Boycott Barilla?

Pasta firm Barilla boycotted over 'classic family' remarks

Chairman Guido Barilla causes outrage in Italy after saying he would not consider using a gay family to advertise his products


Gay rights activists in Italy have launched a boycott of the world's leading pasta maker after its chairman said he would only portray the "classic family" in his advertisements and, if people objected to that, they should feel free to eat a different kind of pasta.

Guido Barilla, who controls the fourth-generation Barilla Group family business with his two brothers, sparked outrage among activists, consumers and some politicians when he said he would not consider using a gay family to advertise Barilla pasta.

 "For us the concept of the sacred family remains one of the basic values of the company," he told Italian radio on Wednesday evening. "I would not do it but not out of a lack of respect for homosexuals who have the right to do what they want without bothering others … [but] I don't see things like they do and I think the family that we speak to is a classic family."

Asked what effect he thought his attitude would have on gay consumers of pasta, Barilla said: "Well, if they like our pasta and our message they will eat it; if they don't like it and they don't like what we say they will … eat another."

In response, Aurelio Mancuso, chairman of Equality Italia, accused Barilla of being deliberately provocative. "Accepting the invitation of Barilla's owner to not eat his pasta, we are launching a boycott campaign against all his products," he added.

Within hours, the hashtag 'boicotta-barilla' was trending on Twitter. The Barilla chairman issued a statement saying that he was sorry if his remarks had caused offence and that he had only been trying to draw attention to the "central role" played by women within the family.

"I apologise if my words generated misunderstandings or arguments, or if they offended the sensibilities of some people," he said.

The interview started by asking Barilla what he thought of an appeal made on Tuesday by the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Laura Boldrini, to change the often stereotypical image of women in Italian advertisements.

"There are some adverts … which, when I see them, I think, 'but would this advert be broadcast in other countries? In the United Kingdom would this advert be broadcast?" said Boldrini. "And the answer is certainly not. An advert in which the children and father are all sitting down and the mother is serving at the table cannot be accepted as normal."

Barilla responded by saying Boldrini did not understand the advertising world and women were fundamental to adverts.

He went on to discuss gay rights, saying that he "respected everyone" and was in favour of gay marriage, but against gay adoption.

The remarks provoked anger among many of the politicians who are trying to pass legislation against homophobic crimes.

The country, on whose politics the Catholic church has long exerted a conservative influence, lags behind many other European countries on gay rights. Far from moving towards the legalisation of gay marriage, Italy still does not recognise same-sex civil unions.

Alessandro Zen, an MP for the opposition Left Ecology Freedom party, said: "Here is another example of Italian homophobia. I am taking part in the [Barilla] boycott and invite other MPs – at least those who are not resigning – to do the same."


Vocabulary:

a remark -

an advert -
to advertise-

outrage (n) -
outrageous (adj) -

to portray -

to spark -

a lack of stg -
in response -

within hours -

a hashtag -

to trend on Twitter -

to draw attention to stg -

a misunderstanding -

an appeal -

lower house of parliament (adj) -

to lag behind -

to resign -



Vocabulary practice:

Complete the sentences with a word or expression from the above list. Make sure it is in its correct form.
  1. A: Sorry for being late. I thought the meeting was at 12.    B: Don't worry. It was just a ___.
  2. The decision to release the prisoner___  protests in the city.
  3. I think it is an ___ that bullfighting gets subsidies from the EU. It should be stopped immediately.
  4. They were not able to complete the project due to a ___ of funding.
  5. The health of the nation has improved but the UK still ___ other countries in death rates from preventable diseases.
  6. Don't ___ me now. Can't you see I'm busy?
  7. There have been calls for the MP to ___ following the scandal.
  8. He made the ___ in the heat of the moment. He apologized immediately.
  9. My boss wants the report on his desk ___ a week. It's a tough deadline.
  10. I always switch over when an ___ with Nadal is on.


Check posts in the Vocabulary Practice label for other exercises. 


Have you ever boycotted a product?



Here are some of Barilla's adverts. They are typically Italian. Like so many films, song lyrics, TV programmes, novels and so on, they make you want to reach for the sick bag.



