Snickers Apoligizes & Pulls Mick Fanning Boogie Board Ad

“Dear Mr. Baldwin,

In response to your email regarding SNICKERS BRAND.

Thank you for contacting us about the SNICKERS on-site advertisement at the SNICKERS sponsored Rip Curl Pro.

SNICKERS has a long and positive association with surfing both through sponsorship and advertising.

In March 2010, we launched a new advertising campaign around the idea of “you aren’t who you are when you’re hungry.”  You might have seen the television ad with comedian Betty White of Golden Girls fame, in which a group of young men are playing (American) football.  One of them has become Betty White, due to the hunger he is experiencing.  When the character eats a SNICKERS bar, he is transformed back into his regular self.

The ad uses humor to tap into the idea that people are not themselves when they are hungry, and consequently act differently than they normally would.  The idea in the ad you have cited features a picture of Mick Fanning, who would not normally boogie board (or bodyboard) when he is competing in a surfing competition. This ad was in no way intended to be derogatory.

We know that advertising is subjective, but it was clearly not our intent to offend anyone.  As a sign of our commitment to consumers and the bodyboarding community, we have decided to discontinue the advertisement featuring Mick Fanning in the future.

Again, thank you for contacting us.

Have a great day!

Your Friends at Mars Chocolate North America”

1. 

   NYCSponger says:

   April 22, 2010 at 4:07 am

   Nice Bob, way to go! You’ve become the voice of bbing for the north east! keep it up!
2. 

   marc says:

   April 22, 2010 at 9:45 am

   what makes this more funny is that Jamie Obrien tried a similar thing in last years pipe contest, said he could win a bodyboarding comp easy. got beaten and was the biggest kook in the competition on a bodyboard, its not as easy as they may think.
3. 

   Manny Vargas says:

   April 22, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   Nice! I got the exact email! It’s obvious thier marketing people don’t have a clue about the prejudices between surfers and bodyboarders.
4. 

   coma says:

   April 22, 2010 at 4:37 pm

   agree about Jamie O’Brian, he fully kooked it at Pipe, super shitty, un-smooth gay style. Just like Kainoa told Slater, “you thinks it’s so easy, paddle out on a bodyboard and try it.” Slater fully kooked it worse than Jaime.
5. 

   jesse destefano says:

   April 22, 2010 at 4:45 pm

   got the same one too! They gotta think deeper into the culture and what is underlying their statements. Whether or not they are being guenine who knows but from just looking whos in that particular AD i bet both Mick and Joel had some subjective thinking/feelings towards that overall; considering they are both well taken care of Pro’s.
6. 

   Marcello Pedro says:

   April 22, 2010 at 8:35 pm

   Take out the add isnt enough.They should put up a big contest at Pipeline at least.This went all over the world.
7. 

   Mohcine says:

   April 23, 2010 at 7:11 pm

   We NEED a contest of BBing/Surfing Where known surfers compete against known bodyboarders at both sports and the overall winner after both surfing and bodyboarding takes it all. We should do it at Pipe.

   It will be HUGE!