Barilla pasta baron's anti-gay ment prompts boytt ll

Italian pasta maker Barilla has reacted to the global storm ed by s chairman's ments that he would never e a gay fay his advertisg by sayg planned to make the pany more diverse and n a more clive TV ad mpaign. * barilla gay comments *

But the efforts, mendable as they are, may not have had a huge effect on Barilla’s bottom le — and ’s possible Guido’s homophobic ments didn’t eher. Acrdg to the Bloomberg report, Barilla’s revenue was better 2013, the year of the homophobic ment, than 2012.

He said a vio posted to Facebook that he has "always rpected every person I've met, cludg gays and their fai, whout any distctns" and "never discrimated agast anyone.

AP file/Bernd KammererGuido BarillaThe print of Barilla is apologizg after disparagg remarks he ma about gay fai led to swift lls for a boytt of the pasta Barilla told an Italian rad statn that he wouldn't nsir g a gay fay to advertise the pany's pasta, sayg that "the ncept of the sacred fay remas one of the basic valu of the pany. " While he said that he had rpect for gay people, he went on to say that gay nsumers who disagreed wh his msage were wele to enjoy a different brand of pasta.

PASTA MAKER BARILLA PLANS "CLIVE" TV ADS AFTER ANTI-GAY REMARKS

Pasta maker Barilla is hot water after makg anti-gay remarks on an Italian rad program this week. * barilla gay comments *

The executive quickly issued a clarifitn of his ments, wrg on the Barilla rporate webse that he had "utmost rpect" for gay people and their marriag and that he apologized if "[his] words have generated ntroversy or misunrstandg, or if they hurt someone's sensivy.

As the wds of polil change has shifted favor of gay rights and same-sex marriage, many brands and pani have led up to affirm their support for the LGBT muny. The one pany to buck the trend, Chick-fil-A, was the subject of a ser backlash when s print, Dan Cathy, affirmed his pany's opposn to gay fast-food cha has more or ls weathered that storm, largely on the strength of brand loyalty to s tasty chicken sandwich, and support om the mographic that agre wh Cathy's polics.

ET: Guido Barilla, chairman of the world's leadg pasta manufacturer, prompted lls for a nsumer boytt on Thursday after tellg Italian rad his pany would never e a gay fay s advertisg. " In the terview, Barilla said he opposed adoptn by gay parents, but was favor of allowg gay marriage, which is not legal Italy. If gays "like our pasta and our advertisg, they'll eat our pasta, if they don't like then they will not eat and they will eat another brand, " he said.

BARILLA EXEC APOLOGIZ FOR REMARKS ON GAYS

* barilla gay comments *

Aurel Manco, head of gay rights group Equaly Italia, said Barilla's ments were an "offensive provotn" and lled for a boytt of the pany's pasta, sc and snacks. Gay rights groups are boyttg Pasta Barilla after the pany's CEO, Guido Barilla, said Wednday on an Italian rad show, "I would never do an advert wh a homosexual fay. Alsandro Zan, an openly gay member of Italy's parliament tweeted, "You n't ms around wh nsumers, cludg gay on.

ROME (Rters) - Italian pasta maker Barilla has reacted to the global storm ed by s chairman’s ments that he would never e a gay fay his advertisg by sayg planned to make the pany more diverse and n a more clive TV ad of Barilla pasta are seen the kchen of a rtrant Rome September 27, 2013.

REUTERS/Tony GentileGuido Barilla’s remarks to a rad terviewer September led to lls by gay rights groups to boytt the products of the world’s biggt pasta maker, a pany more than 130 years old based the provcial cy of media quickly spread the ments that gave rise to numero Inter satir, cludg one wily posted on Facebook and Twter showg the tramark blue Barilla pasta box wh the letters “Bigotoni” on rather than “Rigatoni”. Chairman Barilla, the 55-year-old great grandson of the pany’s founr, has sce held at least eight meetgs wh gay anizatns and activists both Italy and the Uned Stat, a market where is untg on for growth outsi s crisis-h home market. “WINDOW DRESSING”The pasta maker plans to troduce an advisory board that clus Amerin gay activist David Mixner to improve “diversy and equaly the pany’s workforce and culture”, acrdg to a statement posted on s webse.

