A right-wing and outspokenly homophobic group in the United States organised a campaign against an advert that was only shown in the UK.
The ad, which featured a kiss between two men, was targeted by what gay equality group Stonewall called an
organised campaign here in Britain.
It has emerged that a similar tactic was used by the American Family Association. Heinz's corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh was deluged with complaints from some of the estimated 3.5 million fundamentalist
Christians in the AFA.
We suggest you forward this to all your family and friends letting them know of the push for homosexual marriage by Heinz, the AFA said in an email to supporters, reports The Guardian: This ad is currently running
in England, but no doubt can be expected in the US soon.
Heinz UK had already decided to pull the advert from British TV before the AFA became involved, a decision that has led everyone from gay groups to MPs to condemn them. See
full article from the Guardian
The UK's advertising regulator has decided not to investigate Heinz's "male kiss" TV ad, despite 215 complaints from viewers that it was offensive and inappropriate to see two men kissing.
The ASA council considered that while
some viewers may have personal objections to any portrayal of same sex kissing there was nothing in the content of the advertisement what would constitute a breach of the advertising code, said a spokesman for the ASA.
The Heinz TV ad carried
an "ex-kids" restriction, meaning it cannot be shown in or around children's programming, because Heinz Deli Mayo falls foul of Ofcom's TV ad restrictions relating to junk food products.
A spokesman for Heinz said that despite the ad
being cleared of breaching the advertising code the company had no plans to put the Heinz Deli Mayo TV commercial back on air.
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