Fridae

The Campbell Soup Company is standing their ground against the anti-gay right wing Christian American Family Association (AFA), which has taken issue with the iconic soup company's print ad in a national LGBT news magazine in the US.

The AFA accused the company of "embrac(ing) (the) homosexual agenda" and launched an action alert campaign urging consumers to email Campbell and demand they stop "pushing the gay agenda" and then call the Swanson division directly to ask that it "remain neutral in the culture war."

It further accused Campbell's of "normalising" same-sex families, something they consider deeply dangerous.

"Not only did the ads cost Campbell's a chunk of money," declared the action alert on the organisation's web site, "but they also sent a message that homosexual parents constitute a family and are worthy of support. They also gave their approval to the entire homosexual agenda."

Campbell bought two, two-page advertisements in the Dec 2 and Jan 13 issues of The Advocate to promote their Swanson line of broth. The first ad featured the female proprietors of a New York City restaurant and a young boy having soup made with Swanson Chicken Broth. The accompanying text identifies the women as openly lesbian Cafe Forant chef Lea Forant and her partner, Carolyn, and the boy as their son. A male chef, Christopher Lee - who is not identified as gay or straight - appeared on the opposite page alongside a turkey and gravy recipe.

The second ad features Lee on one page and another male chef on the other alongside chicken and roasted lamb recipes. Neither man's sexual orientation is identified.

The two-page spreads are Campbell's first foray into the gay market.

Campbell spokesperson Anthony Sanzio said the company stands behind the ads.

"Our position on this is pretty straightforward. Inclusion and diversity play an important role in our business, and that fact is reflected in our marketing plan," he was quoted in Advertising Age as saying. "For more than a century people from all walks for life have enjoyed Campbell's products, and we will continue to try to communicate in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them." Sanzio said plans for the Swanson brand include further placements in The Advocate.

The AFA, which defines its mission to "change the culture to reflect Biblical truth and traditional family values," has launched protest campaigns against numerous organisations for various reasons including support of pro-choice activism and LGBT activism including same-sex partner employee benefits.

American Family Association's history of protests and boycotts
Probably best known for initiating a 9-year boycott against the Walt Disney Company in 1996 for reasons including Disney's offering domestic partner benefits for employees and hosting "Gay Days" at theme parks welcoming gay and lesbian people to attend the company's theme parks with their children, family and friends.

In 2005, the 31-year-old group - with reportedly an annual budget of US$14 million (2004 figures) according to Right Wing Watch - launched a boycott of Ford for advertising in gay magazines, donating to gay-rights organisations, sponsoring gay pride celebrations and providing domestic partner benefits. It only ended a two-year boycott after the automaker largely stopped advertising its Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover (the latter two have since been sold) vehicles in the gay media, reported The Washington Post. The automaker, however, has said it stopped running all niche advertising when the economy soured.

In 2006, the group urged consumers to boycott Kraft Foods for being a sponsor of the 2006 Gay Olympic Games in Chicago. Marc Firestone, executive vice president, corporate counsel, and corporate secretary, of Kraft, released a company-wide letter stating: "While Kraft certainly doesn't go looking for controversy, we have long been dedicated to support the concept and the reality of diversity. It's the right thing to do and it's good for our business and our work environment."


In August 2008, the group announced their boycott of Hallmark Cards for their decision to start selling same-sex wedding cards. Hallmark spokeswoman Sarah Gronberg Kolell responded to the protest saying, "It's our goal to be as relevant as possible to as many people as we can."

A month earlier, the AFA announced a boycott of McDonald's for "aggressively promot(ing) the homosexual agenda" by having a director on the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and for a US$20,000 sponsorship of the chamber's annual fundraising gala. The boycott was lifted in October 2008 after the company executive left the gay business group. McDonald's officials said the former vice president of US communications left his US post and returned to an executive position in McDonald's Canadian operation. The Chicago Tribute further reported that the American Family Association said McDonald's had notified it that the restaurant giant has no plans to renew its membership in the chamber when it expires at the end of the year.

The AFA issued a press release declaring its victory and quoting from a McDonald's memo sent to its franchisees and which various media reported as a McDonald's memo: "It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald's remains neutral on same-sex marriage or any 'homosexual agenda' as defined by the American Family Association."

Gay journalist Michelangelo Signorile wrote on his blog on Oct 15 that when he tried to verify the accuracy of the quote, McDonald's public relations firm said the company will "neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the 'email to McDonald's franchised owners' referred to in the release."

Write to Campbell Soup:
As posted by Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs on Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)'s blog

It's commendable that Campbell Soup Company has taken this important step to be inclusive of all families in their advertising. But, unfortunately, they will be hearing from the AFA and their supporters, who want to make our families and our lives invisible. It's vital that you contact Campbell's and thank them for fairly and accurately depicting our lives - and for not giving in to the demands of anti-gay organizations.

Since the AFA has asked their supporters to contact Campbell Soup President Douglas Conant and follow up with a phone call to the Campbell Soup Company and Swanson, we are asking you to do the same, and include Director of Corporate Communications Anthony Sanzio (who is quoted above in the Ad Age interview) in your thank-you. Let them know you appreciate their strong support for LGBT families.

Douglas Conant, President
douglas_r_conant@campbellsoup.com

Anthony Sanzio, Dir. of Corporate Communications
anthony_sanzio@campbellsoup.com

Or use this easy-to-revise 'pre-written email complaint' to send a quick letter of thanks to Campbell Soup right now (as suggested by blogger David Schmader on slog.thestranger.com)?