Fagg's coffee campaign outrages gays

DPA ^ | September 19, 2003

[presidio9]

A New Zealand coffee company called Fagg's has got itself into hot water with the gay community because of billboard advertisements declaring its product is "straight".

Several people have complained that the ads, which also refer to Ponsonby, a suburb of Auckland known for its large gay community, are "overtly homophobic", according to the Advertising Standards Complaints Board.

The billboards say, "Not as Ponsonby as the name suggests. The great straight coffee."

Complaints board spokeswoman Heather McKenzie told today's edition of Wellington's Dominion Post some people claimed use of the word "straight" insinuated a slur on gay men.

Debbie Gee, who chairs a gay network group in Wellington, told the paper, "Although the term fag has been reclaimed by the gay community, it's still considered an offensive term when used by others."

Fagg's Coffee Company marketing manager James Ford dismissed the complaints, saying the word "straight" was used to distinguish the product from other more pretentious brands.

"We are straightforward," he said. "What you see is what you get, and it's common knowledge that there's quite a lot of coffees that take themselves extremely seriously."

[presidio9]

[martin_fierro]

These guys gotta lotta 'splainin' to do:

[smadurski]

billboard 10k per month
cup of coffe 2.50
offending the entire gay community priceless.

[joesnuffy]

One of the sidebars of 'freedom of speech' means you do not have the right to be protected from insults of a non personal nature or innuendo....get over it sodomites

[over3Owithabrain]

I don't think there are any grounds for a complaint here. Why can't the gay community just perk up a little? This story doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

[presidio9]

After an injection of homo sausage should you head immediately to the first aids room?

[Billthedrill]

Kind of a queer-looking ad, if you ask me...

[Clemenza]

This is HYSTERICAL! If they didn't ban billboards in NYC, I would suggest putting this in Chelsea or the West Village.

[jigsaw]

Oh, Cripe!

Next they'll want all their mail delivered to the back door.

What insufferable losers.

[Numbers Guy]

The state of Florida had some HS football prospects with interesting names last fall:

Unfortunately, Florida State freshman wide receiver DeCody Fagg didn't qualify academically and is at a prep school.

Freshman DB William Gay of Tallahassee is at Louisville.

Freshman LB Lucious Pusey of Delray Beach FL is at Eastern Illinois.

[Alter Kaker]

One of the sidebars of 'freedom of speech' means you do not have the right to be protected from insults of a non personal nature or innuendo....get over it sodomites

Forget legal aspect. Homosexuals drink coffee. Is maybe not good business practice to offend customers. I would not do that. I will take anybody's money - money has no smell.

[Snowy]

[.cnI redruM]

One day the gay community will discover that The First AMendment makes a scratchy piece of toilet paper. I'll cheer out loud when that happens.

[Billthedrill]

...Lucious Pusey?

You're making that up. Please, please tell me you're making that up...

[It's me]

How can the term "straight" offend gay people?

So, do they mean that the terms (and the acts of) homosexual, gay, fag, queer, etc., can NOT offend us?

Thier actions offend me.

[swarthyguy]

>>Although the term fag has been reclaimed by the gay community, it's still considered an offensive term when used by others."

Ahh, the hypocrisy of slang using groups.

This is a funny and clever campaign.

[It's me]

Does Austrailia and/or New Zealand have freedom of speech as does America? I am presuming they do...

[NeoCaveman]

Fruity thread ping. Hey SG do you still have that pic of the English delicacy, LOL

[presidio9]

http://www.eiu.edu/~sprtinfo/sports/football/roster-numerical.htm

Eastern Illinois team roster. Lucious Pusey is #47

Pretty small for a linebacker.