The conservative watchdog group One Million Moms has accused Zales of "normalizing sin" for including two women holding hands and exchanging vows in a wedding ceremony in a 30-second jewelry ad that shows couples in love.
"Zales is using public airwaves to subject families to the decay of morals and values, and belittle the sanctity of marriage in an attempt to redefine marriage," One Million Moms director Monica Cole wrote in a statement. "An even greater concern is that the commercial is airing when children are likely watching television. To make matters worse, this ad has aired during family viewing time such as football games and primetime shows."
During the commercial, as the viewer sees the various couples in love, the narrator says, "we believe the world needs more love that lasts, love that grows, love that's worth waiting for, love that answers the kind of questions your smartphone cannot."
One Million Moms instructs its members to urge the company "to pull this inappropriate commercial immediately, and … let Zales know that continuing to air this offensive advertisement in the future will force your family to decide to avoid their stores."
Zales said that it stands by its commercial, telling Yahoo that "we are very proud to have helped guests celebrate life and express love for nearly 100 years. Throughout that time, we have always been dedicated to promoting a spirit of inclusion for all guests, which reflects our core values and the type of exceptional experience we believe every guest deserves."
The Zales Facebook page has been flooded with comments about the commercial, with many expressing the sentiments of the One Million Moms protest and others praising the company for its inclusive attitude and promising to buy there more because of it.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.