In January 2003, a PR campaign by the Staffordshire-made food, Marmite, features the first same-sex kiss in a TV advert.
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We asked on our voting boards: Is a TV advert the right place for a same-sex kiss?

Result: 47.7% (61 votes) of people said - YES same sex relationships are just part of life.

If you missed the debate, don't despair. You can still say what you think - click on the banner below to add your comments...


Here are some comments:

Blimey Charlie - it's not as if it was two oiled up Muscle Mary's in a pounding, sweaty cellar nightclub trying to suck each others' tonsils out, was it? I guess a considerable minority of people feel that if it was a portrayal of a straight couple, acting in as sexual a manner as you could get away with on TV, that would be okay, that kind of offensiveness is fine, it's "natural". Like a lot of people posting I didn't even think of this ad in terms of controversy at all. So, let's spell it out - There's nothing wrong with same-sex relationships, they should be accepted and tolerated as much as any other kind of relationship. Why would you take offense at somebody asking you if you were gay? Why would you ask someone if they were gay with the intention of offending them? Well, I suppose if you both knew you were bigots. In other words, you don't see anything wrong with hate and intolerance, but you see plenty wrong with expressions of love that feel perfectly natural to the people brave enough to carry them out. And now people will post saying they've got freedom of speech blah blah blah - I might not like what you're saying but I'd defend your right to say it - would you do the same?
Gareth Cheeseman
Newcastle

Sorry, just had to input again. As someone else commented...they aren't really kissing. The lifegard was eating Marmite b4 his rescue and the point of the ad is that the victim wanted more of the Marmite, not knowing where it came from. He wasn't really making a pass at the lifegard. I am shocked that this is such an issue either way.
Michelle

Just a small remark regarding this subject. I think marmite should try to find a marketing agency that have creative marketing skill and not an agency that come to the very easy decision' well if we create a controversial advert we have the viewers attention'. But would they have the respect? after I have seen the advert, I don't know if I would eat Marmite again with out thinking of ' The Kiss', Or am I missing the point here??? do they want to market it at Gay couples???? Either way I wont be eating Marmite in public again, would the joke be after....are you gay?
Mary
Sneyd Green

YES, I AGREE ENTIRELY WITH CLAIR. IF YOU CAN STAND KISSNG YOUR PARTENER, REGARDLESS FO THEIR GENDER, AFTER THEY HAVE EATEN MARMITE, THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO STOMACH MORE THAN JUST SAME SEX KISSING. GET OVER IT. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T WATCH. SAME GOES FOR MARMITE, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T EAT IT....I PERSONALLY CAN'T STAND IT BUT MY BRIT BORN BOYFRIEND LOVES IT. HE KNOW I HATE IT AND ALWAYS ASKS IF I WANT A KISS AFTER. I LOVE KISSING HIM BUT NOT WITH MARMITE IN HIS MOUTH....YUCK!
MICHELLE
LAKE MARY, FLORIDA - USA

It had never occured to me that this advert was in any way controversial until i saw this survey. I can't quite believe that (currently) over 40% of people responding have a problem with it. But I suppose if Antoin's biggoted views are representative of the voting public then what are we to expect? That's not the real issue though. Has anyone ever kissed someone who's just eaten marmite? Trust me, if he can bear it then let him get on with it!
Claire
Cheshire

Antoin this says more about your homophobia than a yeast based savoury spread
martin
Crewe

Obviously Marmite set out to deliberately cause copntroversy by staging an "unusual" occurrence. Whether they meant so spark a controversy about public same-sex kissing we can only guess.... but the fact that it's the first-ever time it's happened in an advert (and that is WHY it's controversial) has given everyone a chance to think about same-sex kissing in public. Bring it on I say
joan
Crewe

do life guards give the kiss of life to male and female every day in their job?? this was not a 'snog' it was in his job the idea being the taste of marmite once revived became the attraction NOT the other male, note the look of embarasement on both parties face ( purposely done they are actors) .... besides isn't there more important issues to speak about like people killing each other??
gary
foxt

You are missing the point about the advert. The kiss is because he loves Marmite, not because he is sexually attracted to the life guard! And in any case,homosexuality is a part of life.
Lisa Wechsler-Evans
Gillingham

If what is trying to be presented, is that same sex kissing is natural, and the presenter is promoting its behaviour then we know the presenter's preference. But if we are presenting a food item, I think that activity is uncalled for. Of course I'm hetrosexual.
pete
Weyburn

I love the Marmite ad. It's funny, witty, ironic and completely tongue in, er, cheek.
Carla
Crewe

Antoin- whatever.
Anonymous
UK

There are too many gay people these days to just blank them out and pretend they are inhumain. Gay people are perfectly normal, personally i would rather see two females getting it on than two males but thats just from a sexiness point of view
Joanne
cannock

No matter how you package it, same-sex kissing turns my stomach - male or female. I do not believe that same sex relationships are a normal part of life but rather an abberation that is beginning to get out of hand. I will never be buying marmite... ...they are in bad taste!
Antoin
STOKE-ON-TRENT, UK

Give me a break..... Isn't it time we all grew up? Gay life-styles, same-sex kissing etc et c is part of real life.... why should a Tv advert be different? Grow up.... woncha(?)
Kyle
Manchester