County Commissioner: Boycott Barilla Pasta For Anti-Gay Comments
BY BUDDY NEVINS
A boycott against Barilla pasta after macronni czar Guido Barilla told gays that they had no place in his company’s “family” ads has reached Broward County.
In an e-mail blitz, County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger called for pasta lovers not to buy Barilla.
Gunzburger – her son Ron Gunzburger, the sheriff’s general counsel, is gay – said she would not buy Barilla again. She urged those receiving her e-mail to sign a petition against the firm.
Barilla, the company’s chairman, told an Italian radio station Wednesday, that “I would never do [a commercial] with a homosexual family, not for lack of respect, but because we don’t agree with them.
“Ours is a classic family where the woman plays a fundamental role,” he added. If gays “like our pasta and our advertising, they’ll eat our pasta. If they don’t like it, then they will not eat it and they will eat another brand.”
Gunzburger said, “I’m taking him up on that and so should you.”
The worldwide boycott is already costing Barilla.
A competitor, Bertolli, has placed ads featuring the slogan “pasta and love for all” and resurrected a two-year-old TV commercial featuring gay couples.
The LGBT community is estimated by some sources quoted in Forbes to have roughly $800 billion in spending power annually. Same sex households take 16 percent more shopping trips and spend 25 percent more on packaged goods than the average American, according to Nielsen.
Seeing all those dollars leaving his company caused Barilla to backtrack by the end of the week . He wrote on the company’s Facebook page:
“I have the utmost respect for homosexuals and for freedom of expression to anyone. I also said and repeat that respect marriages between persons of the same sex.”
But the boycott continues…including here in Broward:
From: Suzanne Gunzburger
Sent: Fri, Sep 27, 2013 10:22 pm
Subject: Sign this petition: No Barilla Pasta for Us!
Hi,
My family, and especially my 17 year old granddaughter, eats a lot of pasta. We often choose Barilla Pasta because of the wide variety available at our local grocery store.
No more. Today Barilla Pasta President Guido Barilla made it clear how he felt about families like mine by saying that he’d never show gay families in advertisements for Barilla. He said that gays could eat another pasta if they didn’t like his message.
I’m taking him up on that and so should you. Sign the petition to tell Guido Barilla that you stand with gay families and won’t buy Barilla. That’s why I signed a petition to Guido Barilla, President, Barilla Pasta, which says:
“Barilla Pasta President Guido Barilla’s statement that he’d never consider showing gay families in his advertisements is outrageous. I’m supporting gay families by boycotting Barilla Pasta.”
Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/no-barilla-pasta-for?source=s.em.mt&r_by=5947777
Thanks!
September 29th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Best line of the post:
Same sex households…spend 25 percent more on packaged goods than the average American, according to Nielsen.
September 29th, 2013 at 4:55 pm
To my Ginzo friends out there remember never piss off a Jewish woman. Never….
September 29th, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Of course i will boycott this brand! I buy only expensive hand made fresh pasta. Only a heathen would eat pasta from a box. Where else would a good Pisano spend the money not go towards paying my mortgage?
September 29th, 2013 at 9:18 pm
I’m doubling up on Barilla. Nobody tells me what to eat or not eat. That goes for heterosexuals too. Who cares about your petty issues? Piss off!
September 29th, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Guido Barilla said in that interview that he opposes legal adoption of children by gays. In other words, he advocates discrimination against gays. So I’m buying Bertolli.
September 30th, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Just like Stoli Vodka, Bertolli will suffer the wrath of the LGBT community. We will not give money to companies that don’t like and appreciate our business. BOYCOTT BERTOLLI AND STOLI VODKA.
September 30th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
@6 – You’re confused. BARILLA is the one advocating anti-gay discrimination. Bertolli is a pro-gay company: A competitor, Bertolli, has placed ads featuring the slogan “pasta and love for all” and resurrected a two-year-old TV commercial featuring gay couples. Read the article!!
September 30th, 2013 at 5:18 pm
“R-O-N-Z-O-N-I is how you spell Ronzoni…America’s best spaghetti and the finest macaroni.” That was the Ronzoni ad campaign from the 50’s. No more Barilla in my house, ever.
October 1st, 2013 at 5:01 pm
I am a heterosexual woman and I find the Guido Barilla’s comments offensive. I will not buy any of his company’s products until I see same sex couples featured in one of his commercials. We are definitely not lacking pasta and or pasta sauce companies.
October 2nd, 2013 at 3:02 pm
I’ll support Barilla. I believe in freedom of speech.