BARILLA PRINT APOLOGIZ AGA FOR ANTI-GAY REMARKS

The print of pasta maker Barilla is apologizg for remarks that he would not e a gay fay Barilla ads. * barilla gay comments *

However Carlos Dews, a gay English profsor at Rome’s John Cabot Universy who has boytted Barilla products and urged his Facebook iends to do the same, was said the measur were a step the right directn but was too soon to tell whether they would brg any real change. -based Human Rights Campaign’s rporate equaly x, which rat pani’ polici relatg to lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr employe. New ncsn me after boytt lls and petn drivPasta petors e social media advertisg to strs acceptance of all faiLGBT equal rights group lls Barilla%27s new rponse a good first stepBowg to ntug cricism of his ntroversial remarks about gays, Guido Barilla has pledged to meet wh groups "that bt reprent the evolutn of the fay, cludg those who have been offend by my words.

"The ncsn, posted a vio apology on the webse of his fay-owned pasta giant, me as the pany tried to lm the boytt lls and cricism igned last week when Barilla said he would not show gay fai pany ads. "I would never make a spot wh a homosexual fay, " Barilla said Thursday on the Italy rad program La Zanzara (The Mosquo), acrdg to Italian news agency ANSA.

BARILLA UNR PRSURE AFTER EXEC'S GAY REMARKS

* Barilla says he would not feature gay fay mercial * barilla gay comments *

"ANSA reported that when the show's hosts noted that gays and lbians eat pasta, Barilla rpond, "That's fe if they like our pasta and our munitn, they n eat them.

"We accept his vatn to not eat his pasta, " said Aurel Manco, print of gay-rights group Equaly Italia, ANSA reported"Here we have another example of homophobia, Italian style, " said Alsandro Zan, an Italian parliament member wh the left-wg SEL party, ANSA furor spread ternatnally via Twter, where the hashtags #boittabarilla and #boyttbarilla prompted numero tweets. "Pasta for all, " proclaimed a siar Buoni ad posted on Dar Fo, the Nobel Prize wner and Italian actor and playwright who once appeared a Barilla ad, issued an open letter askg the executive to rensir his woundg of the lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr muny. "I thk the public backlash shows that homophobia is bad for bs today bee we're livg a world where LGBT people are rpected and accepted, " said Ferraro.

PASTA MAKER BARILLA UNR FIRE FOR ANTI-GAY MENTS

Guido Barilla ma some ntroversial ments about gays advertisg, the LGBT muny fired back * barilla gay comments *

"In a separate gay rights victory, Exxon Mobil said Friday would provi health surance and other worker benefs to married same-sex upl startg Oct. The head of Barilla pasta said he will meet wh gay groups, and that he "has much to learn" about the evolutn of the fay. The head of Barilla pasta issued a new apology and said he will meet wh gay groups, addg he "has much to learn" about the evolutn of the fay.

"Through my entire life I have always rpected every person I've met, cludg gays and their fai, whout any distctns, " he said. An onle petn on, started by Lda Ferraro, an Italian-Amerin woman who said her adult son is gay, asks the grocery cha Stop & Shop to pull Barilla om s shelv due to the ments.

Guido Barilla says he has%27utmost rpect%27 for gays and%27for all lovg marriag and fai%27%27We accept his vatn to not eat his pasta%2C%27 gay rights group saysEpiso rells Chick-fil-A ntroversyConsumer prsure on pasta producer Barilla rose Friday after the print of the Italy-based food giant sparked a boytt of the firm by mentg that he would not show gay fai pany ads. "I would never make a spot wh a homosexual fay, " Guido Barilla said on the Italy rad program La Zanzara (The Mosquo), acrdg to Italian news agency ANSA. "Sayg he has "the utmost rpect" for gay people and "for all lovg marriag and fai, " Barila nclud "to all iends, fay, employe and partners that I have hurt or offend, I am eply sorry.

