April 7, 2006
The new Dodge Caliber's advertising campaign staring a fairy is not making people in the gay community laugh or even chuckle.
Gay rights advocates complain that the Chrysler Group commercial known as "Too Tough" and featuring a fluttering little fairy changing buildings and trains into cute gingerbread houses and toy trains is offensive.
When the fairy fails to zap a black Caliber automobile she is teased by a passing bulldog walker as a "silly little fairy."
When the man laughs at her, the scorned fairy turns him into a fellow wearing a pastel yellow shirt, short white shorts and a sweater draped across his shoulders, walking a pack of small dogs with a pink leash.
The suggestion, according to critics of the ad, is that the man was turned into a homosexual.
Chrysler has come under fire before for controversial advertising. In 2004, the company ran a Dodge ad that referred to "Lingerie Bowl" during the halftime of the Super Bowl.
The 30-second Caliber ad is one of five Caliber commercials to on television.
Chrysler's customer service department has received several telephone complaints, said spokeswoman Suraya Bliss.
"We were pretty surprised that there are individuals that are making the conclusion that sexual orientation can be determined by the type of clothes you wear and the type of dog that you're walking," Bliss said.
DaimlerChrysler rolled out the advertising campaign to introduce its new Caliber compact to young car buyers. The automaker insists the man in the spot isn't gay and said it doesn't plan to pull the advertisement.
GayWheels.Com, which identifies itself as the gay-friendly automotive resource, has published a review of the Caliber and describes the car as the the sexy, affordable and versatile little Dodge Caliber.
The Website also lists Dodge and DaimlerChrysler as gay-friendly companies.
