HEIL HEINZ

Blogging is often an arduous task.  For every story about Britney (although they have been thin on the ground lately) there's another that I wish just didn't exist.  There are times when I think 'oh I could just not mention that' and get away with another lazy half hearted review of Doctor Who.  Sadly, today is not one of those days.  

Certain things really annoy me.  One is when papers like The Sun run headlines like "Derren Brown: Mind Bender" and the other is companies who buckle at the first sign of bigotry.  Yes, Heinz, I do mean you.  Spineless cowards.

For those blissfully unaware, Heinz have been showing ads on TV where the 'mum' of the family is replaced by a New York deli chef.  This is supposed to symbolise the authenticity of their shit mayonnaise.  At the end of the ad, 'mum' gets a full on kiss from dad as he leaves for work.  If this were a traditional ad, Mum would be blonde and probably roll her eyes at the end, still smiling.  Nobody would care, despite the gender stereotypical behaviour of the family.  However, the ad in its current form has now been pulled by Heinz because people have complained it is offensive and 'inappropriate to show two men kissing'.  Blimey that sounds serious!  Have people been boycotting mayonnaise?  Have Heinz factories been picketed?  No.  This is all down to 200 complaints to OFCOM.  200.  Heinz probably sells 200 jars of mayonnaise every minute.  But Heinz say that they 'listen to customers' and have decided to withdraw the advert.  I repeat, spineless cowards.

Wouldn't it be nice for a company to say hey 200 mental people, you know what?  Fuck off.  Take your narrow minded attitudes and poke them.  We don't want your custom.  Go elsewhere.  The ad was supposed to be a joke, get over yourselves.  Instead, Heinz take the road well travelled and even in 2008 will bow to the pressure of the vocal bigoted minority.

Shame on you.  Sadly I just ate some baked beans before reading about this story but for me, that's my last can of Heinz.  As a high earning man with no children, I can afford whichever bloody beans I choose, and from now on it won't be Heinz.  And faithful readers, if you would care to join me in my little protest I encourage you to do so.  It's not much, but that seems to be all it takes for Heinz to cave in so it's worth a try.

Unbelievable.