I get it now....

Least I think I get it.

The Heinz ad isn't actually supposed to be a same sex couple at all. It's a New York Deli man acting as Mum and therefore kissing everyone including husband and that's the joke.

We don't know what the complaints were - they were probably from both sides of the argument.

The delicious irony is the pickle (probably Branston, HP or Tesco's own brand) that Heinz have manouvred themselves into.

Being an American company they can't issue a press release saying the ad was not a good representation of a same sex family - they'd end up with a US Christian boycot (the US market is bigger), they can't become a Stonewall champion - same reason.

It's a rather delicious irony but does at heart show they lack LGBT sensitivity to put the ad in the first place and I wouldn't like to be the Ad Agency that created the ad right now!

Beans meanz Biggots

I took the solgan from an article I read somewhere from Stonewall's Ben Summerskill - it's all over the net so I don't think I'll add any links.

Louise has blogged that she's none too keen on the ad any way.

From my view that's as may be but the reasoning of Heinz is that a few hundred homophobic protestors are to be listened to in preference to all of Heinz's LGBT customers, their freinds, relatives and so on.

I'm actually none too keen on such boycotts but in this instance Heinz has acted in such a way as to legitimise homophobic speech and to devalue the principles of equality that a respetable company should uphold.

If I consumed any Heinz products (their beans have an unfortunate effect on me as do their competitors') I would boycott them.

I will make sure whn in the supermarket that I execrise my choice not to purchase from Heinz in the future.

I have also (again I don't usually do this but have on this occasion) signed the petition on this matter and would encourage others to do so.