Lactose Intolerance (The 'Chirpy' Version)

Ben & Jerry's is trying to dictate my views on gay marriage. So I'm stocking up on Häagen-Dazs

By Will Heaven Politics Last updated: March 13th, 2012
456 Comments Comment on this article

The US version of the ice cream (Photo: Ben and Jerry's)

Guess what, folks? Ben & Jerry's – the American brand that brought you "Phish food" and "Cookie dough" flavoured ice cream – have teamed up with Stonewall to campaign for gay marriage in Britain. Here's their chirpy press release:

If you think that Civil Partnership is the same as marriage, think again! Show your support and help convince members of parliament that it's time to say 'I do' to same sex marriage!
You can help support this campaign by "marrying" someone of the same sex through our Facebook App or by writing to your MP using this template. (Because everyone is equal and deserves to live Apple-y Ever After!)

That play on words, by the way, is because – "to raise awareness about the importance of marriage equality" – Ben & Jerry's have renamed their Apple Pie flavour, "Apple-y Ever After".
Reading that PR announcement made me want to bulk-buy Häagen-Dazs. Why? Not because I'm a crazed homophobe, but because I'm so irritated by my food telling me what I should believe.
This kind of crass marketing technique has "Democrat" written all over it. They're shamelessly using a delicate social issue to make money. It's a very American style of Left-wingery – and that's why I don't think it will work here.
We can just about stomach Fair Trade chocolate or support – for example – the Body Shop's excellent campaign against child sex trafficking. But ice cream that says, "buy me, or you're a bigot"? No thanks.

Link:        Heaven on Ben & Jerry's big Gay Ice Cream

Flaneur Comments:

 One "Chirpy" Gay American Chimes In:  Your piece gave me an ice cream headache.  I can only assume that you're really not a bigot, or only bigoted toward cheerfulness, "democrats," Americans, marketing, profit, capitalistic social responsibility.  I can only tell you that the "chirpy" ads from BP shown here are every bit as irksome.  Haagen Dazs, of course, is an American company BTW, and I can assure you that they don't market themselves gloomily.  What do I know? I'm intolerant, actually, lactose intolerant.  Cheers.  (posted to the Telegraph, March 14)