Yahoo Finance Unilever's 'anti-gay' ad sparks outrage
Anglo-Dutch food and cosmetics giant Unilever says it has removed an “offensive” advert for a popular margarine brand in South Africa after it was condemned as homophobic.
The company has also apologised for the advert for Flora margarine that likened coming out of the closet to shooting your dad in the heart.
The poster in the advert shows a bullet inscribed with the words “Uhh, dad I'm gay” hurtling toward a heart made of porcelain.
The copy reads: "You need a strong heart today."
Unilever has distanced itself from the campaign it claims was designed by a South African agency.
“This advert was prepared by an external agency in South Africa and was not approved by anyone at Unilever. The advert is offensive and unacceptable and we have put an immediate stop to it,” the company said in a statement. “Unilever is proud of the support that our brands have given to LGBT people, including our recent campaign for Ben & Jerry’s on equal marriage.”
Unilever's ice-cream brand Ben and Jerry's last month re-branded its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavour to “I Dough, I Dough”, in support of same-sex marriages.
The Flora advert caused a frenzy on social media with users on Twitter expressing their outrage. Following is a selection:
Don't know what's more disappointing. The homophobia of the #unilever #flora ad, or the tired, done-to-death idea behind it?
— Richard Phillips (@notyetfamous) September 4, 2013
NEVER buying #flora again. This is DISGUSTING. pic.twitter.com/6XC9Yoo4BY
— Emily Wyton (@EmWyton) September 3, 2013
I cannot get over #flora's Ad. Was the agency on crack?! What a way to make sure a brand crashes and burns pic.twitter.com/MJeN6fUtEv
— Kerryn Lloyd (@Kerryn_L) September 3, 2013
Major companies in the past have often taken steps that have had a damaging effect on their brand. Here's a selection
