Wedding planning and bridal registry company Zola must remember to send a nice Christmas card to Hallmark for the priceless gift of PR that it received following the greeting card/media company’s bone-headed decision to drop its ads that featured a same-sex couple.
Bowing to the demands of the right-wing One Million Moms Network, an entity of the American Family Assn. that was offended by the image of two brides kissing each other, the Hallmark Channel yanked Zola's ads.
A social media uproar ensued, leading to an apology on Dec. 15 from Crown Media Holdings, unit of Hallmark.
“The Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we’ve seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused," said Hallmark CEO Mike Perry in a statement. "Said simply, they believe this was the wrong decision. We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment. Our mission is rooted in helping all people connect, celebrate traditions and be inspired to capture meaningful moments in their lives. Anything that detracts from this purpose is not who we are. As the CEO of Hallmark, I am sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused.”
That spirit of inclusion has drawn the fury of OMMN, which now calls for a boycott of the Hallmark Channel for reinstating the kissing-lesbian ads and for being “open to producing LGBTQ movies in the future.” Egads!
The advocacy group feels betrayed, since it views the Hallmark Channel as “one of the very last channels that families could go to and not be bombarded with politically correct commercials and LGBTQ agenda.”
Zola is happy that Hallmark reversed its decision and is thankful for its allies. The company is "humbled by everyone who showed support not only for Zola, but for all the LGBTQ. couples and families who express their love on their wedding day, and every day,” said Mike Chi, chief marketing officer.
The boycott Hallmark campaign by the culture warriors of the OMMN doesn’t seem to be catching on. A little more than six thousand people have signed its online petition.
Here's a tip: expand the campaign to include Hallmark’s line of “Boy Meets Boy” and “The Happy Hers” wedding e-cards.
How hypocritical was it for Hallmark to pull Zola's ad when it tries to make a buck from gay marriages?
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