Source: You Tube (advexpress) Key words: pubblicità barilla spaghetti


Source: You Tube (repertivhs) Key words: spot barilla tokyo


Source: You Tube (TheRMstaff) Key words: Barilla mare d'amore


Choose one of the above ads and describe what happens in it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Inés

The 3rd advert:

There are a man and a woman driving a car. They are enjoying the countryside (Italy). Then, they arrive to an old house near the beach. While the man is having a bath, she picks a packet of pasta from her bag. When the man returns, time has passed. They have got two children, and they have a happy life eating pasta.

I like the advert because it shows the life of a happy family. It is a good way to advertise pasta, because it's like if that pasta made you feel happy. The advert has got a nice melody.
Anonymous said…
Inés

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UY0-z0wrcg

You can see a model (Charlize Theron). She's got blond hair and she is very beautiful. She arrives late to her fashion show. Then, she gets dressed with a gold dress and a big necklace of gold. Next to her there are two famous people: a famous actress from the 50's and Marilyn Monroe. Then, the model goes through the catwalk. It is a fashion show from Dior.
The advert advertise J'adore, the parfum of Dior.
The advert wants to transmit that Dior is a parfum that has always existed, and that famous people use it.
I like this advert because of the song.
Anonymous said…
Alicia.
Hello Graham, I couldn't watch the three adverts, the video didn't work. But I have described another advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc3eEJ3578Q
In this advert, we can see a child who goes to a vending machine. First, he buys a Coke and puts it on the floor. Then, he buys another Coke and he puts it on the floor again. He goes up on the two Cokes and he buys a Pepsi. The button of Pepsi was too high... Finally, he leaves the Cokes and goes away with the Pepsi.
This advert was banned in Spain, but it was showed in USA. It has caused a lot of controversy.
Graham said…
Hi Inés

I don't like the advert so much. I find it sickly sweet.

There is a man and a woman driving a car. They are enjoying the Italian countryside. Then they arrive at an old house near the beach. While the man is having a swim, she takes a packet of pasta from her bag.

(You pick an apple from a tree / pick stg up that has dropped on the floor / pick = choose)


It is a good way to advertise pasta because it's as if pasta makes you feel happy. The advert has got a nice melody / tune.

Graham said…
Inés,

I think the "50s actress" is Grace Kelly. You have heard of her, haven't you?


She arrives late for her fashion show. Then she puts on a gold-coloured dress and a big, gold necklace.

Then the model walks on /along the catwalk.

The advert is for J'adore, the perfume of Dior.
The advert wants to say that Dior is a...


I prefer this advert to the pasta one.

Graham said…
Hi Alicia,

I've just seen the advert. I don't understand why it was allowed in the USA but banned in Spain.


First, he buys a Coke and puts it on the ground.

Ground - outside, floor - inside

He stands on the two cans and he buys a Pepsi. The button of Pepsi was too high / He couldn't reach ...


Have a nice weekend.

Anonymous said…
Hi Graham,

I've done the vocabulary exercise. These are my answers:

1. MISUNDERSTANDING
2. SPARKED
3. OUTRAGE
4. LACK
5. LAGS BEHIND
6. BOTHER
7. RESIGN
8. REMARK
9. WITHIN
10. ADVERT

Step by step... Thanks,

Nuria.
Graham said…
Hi Nuria,

100% right. Good stuff.

You will find that it's often a case of two steps forward one step back but the important thing is to be moving forward.

See you on Thursday.
Con M de Maca said…
1. Misunderstanding
2. Sparked
3. Outrage
4. Lack
5. Lag behind
6. Bother
7. Resign
8. Remark
9. Within
10.Advert
Graham said…
100% Macarena. Well done!
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham,The 3° advert is going about:
There are a man and a woman driving info a car. They are from Italy. Then, they arrive a house near to the beach.They have got two children, and they have a happy life eating pasta and for this the man is having a bath, she picks a packet of pasta from her bag. When the man returns,the time passed.
I like the advert,it shows the life of a family very happy...and I like pasta...:-)
Graham said…
Hi Natalia,

I don't like this advert so much though I suppose many people can relate to it.


There is a man and a woman in a car. They are from Italy. They arrive at a house which is near the beach. They have got two children, and they have a happy life eating pasta. As the man is having a bath, she takes a packet of pasta from her bag. When the man returns, time has passed.
I like the advert,it shows the life of a family which is very happy...and I like pasta...:-)