The ad was heavily criticised for the comparison.
In an ad for Magnum, playing on Spotify, was criticised after it compared eating ice cream to gay men being jailed. The advert focused on “guilty pleasures.”
“A hug for my boyfriend. That’s my guilty pleasure. Because in my country, just a simple hug with the man I love could send me to prison for more than 10 years,” says the voiceover in the controversial advert.
The advert was heavily criticised on Twitter. One person wrote: “I know most of y’all probs have Spotify premium so don’t hear the ads, but really unsure about the Magnum ad that’s talking about homosexuality being a “guilty pleasure” in countries where homosexuality is illegal, like thanks for the awareness but also like not okay.”
In an initial statement, a spokesperson for the ice cream brand told the Daily Star the advert was made to “remind people that what is considered a guilty pleasure isn’t always what you would expect.”
The brand has now issued an apology, with a spokesman telling HuffPost UK: “Magnum has a history of championing LGBTQ+ rights and Pride Month is a moment when lots of us celebrate progress.
“We’re sorry for any offence caused by the advert, which aimed to bring awareness to the injustices people still face around the world.”
A report released in July this year, said there are 72 nations in the world where same-sex relations are still illegal. And on top of that, there are 11 countries in the world where homosexuality still carries the death penalty, although Brunei claims its law won’t be enforced.
However, even though the death penalty will not be enforced, homosexuality will remain illegal in Brunei, and people convicted will face a maximum jail sentence of ten years, and potentially 40 lashes with a cane.
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