Food brand Heinz has withdrawn its Deli Mayo ad - which featured a gay couple sharing a kiss - from UK television, and apologised to viewers. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority had received about 200 complaints that it was offensive and inappropriate. The advertisement is shown below. The ad had been on air for just a week, and attracted complaints that it was "offensive", "inappropriate to see two men kissing", "unsuitable to be seen by children" and that it raised the difficult problem of parents having to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with younger viewers. Nigel Dickie, director of corporate affairs for Heinz UK, told The Guardian newspaper: "It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognise that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it." Dickie added that the campaign for the new Heinz Deli Mayo product, which was due to run for five weeks, was meant to be humorous and that the company apologised to anyone who felt offended. UK gay equality organisation Stonewall has called on all consumers - gay and straight - to boycott Heinz for its "short-sighted", "discriminatory" and "knee-jerk" decision. "If the ad showed a black couple, and people complained, I very much doubt they would withdraw it," he told PinkNews.co.uk.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Wednesday, 25th June 2008 - 10:30am