Magnum ice creams has managed to get the LGBTIQ+ offside after a new campaign compared the “guilty pleasure” of eating an ice cream to gay people being imprisoned.
The ads originated out of the UK and were aired across Spotify.
In the audio spots, a male voiceover says: “A hug for my boyfriend. That’s my guilty pleasure. Because in my country, just a simple hug with the man I love could send me to prison for more than 10 years.”
While the man’s home country isn’t specified, listeners were quick to slam the comparison on social media.
“MagnumIceCream your advert comparing the potential to be killed if you’re gay to the guilty pleasure of eating a magnum is disgusting, racist and homophobic. Please withdraw it immediately,” penned one angry Twitter user.
“An ad for #Magnum ice cream bars just popped up on my #Spotify and it is the cringiest/funniest gay baiting ad ever. A foreign accented man laments how dangerous it is to hug his boyfriend in his country, but he won’t get arrested for eating a Magnum,” wrote another.
While another added: “Magnum advert just came on saying about how this man could get arrested for hugging his boyfriend in his country then started advertising their ice cream! Using real world problems to advertise your fucking ice cream?”
Magnum were quick to realise the error of its ways, a spokesperson telling HuffPost UK: “Magnum has a history of championing LGBTQ+ rights and Pride Month is a moment when lots of us celebrate progress.
“We’re sorry for any offence caused by the advert, which aimed to bring awareness to the injustices people still face around the world.”
