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Vitabashing?

Glacéau, maker of the Vitaminenergy drink, may think twice about subtly insulting gay people in its next marketing campaign
An Advocate.com exclusive posted May 28, 2008
Vitabashing?

Sometimes cheeky can get you in trouble. Just ask beverage company Glacéau, the maker of Vitaminenergy. a caffeine-laden, vitamin-enhanced energy drink. The New York City-based Glacéau is known for its smartass approach to marketing itself, all the way down to its welcome phone message: “Hi, Bubbeleh, what’s doin’?” an outer-borough accent squawks.

But some LGBT beverage drinkers weren’t laughing after Glacéau started taking on competitor Red Bull. Glacéau had a campaign in which vehicles were bedecked with the slogan “Wings Are for Fairies,” apparently poking fun at Red Bull’s logo while engaging in what some saw as subtle gay-bashing.

When contacted, Glacéau released the following statement: “The slogan was a direct reference to a winged cartoon character in a competitive campaign, We apologize if our attempt at humor offended anyone in any way and we plan to remove this slogan from all vehicles as soon as possible.” Gulp!

Lisotta is a regular contributor to The Advocate.

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: BD
    Date posted: 2008-06-21 12:50 PM
    Hometown: Toronto

    Comment:

    Do you like to drink Glacéau? Then I'm sure you will continue to. If you don't like it, drink something else. I find it a bit sweet, but good with vodka. Cheers! Oh yah, it's good in the morning after a bit too much vodka indulgence as well. Relax guys.


  • Name: Kyle Bianconi
    Date posted: 2008-06-04 10:53 AM
    Hometown: Chisholm, MN

    Comment:

    OK we seriously need to get overourselves. We don't have the monopoly on the word fairy, nor should we. Aren't we furthering our own discrimination by getting all up in arms whenever this word is even mentioned in conversation? What will we do next? Get our torch wielding mob of villagers and attack Disney?


  • Name: Randi
    Date posted: 2008-06-04 12:58 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    It's not about how-we-as members of the LGBTQ community interpret this but how the heterosexual community will. I think we're smart enough to see the humor intended, but heterosexual people will indeed interpret this as "drinking redbull will make me a sissy" and thus continuing the cycle of hate, oppression, and homophobia-unconsciously-towards the LGBTQ Community. (Danarra Ban-commentator-pretty much says the same thing---see the comment---)


  • Name: Cassius
    Date posted: 2008-06-03 8:29 PM
    Hometown: Salt Lake City

    Comment:

    OMFG Fags (oh and I can say that because I am one) get a clue! This is silly. getting pissed over something like this! Howabout you get pissed oversomething worth while and then do something about it huh?


  • Name: SouthJerseySteve
    Date posted: 2008-06-02 11:34 PM
    Hometown: Mount Laurel

    Comment:

    It may be over the top, but not as offensive as the Dodge TV commercial a year ago, where the Tinkerbell-type fairy was turning everything "gay" except the Dodge truck. So the uber-butch pedestrian points to the flying fairy and says "Silly Fairy". Then the fairy turns the butch dude into a "flaming queen", with colorful tennis outfit with the polo sweater wrapped around his neck, walking two "gay dogs". Most advertisers use the term "fairy" to portray effeminate men and that's just plain ignorant.


  • Name: Chris
    Date posted: 2008-06-02 2:53 AM
    Hometown: San Francisco

    Comment:

    Glaceau's marketing department should have realized that the joke might be taken in the wrong way; however, I think the outrage is a bit much. In a world where gays and lesbians still face real discrimination on a daily basis, I would think there are bigger battles to fight. By jumping on every perceived slight and injustice, we eventually cease to be viewed as "speaking truth to power" and instead come across as shrill and hypersensitive, at best. Moreover, I find the outrage and calls for boycott to be if not a bit insincere, then at least a bit inconsistent. Popular TV programs such as the "Daily Show" and "Saturday Night Live," frequently use gay slurs and stereotypes (mostly toward gay men) and yet most LGBT view this as all done in "good fun." The reason they feel this way is because they realize when otherwise derogatory words are used without malice. Similarly, Glaceau used "fairy" without malice


  • Name: J.Z.
    Date posted: 2008-05-31 9:01 PM
    Hometown: newport beach

    Comment:

    We should just march down there to Glaceau headquarters with our axes and pitchforks and destroy those evil fairy bashers!


  • Name: Robb G
    Date posted: 2008-05-30 3:09 PM
    Hometown: Dallas, TX

    Comment:

    Wow! You know - the only people I can think of who would be offended by such a thing - would be those who have already identified themselves as fairies. What's with that?! Personally, I thought that particular euphemism usually got dropped after grade school anyway. What if the campaign really was directed at winged sprites? And what of that? Oh hells-bells Mary - will "Sprite" now be black-listed too?! After all, it's light, it's bubbly, and has a certain sass! Not terribly gruff or manly. Will we start to see the limon soft-drink as a shi-shi slap in the face of fruity-femmebos across this land and suddenly turn our palates to fresca? Just say it "Fresca" - manly huh! I'm guessing you same people are the ones who dropped bricks in your panties when Rachael Ray wrapped a paisley scarf around her neck and had a coffee... but that's another thing alltogether. We have a saying for you here in Texas, and I'll leave you with that. Bless your little hearts!


