In response to this beguiling billboard for Kiwi beer Tui, a pertinent question must be asked: Why For?
Merging the brand’s iconic catch phrase with five poorly thought-out words, apparently it is this easy to fuck up. With New Zealand legalising same-sex marriage just two weeks ago, knee jerk reactions from the masses have labelled the ad as a tasteless, offensive gag with homophobic undertones (check out the comments on their Facebook page).
However, Tui have promptly fought back against public backlash, insisting the billboard intended to be a ‘topical’ spin on a parent’s new partner, as children, y’know, tend to not respond well to such hefty life changes.
I guess the lesson here is ‘Don’t make things on billboards ambiguous, especially if they reference sensitive topics’. Also, ‘don’t bother with jokes on billboards if they will require subsequent justification and explanation’. My word, what a mess. All we can say is this was some terrible execution.
