Hallmark continue to use adverts featuring heterosexual couples getting married.
An advertisement featuring two brides kissing at the altar has been taken off US network Hallmark.
The removal was a result of a campaign led by conservative group One Million Moms, which is part of the American Family Association.
The group had lobbied the CEO of Hallmark’s parent company Crown Media Family Networks and were successful in having the ad removed.
Hallmark which brands it’s self as ‘family friendly’ said the controversy around the ads was “distracting.”
“The debate surrounding these commercials on all sides was distracting from the purpose of our network, which is to provide entertainment value,” said a statement provided by Molly Biwer, senior vice president for public affairs and communications at Hallmark.
Biwer said the ‘The Hallmark brand is never going to be divisive. We don’t want to generate controversy, we’ve tried very hard to stay out of it … we just felt it was in the best interest of the brand to pull them and not continue to generate controversy.”
The advertising agency behind the ads say they were only pulled on the basis that they featured a lesbian couple, with two other ads continuing to be run by the channel.
“The only difference between the commercials that were flagged and the ones that were approved was that the commercials that did not meet Hallmark’s standards included a lesbian couple kissing,” said Mike Chi, Zola’s chief marketing officer, in a statement.
“All kisses, couples and marriages are equal celebrations of love and we will no longer be advertising on Hallmark,” Chi said.
