http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25677373/

Pretty long article, but I thought it might bring some smiles to some of your faces.

I don't know which is worse - the fact that marketing messed up so badly, or the homophobic reaction that ensued.

7/14/2008 10:09:36 PM

uhh huh huh huh huh ... he said Hilton Head.

7/14/2008 10:26:35 PM

I see nothing incorrect about this advertisement.

7/14/2008 11:04:45 PM

The worst part is their proximity to us.

We dunt want no queers round here

7/14/2008 11:27:51 PM

At least North Carolina likes it on top.

7/14/2008 11:40:47 PM

Yeah, everyone knows you're only gay if you take it in the butt.

7/14/2008 11:43:44 PM

Quote :

" I don't know which is worse - the fact that marketing messed up so badly, or the homophobic reaction that ensued."

I don't think their marketing messed up -- it is legitimately a decent destination and there are plenty of gays who actually would travel to South Carolina and have a great time. It wouldn't be the top of my list but any place has gay-friendly establishments and I'm sure amro will find a gay-friendly bed and breakfast or two. The rest is just sight-seeing and bars. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

The only issue here is the reactionary bigotry from the local Mayberry politicians who run the state. They claim that the primary market for South Carolina tourism is families but they cannot give any good reason why a family is more suited to visit a historic plantation than a gay couple. They certainly cannot argue that Myrtle Beach, for example, is family friendly -- its a nasty bar drag for horny military guys on shore leave. Charleston has plenty of nightlife that wouldn't at all be considered "family friendly."

What's ironic is that in opposing the so-called gay tourism, they are really denying to everyone that the state has anything fun or worth doing. "Family friendly" is travel-ese for "boring and full of fat asses in stretchy pants." How's that for fucked-up marketing?

7/15/2008 1:42:47 AM

i bet there are more military guys in charleston than in myrtle beach. there's MCAS Beaufort and MCRD Parris Island right there beside it.

myrtle beach is a neat place in some ways, but a nasty strip full of douchebag riff-raff in other ways. i've never really noticed much of a military presence there, though, and i can't think of any bases closer than Camp Lejeune.

7/15/2008 2:27:34 AM

^ except for picking up redneck high school girls, slutty Jersey girls, or a good show at house of blues there is no redeeming quality of myrtle beach that would make me pick it over Charleston or Wilmington.

^^ We dunt want y'all queer kind down dis way yonder.

[Edited on July 15, 2008 at 3:12 AM. Reason : l]

7/15/2008 3:11:31 AM

^^

Hmmm last time I was there (which was a while I admit) it was teeming with (obviously) military guys. Maybe it was just that weekend.

One interesting fact I did learn about Myrtle Beach is that because of obscure/stupid/bigoted laws they are required to call their gay bars "piano bars." I suppose that means they're only allowed to play Elton John ...

7/15/2008 3:33:53 AM

Quote :

"The only issue here is the reactionary bigotry from the local Mayberry politicians who run the state. They claim that the primary market for South Carolina tourism is families but they cannot give any good reason why a family is more suited to visit a historic plantation than a gay couple."

I'd guess that their marketing is banking on "place with gays is not family friendly" and "there are more families than there are gays" as the backbone for their argument.

7/15/2008 8:27:16 AM

Well the guy who approved this ad was just taking advantage of the event going on in London at the time, it's not like this was just some randomly approved ad, it just happened to be caught by the homophobic sector.

7/15/2008 8:30:25 AM

when it comes to south carolina, about the only places i enjoy are greenville, charleston, and maybe hilton head. Outside of that, this state has naught to offer

7/15/2008 8:50:43 AM

Quote :

"At least North Carolina likes it on top."

WINNAH!

7/15/2008 9:18:57 AM

More like South Carolina is so racist.

7/15/2008 10:12:34 AM

Quote :

"South Carolina’s office of tourism has canceled a campaign to attract more gay tourists. Yeah, South Carolina canceled the campaign. As a result, for the 30th year in a row, North Carolina is the gayest Carolina."

-Conan O'Brien

7/15/2008 11:51:20 AM

i'm pretty sure Conan is referring to UNC-CH

7/15/2008 11:52:28 AM

^

yeah, but SC has it's share of Cock fans

7/15/2008 12:16:40 PM

touche

7/15/2008 12:27:09 PM

I heard Troy King is planning on taking a vacay there.

7/15/2008 12:43:20 PM

Stick to the main roads. Even if you do take it up the ass you don't want to get the Ned Beatty treatment. I wound up on SC-9 trying to get to Myrtle Beach and that's a road where your body will never be found

7/18/2008 2:14:01 PM

Asheville North Carolina does similar advertising I hear.

7/18/2008 2:37:13 PM