Same Sex Kiss Is Too Much in U.S.; Canadians are More Accepting

Same Sex Kiss Is Too Much in U.S.; Canadians are More Accepting

New study by New American Dimensions finds MTV Canada commercial too edgy for United States viewers, maybe Canadians as well.

LOS ANGELES, May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- An MTV Canada anti-marijuana campaign featuring two men kissing would not fly in the United States, at least not yet. A study conducted by Los Angeles based multicultural research firm New American Dimensions suggests the ad may have been edgy for Canadian viewers as well.

The commercial, which aired briefly on MTV Canada but was pulled after a short time, features three young males in a parked car, two in front and one in back, smoking a bong of marijuana. The young man in the passenger seat, obviously very stoned, passes the bong to his friend in the back seat while remarking, "Whoa, this stuff's really good." As the two men in front give each other a wasted look, they get closer and then lock into a deep, sensual kiss. The man in the back, befuddled, asks "Aren't you guys ... brothers?" A caption then appears saying, "If you're high, just make sure you don't drive."

The study consisted of a quantitative survey of 976 respondents of both genders, gay and straight, in the United States and Canada. Respondents were between the ages of 17 and 35. Highlights of the study, which is available at http://www.newamericandimensions.com/, include:

   -- Overall, the ad generated a lukewarm reception, hovering at an overall      rating of five on a one to ten scale.  Canadians gave the ad a      significantly higher rating than Americans (5.2 vs. 4.8) and gays liked      the ad much more than straights (6.1 vs. 4.8).  About half of      respondents thought the ad was "appropriate" -- 56% in Canada and 50%      in the U.S.  Similarly, about half said that they "like" the      commercial, 47% in Canada and 53% in the U.S.   -- Not surprisingly, nine in ten gays from both countries felt comfortable      watching two men kiss.  Two-thirds of straight Canadians felt      comfortable with the kiss compared to only half of straight Americans.      A quarter of straight Americans felt "very uncomfortable" with the kiss      compared to only 14% of their Canadian counterparts.   -- The top two words used by Canadians, both gay and straight, to describe      the commercial were "creative" and "funny."  American gays chose "eye      catching" and "interesting" most often.  The top two words chosen by      American straights were "disgusting" and "offensive."   -- In general, American and Canadian gays had similar, positive views      about same sex marriage and LGBT-focused marketing.  However, Canadian      straights were nearly twice as likely as straight Americans to favor      same sex marriage (65% vs. 37%).  Over half of straight Canadians (56%)      said they had a positive attitude toward a company that supports the      gay community, compared to only 39% of straight Americans.  Nearly a      quarter of straight Americans said they felt negatively about companies      that support the LGBT community, compared to only 12% of straight      Canadians.   

"Showing gay people or a same sex encounter in a mainstream commercial can mean a lot to LGBT consumers, as long as it is done tastefully." said David Morse, President and CEO of New American Dimensions, which provides customized multicultural consumer research. (http://www.newamericandimensions.com/). "However, showing too much realism can still alienate mainstream consumers, particularly Americans. Canadians are clearly more open- minded on the subject of LGBT marketing, but even they appear to have a threshold. The kiss in this commercial may have crossed it."

The results of the study can be found at the company's website at http://www.newamericandimensions.com/, including links to video clips that capture some typical consumer reactions.

For more information on the study or to arrange an interview with David Morse, please contact Susanna Whitmore at 310-670-7835 or email susanna@nadllc.com

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Source: New American Dimensions

CONTACT: Susanna Whitmore of New American Dimensions, +1-310-670-6800

Web site: http://www.newamericandimensions.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment