Anglo-Dutch multinational company Unilever has withdrawn a South African margarine commercial that likens finding out a son is gay to being shot through the heart, The Guardian reports.
In the ad for margarine brand Flora, the words “Uhh, Dad, I’m gay” in the shape of a bullet are shown flying toward a porcelain heart, followed by the tagline, “You need a strong heart today.”
Unilever quickly cancelled the ad, saying that the company had not approved its use.
“This advert was prepared by an external agency in South Africa and was not approved by anyone at Unilever,” the company said in a press release. “The advert is offensive and unacceptable and we have put an immediate stop to it.”
A similar ad shows a bullet with the words “Kama Sutra page 48” flying toward a glass heart.
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