When cereal gets progressive: Cheerios Canada ad with gay Quebecois fathers

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      Who knew cereal could be so political?

      We've been witnessing a wave of TV commercials featuring parents that haven't traditionally been given much visual representation in popular culture or advertisements.

      The latest example is from Cheerios Canada. The touching ad features two Québécois dads, André and Jonathan, who tell their story about adopting their daughter Raphaëlle, who is of African descent.

      While an ad like this shouldn't be a controversial subject in Canada in 2014, it does remain a potentially risky subject for companies to address.

      In the past, companies bowed to public pressure if people complained. Somewhere along the way, there's been a shift in thinking as corporations have recognized that taking a progressive stance, regardless of complaints, is actually beneficial in exposure and marketing strategies.

      This has particularly been demonstrated by several food-related ads in the U.S.

      In 2013, Cheerios released an ad featuring a biracial girl with her white mom and black dad. The ad, strangely enough, prompted a torrent of negative responses online (even though the parents were never shown interacting).

      Instead of pulling the ad, Cheerios responded by releasing a sequel (during the 2014 Super Bowl, no less), in which the family is shown expecting another child.

      Similarly, Honey Maid released an ad in March with an ad featuring a range of different parents, including an interracial couple as well as same-sex parents.

      In response to the backlash that erupted online, Honey Maid also didn't back down. Instead, they released another ad that detailed their response to the negative criticism.

      Since these ads aren't simply public-service announcements and are trying to raise brand-awareness, they do have an underlying objective other than social progress.

      The personal stories used are being employed to sell products. It's a way for companies to hijack the power of social media by associating their brand with intimate human stories.

      Yet in this era of digital media, visual representation of different people who viewers may not encounter in their everyday lives or regularly see in visual media, is important in reducing prejudice, fear, misunderstanding, stereotyping, and ignorance.

      It's not the best way for increasing visibility of formerly invisible demographics, but since the system isn't going to change any time soon, it's one way to harness some of its power for beneficial means.

      For companies to truly prove their integrity, and to avoid simply exploiting minorities or the marginalized, one way they can show their commitment is for them to donate to the social groups or movements that they are profiting from. That would really show that they're putting their money where their mouths are, not just their products.

      Comments

      3 Comments

      Progress

      Oct 14, 2014 at 5:03pm

      Certainly, this is a progressive stance. If only both Honey Maid and Cheerios weren't total garbage as foods. Murder on the digestive system, loaded with preservatives and sugar. They'll need to do something to keep today's more progressive buyers even looking their way. This single mama skips the whole 'cereal' isle. Still a worthy article and well-written, Craig. Thanks!

      claudette

      Oct 15, 2014 at 5:57pm

      I am shocked and offended and I will never buy Cheerios again.

      cathy

      Oct 21, 2014 at 8:44am

      Co-opting movements and social causes has been going on a long long time.
      In the climate justice movement it's called 'green washing"-for example some car companies are suddenly "green" and really "care" about the environment.

      So basically exploiting what has been the long fight for diversity and acceptance is all part of the big corporate spin machine.

      Kinda reminds me of the Dove campaign a few years ago.
      In North America they were focusing on "real beauty" where ads were aimed at women embracing their own bodies and not the impossible standards in the magazines.
      This campaign featured "real" women of all sizes and colour.
      At the same time the Dove parent company was selling skin bleaching creams in India and other places.

      So if "touching" personal stores sells their crap-they'll do it.
      It's called profit and whatever it takes.