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| Unilever apologises for 'homophobic' Flora advert in South Africa | Unilever apologises for 'homophobic' Flora advert in South Africa |
| (14 days later) | |
| Unilever, the multinational food company, has been forced to apologise for an advert for Flora margarine in South Africa that implied learning your child is homosexual is as traumatic as being shot through the heart. | Unilever, the multinational food company, has been forced to apologise for an advert for Flora margarine in South Africa that implied learning your child is homosexual is as traumatic as being shot through the heart. |
| The commercial, made by an agency in Johannesburg, features a bullet with the words: "Uhh dad I'm gay," hurtling towards a heart made of china. It has the tagline: "You need a strong heart today," near the Flora logo and against a pink background. | The commercial, made by an agency in Johannesburg, features a bullet with the words: "Uhh dad I'm gay," hurtling towards a heart made of china. It has the tagline: "You need a strong heart today," near the Flora logo and against a pink background. |
| Unilever, which owns Flora, was accused of homophobia. Eusebius McKaiser, an openly gay author and radio host, tweeted: "Apparently #flora hates me. Why?" He added: "Need a strong heart? Stay away from #flora. Bad like Russian Vodka!" | Unilever, which owns Flora, was accused of homophobia. Eusebius McKaiser, an openly gay author and radio host, tweeted: "Apparently #flora hates me. Why?" He added: "Need a strong heart? Stay away from #flora. Bad like Russian Vodka!" |
| The company hastily withdrew the ad and distanced itself from it. "This advert was prepared by an external agency in South Africa and was not approved by anyone at Unilever," it said. | The company hastily withdrew the ad and distanced itself from it. "This advert was prepared by an external agency in South Africa and was not approved by anyone at Unilever," it said. |
| "The advert is offensive and unacceptable and we have put an immediate stop to it. Unilever is proud of the support that our brands have given to LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people, including our recent campaign for Ben & Jerry's on equal marriage." | "The advert is offensive and unacceptable and we have put an immediate stop to it. Unilever is proud of the support that our brands have given to LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people, including our recent campaign for Ben & Jerry's on equal marriage." |
| Last month Ben & Jerry's, a Unilever-owned ice-cream brand, came out in support of gay marriage in Australia, renaming its Cookie Dough flavour "I Dough, I Dough". | Last month Ben & Jerry's, a Unilever-owned ice-cream brand, came out in support of gay marriage in Australia, renaming its Cookie Dough flavour "I Dough, I Dough". |
| The Flora commercial was designed by the Johannesburg branch of international advertising firm Lowe and Partners, which said it was "very sorry". Sarah Dexter, its managing director, said: "I would like to unreservedly apologise for this campaign and the unintended offence it has regrettably caused. We have requested the immediate removal of this work from all media." | The Flora commercial was designed by the Johannesburg branch of international advertising firm Lowe and Partners, which said it was "very sorry". Sarah Dexter, its managing director, said: "I would like to unreservedly apologise for this campaign and the unintended offence it has regrettably caused. We have requested the immediate removal of this work from all media." |
| Lowe and Partners's Cape Town unit was hit by controversy in July for an advert for Cape Town Fish Market that featured a white actor wearing "blackface". | Lowe and Partners's Cape Town unit was hit by controversy in July for an advert for Cape Town Fish Market that featured a white actor wearing "blackface". |
| Stonewall, a gay rights group based in the UK, condemned the Flora ad as "offensive and inappropriate" and welcomed its withdrawal. "Perhaps Flora should have a chat with their Unilever colleagues, Ben & Jerry's, about how best to produce gay friendly advertising fit for the 21st century," it said. | Stonewall, a gay rights group based in the UK, condemned the Flora ad as "offensive and inappropriate" and welcomed its withdrawal. "Perhaps Flora should have a chat with their Unilever colleagues, Ben & Jerry's, about how best to produce gay friendly advertising fit for the 21st century," it said. |
| In 2006 South Africa became the fifth country in the world, and the first in Africa, to allow legal marriages between same-sex couples. But homophobia is widespread with numerous lesbians subjected to so-called "corrective rape". | In 2006 South Africa became the fifth country in the world, and the first in Africa, to allow legal marriages between same-sex couples. But homophobia is widespread with numerous lesbians subjected to so-called "corrective rape". |
| Flora has long promoted its margarine as helping consumers maintain a healthy heart. A second ad shows a glass heart about to be hit with a bullet, featuring the words "Kama Sutra page 48". | Flora has long promoted its margarine as helping consumers maintain a healthy heart. A second ad shows a glass heart about to be hit with a bullet, featuring the words "Kama Sutra page 48". |
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