The same magazine that says this about its annual swimsuit issue, "...the vast majority of our readers find it to be tasteful, informative and entertaining" is now saying this about the canceled Adidas ad, "...We just didn't feel it was appropriate." B.J. Del Conte, who bills himself as Canada's premier sports broadcaster summed it up best when he said, "...Sports Illustrated's self-ascension to the moral high ground is laughably pathetic."
"...You won't believe it, but SI is upset because skin is showing. There is one big difference. This time it's male skin. Yep, the same magazine that has women bouncing on the beach in dimples and dental floss, is in a snit over beefcake. Sports Illustrated has banned an Adidas ad from its Canadian edition....Adidas says SI banned the ad because the magazine is sexist-it doesn't believe in equal exposure for the sexes."
"Hey, Lighten up Sports Illustrated"
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 19, 1993
Elaine Viets
In their national ad, Adidas said,
"Your team won't be taken seriously if it's not wearing Adidas."
"In the SI swimsuit section, the words have little connection
with the photos. The Adidas ad actually has a flimsy excuse for
its male nudity...Here's another way naked soccer men make more
sense than naked swimsuit women. There's nothing prurient in the
guys' pose. It's a traditional team photo, except for the missing
uniforms."
"Hey, Lighten up Sports Illustrated"
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 19, 1993
Elaine Viets
"...By refusing to run the now-famous campaign, Sports
Illustrated underlined one of our culture's most enduring double
standards."
"Taking the wraps off male nudity in advertising"
Globe & Mail, July 14, 1993
Shari Graydon
According to Phil Newsome, account director for Young and Rubicam, the Toronto advertising agency that created the ad, "'Sports Illustrated told us they weren't going to run it because it wasn't in keeping with the magazine.' But Newsome said he didn't understand the decision from the company that so vigorously promotes its swimsuit edition, 'with lots of scantily-clad women'. Doug Hayes, marketing vice-president for the agency 'accused SI of having a double standard...'" excerpted from a June 29, 1993 article in The Toronto Sun.