Offensive or artsy?

[DougDascenzo]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=391684&in_page_id=1770

Nike attacked over Rooney 'warrior' picture
22:00pm 20th June 2006
Drenched in blood-red paint and screaming a war-cry, this chilling image of Wayne Rooney was last night condemned as 'offensive', 'exploitative' and 'tacky' by MPs and church groups.

He may yet turn out to be the saviour of England's World Cup campaign, but the Christ-like pose of the striker in a new Nike campaign yesterday provoked fierce condemnation.

Five people complained to the Advertising Standards Authority watchdog on religious grounds within hours of the advert being posted.

Its other interpretation as a battle cry from the dark ages or throwback to the Crusades was equally unfortunate as the poster's launch coincided with the first outbreak of serious violence involving England's army of fans in Germany on Monday night.

Labour MP Stephen Pound said the advert was 'truly horrible.'

'This is such a horrible image and is so horribly war-like that it can only be described as Nike being crash, offensive and insensitive as they try to hitch poor old Rooney to their commercial band-wagon.'

I guess I see the "crucifixion nuance" folks are complaining about here, but doesn't the flag itself have a certain "crucifixion nuance" to it?

Are you more offended by Rooney trying to pull a Caviezel, or that people are being so touchy?

 

[HoopsMcCann]

that's a pretty forkin' cool ad

 

[Bubba Fett]

I got no problem with it, but I'm also not religious.

A lot of people in the world don't have enough to worry about.

 

[farmerjerome]

Artsy, but I can see how some (including myself) could have a problem with it.

 

[Baloo]

Bigger problem for nike if this ad runs in the u.s.: Who the f*ck is going to recognize that is rooney?

 

[Bubba Fett]

Bigger problem for nike if this ad runs in the u.s.: Who the f*ck is going to recognize that is rooney?

Americans will wonder why Flea is doing a Nike ad?

 

[Idaho]

Bigger problem for nike if this ad runs in the u.s.: Who the f*ck is going to recognize that is rooney?

What makes you think Nike will be putting this up in Times Square or anywhere else on this side of the pond?

 

[Baloo]

That's why I said IF.

 

[jgmacg]

The problem here's almost entirely contextual. It doesn't mean much to us, but this is the paint job the boys likely wore on their way out of town in 1099 to go visit Saladin. Nice to be reminded the UK's got it's fair share of hair-trigger true believers, though, who see in every pose like this an affront to Jeebus and his glorious global franchise.

Imagine the same picture here next week with Brett Favre in Green 'n Gold. I gather the Lutherans would be in quite a lather.

 

[alleyallen]

Good ad. All these uptight people need to take the oversized acorns out of their butt and relax.

 

[Bubba Fett]

The problem here's almost entirely contextual. It doesn't mean much to us, but this is the paint job the boys likely wore on their way out of town in 1099 to go visit Saladin. Nice to be reminded the UK's got it's fair share of hair-trigger true believers, though, who see in every pose like this an affront to Jeebus and his glorious global franchise.

Imagine the same picture here next week with Brett Favre in Green 'n Gold. I gather the Lutherans would be in quite a lather.

But he'd have a big G on his chest. The ad merely matches the flag.

 

[Pastor]

From Wikipedia

The St George's Cross, a red cross on a white background, is the national flag of England and was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers during the military expeditions by European powers to recapture the Holy Land from Muslims (Crusades of the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries), and on or about 1277 it officially became the national flag of England. After the personal union of England with Scotland a British Flag was created in 1606, initially for maritime display; however, the flag of England (as opposed to the United Kingdom) remains St George's Cross, and continues to be used when showing allegiance to England alone; primarily nowadays at events such as international football and rugby union competitions.

'This is such a horrible image and is so horribly war-like that it can only be described as Nike being crash, offensive and insensitive as they try to hitch poor old Rooney to their commercial band-wagon.'

Interesting.

It isn't Rooney's fault for being in the ad or having Nike sponsor him, poor poor Rooney.

Then you have the actual flag being a war symbol and then people complaining that it is seen as a war symbol. Color me shocked.