A petition to have Cadbury’s latest commercial taken off air surfaced after viewers took issue with a same-sex kiss featured in the ad, according to an article published Friday by the New York Post.
The petition, which was created Feb. 15 on Citizen Go, had over 27,000 signatures at the time this post was published. The whole advertisement features different ways you can eat the Cadbury egg. The part of the commercial that inspired the petition comes at the very end when two men pass a Cadbury egg between their mouths before bursting the egg open.
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“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,” the petition stated. (RELATED: Political Correctness Hits Annual Easter Egg Hunt In Britain)
“Cadbury’s is well aware of the religious significance of Easter,” the petition continued. “Therefore, they are trying to cause gratuitous offense to members of the Christian community during the most important feast in their calendar.”
“Exposing children to sexualized content constitutes a form of grooming,” the petition stated. “It is well-known that children will often copy what they see on the screen.”
The company previously defended the commercial in a statement to AdAge.
“Cadbury has always been a progressive brand that spreads a message of inclusion, whether it is through its products or brand campaigns,” the company said in the statement. “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.”