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Heinz pull plug on peck

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Posted By Neoco

After only one week of airtime, Heinz have pulled the plug on their latest TV advert in an apparent move to appease the sensibilities of a vocal homophobic minority. When I first watched the ad I couldn’t quite believe that people could feel so strongly about a short peck on the lips. I was truly expecting tongues and all sorts.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cXNzcxDrN4]

The ad, by London-based agency AMV BBDO (now there’s a catchy name), revolves around the central concept that Heinz Deli Mayo tastes so good “it’s as if you have your own New York deli man in your kitchen”. At the end of the ad, as the father prepares to leave the house with his sandwiches, the two men share a brief kiss.

According to the Guardian, viewers have complained that it is “offensive” and “inappropriate to see two men kissing”. What exactly is inappropriate about this, in an age where same-sex relationships are perfectly accepted and same-sex marriages legal? Other parents complained that the ads would require parents to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with their children. I can’t see how this can possibly be justified.

As reported in the Independent, Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall, has urged its supporters to stop buying Heinz products. Whether this will be carried out to the point where it actually harms Heinz remains to be seen.

I personally don’t feel as angry with Heinz as I do with the idiot viewers who took it upon themselves to complain. As someone in the office pointed out, the Heinz brand is centered around the idea of the family, and a protracted fight over this issue may go against the overall interest of the brand.

As the debate spreads across the Internet it seems that despite being withdrawn, the ad will find an audience on YouTube and other video sharing sites.

I think that Sarah Britten, a blogger from the South African newspaper The Times, sums it up well:

“Heinz showed even less spine than Thabo Mbeki on Zimbabwe.”

“Never underestimate the wilful stupidity of the viewing public”

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  • http://timtrent.blogspot.com Tim Trent

    I carried this story in detail as it broke. I think the “best” analysis is along the lines of:

    The American Family Association invaded UK airwaves in the same way that Shrub invaded Iraq (yes, with Blair’s idiot complicity), and Heinz withdrew under pressure from 3.5 million potential imbeciles instead of reacting well to over 15,000 signatories to the petition against them.

    Heinz has a corporate stance, which is to apologise to people who complained about the withdrawal for running the advert and offending the homophobes! That is customer service par excellance, that is!

    Heinz has stopped reacting and commenting.

    Any boycott will not hurt them. How often DO you run out of ketchup?

    People have now heard of Deli Mayo. Hmmmm. So a viral campaign, then?

    It is over. The nine days wonder has run its course, much as Heinz expected.

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