Heinz has pulled an advert featuring a gay kiss after more than 200 complaints to the advertising watchdog, prompting a LGBT lobby group to call for a boycott on all the food manufacturer's products.
The ad for Deli Mayo was the first from AMV BBDO for Heinz since winning the advertising account from McCann Erickson.
Launched last week and originally scheduled to run for five in total, Heinz took th decision to pull the ad last Friday (June 20), after a number of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority.
To date, more than 200 have been received, the body confirmed.
Heniz claims the TV ad was created “as a humorous take on a slice of life” and plays on a typical domestic family moning scene.
The twist is that on this occasion ‘Mum’ is played by a genuine New York deli chef preparing sandwiches for their kids’ packed lunches in the kitchen using the UK Deli Mayo product.
Complaints included that the ad was "offensive" and that it was "inappropriate to see two men kissing".
Other grievances included that the ad was "unsuitable to be seen by children" and raised the difficult problem of parents having to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with young viewers.
Director of Corporate Affairs for Heinz UK, Nigel Dickie, said, “It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognize that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it.
“The advertisement, part of a short-run campaign, was intended to be humorous and we apologize to anyone who felt offended.”
In response to Heinz’s decision, LGBT lobby group Stonewall is encouraging Britain’s 3.6 million gay consumers and their friends to stop purchasing from Heinz and buy alternative products instead.
Stonewall Chief Executive, Ben Summerskill, said, “We find Branston Baked Beans, Baxters Soups, Buitoni Spaghetti, Jardines Tomato Ketchup and Hellmann’s Mayonnaise all to be much more delicious than their Heinz counterparts and encourage people offended by Heinz’s decision to try them.
“We’re shocked that an innocuous ad should have been withdrawn in this way. I can’t imagine that Heinz would respond to protests about black people featuring in their adverts."
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Dickie Beau
25-Jun-08 21.23
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