An adorable mixed-race girl innocently asks her white mother (played by Whitney Avalon) if it’s true what her dad says, that Cheerios are good for your heart. Mom confirms. Next thing you know her napping black father awakens to the crunchy little O’s poured all over his chest.
The commercial has sparked a string of racist comments on YouTube and Facebook.
AdWeek reported that the comment section made numerous references to Nazis, “troglodytes” and “racial genocide.”
The Huffington Post reported that comments were made on the cereal’s Facebook page saying the commercial was “disgusting” and that it made them “want to vomit.”
A commenter even went so far as to say, “More like single parent in the making. Black dad will dip out soon.”
Camille Gibson, vice president of marketing for Cheerios released a statement defending the ad saying, “Consumers have responded positively to our new Cheerios ad. At Cheerios, we know there are many kinds of families and we celebrate them all.”
The commercial’s comment section has been disconnected from social media’s wrath.