  • Name: Roger
    Date posted: 2008-05-30 3:02 PM
    Hometown: Provincetown, MA

    Comment:

    Don't get it. How does ridicule of Red Bull make Glaceau a better product? To me the ads only make Glaceau appear weak, in the "so's your old man" category. Tell me why Glaceau is better, not why Glaceau needs to use name-calling.


  • Name: Frank Miles
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 8:26 PM
    Hometown: Little Rock

    Comment:

    What a crock. This had nothing to do with gay men, it had to do with fairies, real fairies, not human ones, the kind that are small, have wings, and glow in the dark. You are all being silly to take exception to this. Don't try to read something into words that isn't there.


  • Name: RJP
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 4:03 PM
    Hometown: Cambridge MA

    Comment:

    It is NOT humorous to continue to bash FARIES being EFFEMINATE MEN - gay or straight. We do NOT have to STOP being aware that the dominant MACHISMO culture is still alive and well and pure BS that needs to be taken for what it is HURTFUL and DEMEANING --- For you gay or straight who think it is FUNNY --- and i have friends of both flavors like you --- do you not quite feel enough like a man ? BTW ever notice there are always people who think "it is just a joke - get over it" --- and that it is now something McCain and other politicians say all the time. It is NOT just a joke.


  • Name: Waldo Lydecker
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 1:58 PM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    Those of you who think it's "just a joke" will no doubt enjoy their upcoming tag lines "Bulls are for wetbacks" and "Red drinks are for Ni@@ers."


  • Name: Clay Burton
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 10:36 AM
    Hometown: Galveston,Texas

    Comment:

    I guess I'm gonna get queer bashed by my own people... (I Am Very Gay) ..I really do not feel any sincerity when a company can't stand by there original intentions and immediately cow dwon to politcally correct pressure. I mean it seems whether it's cultural or sexual or racial..I think so many vengful self-entitled seekers are waiting like vultures to pounce on an oppertunity to have a riot and gain that hedonistic adrenolin rush of offensive defiance, I appreciate greatly the freedom fighters from oppression for all causes of humanity,planet and even animals...but must we pick apart every thing? Are we the political police now? I really would like to see more rational tolorance and valid action to valid causes. I also feel that common causes are excellent for unity..however I wonder if sometimes it's a nice excuse to skip work and protest in the park and meet for cocktails afterwards.


  • Name: Danarra Ban
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 10:27 AM
    Hometown: Detroit

    Comment:

    Wings are for fairies - indicating that a fairy is something you don't want to be. Fairy being a common euphemism for gay man - although I don't think I've ever heard it used for gay women, but that's a whole other Oprah - yeah, I think a little outrage is justified. The subtext being the other drink will give you wings, thus making you a fairy (aka gay man) and you don't want that, do you? So drink our stuff. Recognizing the homophobia in this ad is not being over-sensitive, it's just being aware that subtle put-downs like this one can have larger consequences when they're accepted without protest. Sadly, have a kitchen full of their pricey water. And now I have to take it back to the store for a refund.


  • Name: Edward Johnson
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 10:04 AM
    Hometown: Northfield MA.

    Comment:

    COME ON PEOPLE. WHY DON'T WE FOCUS OUR ENERGY IN MORE MEANINGFUL DIRECTIONS. NOT AN AD THAT IS COUNTERING THEIR COMPETITOR. IF I GOT UPSET EVERY TIME I HEAR A COMMENT I COULD TWIST INTO A GAY BASHING REFERENCE I'D HAVE GONE NUTS BY NOW.


  • Name: Sandy B
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 1:08 AM
    Hometown: Denver

    Comment:

    Some of you gays really need to: 1) Get a sense of humor 2) Find a hobby and stop looking for things to gripe about I am a gay male and an employee at Glaceau. I have no issue with the tag line, which is subtly used on some local marketing tools. It is not used in any kind of widespread media or campaign. You'd have to be a complete dolt to not be aware of the other energy drink campaign which this tag line is so clearly referring to.


  • Name: Hardee Har Har
    Date posted: 2008-05-29 12:40 AM
    Hometown: San Diego

    Comment:

    I managed to turn everyone at my work off their product, and made sure we do not carry it at are large training facility. I think that's very funny, they might not think so, but you know, I only did it all in good fun -you know how sensitive Glacéau can be about such things.


  • Name: frank
    Date posted: 2008-05-28 4:31 PM
    Hometown: New York

    Comment:

    PLEASE! That is so over the top. It's called humor, stop being so sensitive.


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