a small publication in Mumbai in late 2007 so as to qualify for consideration in award competitions and were recently posted by local Indian employees at McCann onto two web sites that display international advertising campaigns. We have identified the circumstances that led to this violation of our policies and of our trust, and we are taking immediate corrective action.

Sounds like some heads are gonna roll at McCann. By the way, that the ads were created to compete for an award was suggested in an earlier comment by a JMG reader in Brazil. The IPG blog was created by Philippe Krakowsky, IPG's Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Relations. Krakowsky let us know of the blog in the comments of the Hanes apology post.

Obviously, this story is a dead horse - fake ads, apologies all around. But isn't it interesting to see how quickly even international corporations rush in to apologize when they fear they may have pissed off the queers? It's a good thing. (And I still like the ads.)

Hanes Apologizes

After a complaint from GLAAD, Hanes has apologized for the "Lipstick" campaign, which came to national attention last week after a JMG reader tipped us when he found the images on a website dedicated to overseas advertising. The ad was created by a Bombay-based division of McCann Erickson. Via GLAAD:

According to a press release from Hanes dated April 15, 2008, “[T]hese ads were not developed at the request of Hanesbrands,” and that “the ads were developed by advertising agency McCann Erickson for their own purposes and did not receive authorized approval from Hanesbrands.” Hanes went on to say, “We regret this episode and are taking steps to assure that such an event never occurs again. We apologize to all those offended by the ads. We, too, were offended.”

I can definitely understand GLAAD's posture that the "f-word" is unacceptable in any context, even moreso in advertising, but I still found the ads compelling and challenging.

Hanes' "Lipstick" Campaign

JMG reader Chris found this Hanes creative on Ads of The World. The tagline: "Because the world gives you enough labels." The name of the campaign: "Lipstick". The ad was created by the Bombay division of McCann Erickson. Strangely compelling image. Is that a dildo? Anybody seen this in American press? I can't imagine even the gay press allowing the word "faggot" to appear in an ad, but in this context, who knows?

UPDATE: Two more ads in the campaign were just dug up by Andy Towle.



Trendhunter:

Wow, what a stupid stupid stupid campaign! Hanes thinks you should buy their Original Tagless Comfort underwear “Because the world gives you enough tags.”

A smart idea I must admit, playing on the social tags to promote tagless undies is very creative. But what a stupid delivery! I believe the mere use of such hateful tags to promote underwear is a foolish, immature and cheap way to garner publicity for this controversial campaign, but they go even further with illustrations and slogans that make matters worse.

In Fagg*t, you see same-sex kissing, debauchery, toys, bottles of wine and references to beauty: lipstick, nail polish and makeup. In Nigg*r, you see drugs, guns, jail cells, low-life jobs like cleaning toilets, and text about being HIV positive. In Pak! (a demeaning name for people from Pakistan), you see tanks, bullets, bombs and pigs (an anti-Islamic reference).

Such a campaign would never be approved in Europe or America, where the use of such hateful references is a big ‘No No’, even when you are trying to use it in a positive light. The campaign was created by an Indian advertising agency (Mccann Erickson, Bombay, India).