McCain Oven Chips hits back at homophobic haters after featuring gay couple in TV ad
McCain Oven Chips has hit back at homophobic haters after featuring a gay couple in their ad.
Two gay dads have faced a torrent of online abuse after they appeared on an advert with their baby.
Lee and Mat Samuels-Camozzi were subject to a number of horrific slurs on social media after appearing in the McCain chips advert with their young son Carter.
People compared the two to paedophiles, labelled them as sick and accused them of neglecting their 19-month-old son Carter for not having a mother present in his life.
But the chips brand itself has now waded into the row, hitting back at the homophobic haters.
McCain marketing director Mark Hodge told the BBC: “We have received overwhelming support for the campaign, but we are disappointed that there’s a minority of individuals who have been verbally abusive to the real families that feature in our advertising.”
It added that the ad campaign was intended”to shine a light on and celebrate families of all shapes and sizes… and celebrate the diversity of UK families”.
The couple from Manchester previously told the Daily Record that they were horrified and saddened by the vicious comments directed at them online.
Lee, 35 and a customer relations manager, said that they had received dozens of hateful comments.
“One of the most hurtful compared us to perverts, saying ‘Whatever next, society accepting paedophiles?’ We are shocked this kind of attitude exists in the 21st century. We’re proud of our little family and we have nothing to be ashamed of.”
They were approached to do that advert by a friend’s mother.
The aim of the advert was to celebrate diversity.
As well as attacking Lee and Mat, critics slammed McCain.
One accused the manufacturer of “ramming” gay culture down viewers’ throats.
Others called the advert “sickening”.
One person wrote: “Two daddies? How is that fair on the kids?”
However, many came to the defence of the couple.
“Are you serious? Two men cant raise kids together? I imagine you’d rather see the child parentless than with two dads.
“If you don’t like homosexuality, fine, don’t give a shit. But don’t be so fucking ignorant as to paint them with a broad brush and say they can’t raise kids. A lot of them would do a better job than some of the heterosexual parents you see out there,” someone retorted.
Someone else added: “It honestly blows my mind how people can watch an advert that’s actually nice and wholesome and hate on it? why?”
A third added: “Stop being so concerned about peoples sexuality, or race, or whatever the issue is. Just… get on with your OWN life.
“Stop getting so worked up about stuff. Stop being so angry and offended about things that don’t matter. Just stop being in opposition to things.
“Be pro something. Be happy, be nice, be compassionate. You don’t need to be so angry and offended all the time.”
