The Dole Food Company has released three short videos to promote its packaged foods by using the words “fruit bowls” in various scenarios: to secretly refer to sexuality in front of children, to substitute it for profanity, and to refer to wild children — the latter of which is depicted by lesbian “mothers.” At least one ad has been reportedly airing on the Cartoon Network.
The advertisements were uploaded to the company’s YouTube channel last month and were also shared to social media once a week, starting in late August.
The promotional videos, apparently part of a “Quaran-Tensions” series, were meant to be depictions of life in quarantine — and especially with children in the house.
“Quarantine life is tough enough without worrying about cursing in front of the kids. But the truth is quarantine life is really fr*it b*wling hard,” a description of one video reads.
“Times are stressful. But we’re trying not to swear in front of the kids,” the female actress states. “So, we use ‘fruit bowl’ instead.”
The ad then shows the parents becoming annoyed with their children and calling out “fruit bowl” like a curse word.
Another video shows an older couple trying to be creative in communicating their “love language” around their grandchildren, apparently using “fruit bowls” as a term for physical intimacy.
“You in the mood for fruit bowls?” the husband asks in the darkened room, embracing his wife. “I would love some fruit bowls,” she responds as the two gaze at each other.
A little girl, sitting feet away, innocent and oblivious to what is being insinuated, then asks, “Can I have some fruit bowls too?”
The ad ends with the child sitting in between the two and the woman advising, “We’re all eating a lot of fruit bowls, just not having a lot of fruit bowls.”
The video was shared to social media on Sept. 1, with Dole writing, “The language of love takes on many delicious forms.”
A third video, called “Kid Code,” shows two lesbian women explaining that they use “fruit bowls” as a way to complain about their children without the kids catching on.
“Was it your idea to have fruit bowls or was it mine?” one woman asks. “It was yours,” the other woman replies.
While some thought the advertisements were humorous, others found it disturbing that Dole couldn’t advertise its products without bringing sex and profanity into the mix.
“I am tired of companies advertising with ‘haha it’s profanity and sex’ commercials. This makes me not want to buy any Dole products,” one commenter wrote.
“I’m tired of them using innuendos on children’s channels. I saw this on Cartoon Network today around 10 a.m.,” another posted.
When one commenter likewise opined that the “love language” ad was “not appropriate as a commercial on children’s channels,” Dole replied, “We celebrate all love, but will be sure to share this feedback with our team.”
It similarly said to another commenter, “At Dole, we know how grandparents become grandparents, and we like to celebrate love in all forms. We do appreciate all feedback and will be sure to share with the team.”
The group One Million Moms also spoke out against the trio of commercials, launching a petition to Dole and boycotting its products unless the ads are pulled.
“One Million Moms finds this marketing campaign highly inappropriate,” it wrote in a post on its website. “All three of Dole’s fruit bowl ads are irresponsible and tasteless. It is extremely destructive and damaging to impressionable children viewing the commercial. We all know children repeat what they hear.”
“These ads are airing during prime time, when families are likely watching,” One Million Moms noted. “Dole should be more responsible in its marketing decisions. Let Dole know that as a parent and a customer you are disgusted by its recent marketing choices.”
Proverbs 8:8 and 13 says, “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing froward or perverse in them. … The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Pride and arrogancy and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
Psalm 19:14 similarly states, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.”
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