Search icon

Movies & TV

15th Dec 2019

Hallmark Channel pulls same-sex wedding ads following conservative pressure

Rudi Kinsella

Hallmark Channel

The advert showed two brides kissing each other at their wedding.

The Hallmark Channel has pulled television ads for a wedding-planning website that featured two brides kissing at the altar.

The TV channel made the decision to pull the ads amid pressure from a group called One Million Moms, who are part of the American Family Association.

The advert in question was for a wedding-planning website called Zola, and it featured a lesbian couple kiss at their wedding.

One Million Moms released a statement after Hallmark made the decision to pull the advert from their channel, saying: “The call to our office gave us the opportunity to also confirm the Hallmark Channel will continue to be a safe and family friendly network. Praise the Lord!”

A spokesperson for Hallmark released a statement which read: “The Hallmark brand is never going to be divisive. We don’t want to generate controversy, we’ve tried very hard to stay out of it … we just felt it was in the best interest of the brand to pull them and not continue to generate controversy.”

Ellen DeGeneres took to Twitter to criticise Hallmark’s decision, and to demand an explanation.

Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live have also had their fun with the entire saga, in a sketch that aired this weekend:

Clip via Saturday Night Live

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Conor Sketches | Tiger Woods loves Ger Loughnane and cosplaying as Charles LeClerc