35,000 sign homophobic petition to have Cadbury’s Creme Egg gay kiss advert removed
"It is well-known that children will often copy what they see on the screen" claim organisers of the petition.
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: YouTube
A petition to remove a Cadbury’s advert featuring two guys kissing has attracted 35,000 signatures online
Celebrating the Creme Egg’s ‘Golden Goobilee’, the viral clip features real-life couple Callum Sterling and Dale K Moran sharing the product with their mouths.
It was released last month, with the petition launched almost a month later on CitizenGo.org.
The petition to remove the ad says: “By choosing to feature a same-sex couple, Cadbury’s are clearly hoping to cause controversy and escape criticism, by claiming that any objections must be rooted in ‘homophobia’, but members of the LGBT community have also expressed their dislike of this campaign.”
“Cadbury’s should not be seeking to hide under cover of LGBT rights to conduct a campaign which sexually objectifies individuals. If the couple in question were heterosexual, the advertisement would likely be prohibited, given the sexually explicit and graphic nature of the kiss.”
“A progressive brand that spreads a message of inclusion”
The company defended the ad in a statement to Ad Age last month, saying: “Cadbury has always been a progressive brand that spreads a message of inclusion, whether it is through its products or brand campaigns. We are proud of our Golden Goobilee advert which celebrates the many ways that everyone can enjoy a Cadbury Creme Egg. To illustrate this and showcase the joy our products bring, a clip of a real life couple sharing a Cadbury Creme Egg was included in the advert.”
On Covid safety government measures, the statement adds: “The actors featured in the film were from the same household, so they were egg-static to share a delicious Cadbury Creme Egg together! We also ensured that social distancing and stringent hygiene measures were taken when shooting the new advert.”
Catholic campaigner Caroline Farrow, who started the petition, has told Christian News [as per Delish]: “A kiss can take many forms; this is not a mere peck on the cheek or familial show of affection but rather two adults snogging, using their lips and tongues to exchange the contents of a Creme Egg in an extremely sexually suggestive fashion.
“It is gross and off-putting, regardless of the sex of the participants and given the overtly sexual nature of the kiss, would likely to be banned or censured if the couple were straight. The advert goes further than many soap operas.”
Last month, Dale and Callum told Attitude they were “really shocked” by the response to the ad, with Dale adding: “We’re queer activists anyway, we’re happy to be those people.”
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