"Sometimes In Advertising..."

Gay Families Are Gaining Mainstream Exposure And Acceptance

This Beautiful Honey Maid Graham Cracker ‘Wholesome’ Ad Includes A Same-Sex Family

David Badash
March 10, 2014

Honey Maid graham crackers are manufactured by the little food giant that used to be known as Kraft. Last year, the corporation changed its name to Mondelēz International (NASDAQ:MDLZ). The $35 billion international company that was started 90 years ago just released a new ad campaign for Honey Maid that focuses on the idea of “wholesome.”

“No matter how things change, what makes us wholesome never will,”the ad’s voice-over says.

The ad features “what the brand describes as ‘real-life stories,’ including Jason and Tim, a couple raising two sons,” Ad Age reports. Honey Maid ”debuted the campaign today on TV shows including ABC’s ‘The View.’”

“We recognize change is happening every day, from the way in which a family looks today to how a family interacts to the way it is portrayed in media,” Gary Osifchin, senior marketing director for biscuits at Mondelez, said in a statement. “We at Honey Maid continue to evolve and expand our varieties to provide delicious, wholesome products so they can be a part of everyday moments of connection in a world with changing, evolving family dynamics.”

The ad also features an interracial family

A press release details all the people in the ad:

Among the real-life stories featured in the campaign include Joey, a punk-rock musician and his wife Terry, who bond while cooking with their daughter, Moxie; when mom is done tutoring and dad gets home from touring the world with his band, all three enjoy one of their favorite family treats, graham crackers with a thin layer of icing. Another family is that of Jason and Tim, who are raising their two sons in a same-sex household and love playing board games and enjoying a night relaxing together on their family heirloom swing. A third, RJ, is a single father who is featured with his son Travie, who make every Friday “Sweet Friday” with a movie and ‘Cracker Stackers.’

Ad Age notes that “the campaign hasn’t generated a ton of feedback yet. But most of the reviews appear to be positive so far.”

Same-sex couples raising a family are begin portrayed as wholesome? Cue the religious right outrage, One Million Moms, the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, Bryan Fischer, and all the holier-than-thou troops in 5, 4, 3…

Watch the ad:

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Although the article seemed most concerned with the depiction and inclusion of gay couples, I'm surprised there was no specific mention of the interracial family which is also featured in the ad, especially in light of the furor created by rival food company General Mills when they dared to show an interracial family in a spot for their iconic brand, Cheerios.  Still, this is progress that would have seemed impossible even a few years ago.  This gives me hope for our country. 

"Fear Eats the Soul"