GAY RIGHTS ADVOT BOYTT BARILLA AFTER PRINT OF PASTA MAKER'S REMARKS

"We accept his vatn to not eat his pasta, " said Aurel Manco, print of gay-rights group Equaly Italia, ANSA reported"Here we have another example of homophobia, Italian style, " said Alsandro Zan, an Italian parliament member wh the left-wg SEL party, ANSA ntroversy quickly spread ternatnally via Twter, where the hashtags #boittabarilla and #boyttbarilla prompted numero tweets. Playg off an ad that said "wh a bowl of pasta hand, life is good, " @ReignofApril tweeted, "Unls you're gay, amire? ""I prefer my pasta bigotry-ee and served wh a nice Caber, " tweeted Fo, the Nobel Prize wner and Italian actor and playwright who once appeared a Barilla ad, issued an open letter askg the executive to rensir his woundg of the lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr muny.

ITALIAN PASTA BARON'S ANTI-GAY MENT PROMPTS BOYTT LL

" Related: Bars worldwi boytt Rsian vodka Barilla issued a statement on Thursday, tled "Guido Barilla's Clarifitn on gays, " apologizg for the remarks. "The sultg anti-gay ments will not only lead to LGBT people skippg Barilla, but their fay members, iends and workers as well, " said a spokman for gay rights group GLAAD.

Bars around the world have stopped servg Rsian vodka prott of the untry's anti-gay laws, and ctomers boytted Chic-fil-A after s CEO exprsed his opposn to same-sex marriage. Gay rights activists Italy have lnched a boytt of the world's leadg pasta maker after s chairman said he would only portray the "classic fay" his advertisements and, if people objected to that, they should feel ee to eat a different kd of Barilla, who ntrols the fourth-generatn Barilla Group fay bs wh his two brothers, sparked outrage among activists, nsumers and some policians when he said he would not nsir g a gay fay to advertise Barilla pasta. "I would not do but not out of a lack of rpect for homosexuals who have the right to do what they want whout botherg others … [but] I don't see thgs like they do and I thk the fay that we speak to is a classic fay.

"Asked what effect he thought his attu would have on gay nsumers of pasta, Barilla said: "Well, if they like our pasta and our msage they will eat ; if they don't like and they don't like what we say they will … eat another. "Barilla rpond by sayg Boldri did not unrstand the advertisg world and women were fundamental to went on to discs gay rights, sayg that he "rpected everyone" and was favour of gay marriage, but agast gay remarks provoked anger among many of the policians who are tryg to pass legislatn agast homophobic untry, on whose polics the Catholic church has long exerted a nservative fluence, lags behd many other European untri on gay rights.

BARILLA PASTA BOYTT: CHAIRMAN SAYS GAYS CAN FD ANOTHER BRAND TO EAT, INTER REPLI "WILL DO!"

Alsandro Zen, an MP for the opposn Left Elogy Freedom party, said: "Here is another example of Italian homophobia. If gays didn’t like , he add, they uld eat somethg a sign of how toxic has bee for a pany to be viewed as uniendly toward gays, Barilla has ma a dramatic turnaround the space of one year, expandg health benefs for transgenr workers and their fai, ntributg money to gay rights , and featurg a lbian uple on a promotnal Web se.

Barilla has journeyed om gay rights pariah to poster child — on Wednday received a perfect sre om a proment gay rights group that rat pani on their gay-iendls.

UPDATE 1-ITALIAN PASTA KG PUTS PANY HOT WATER WH ANTI-GAY MENT

It is an about-face that highlights how pani, which typilly shy away om ntroversy, are creasgly beg forced to take sis the cultural battle over gay rights and same-sex marriage — and how cisively pro-gay forc have gaed the upper hoehold-name brands have also found themselv hot water over actns that were perceived to be anti-gay. Chick-fil-A stopped givg to certa anizatns 2012 after earng the ire of gay rights groups that acced the fast-food cha of supportg anti-gay pani were subject to boytts, though there has been a unter effort by socially nservative groups to support and embrace peril for pani is not short-term profs, bee boytts rarely affect revenue directly, said Mary-Hunter McDonnell, a profsor of strategy at Geetown Universy’s McDonough School of Bs. “Really, boytts are about threateng a pany’s public image and reputatn, ” she said, and a tarnished brand n ultimately hurt the bottom the past, pani had to be reful not to offend groups that opposed homosexualy, said Bob Weck, a rporate crisis nsultant who specializ gay issu.

His advice at the time was for the pany to expla to the opposn that this was simply a good bs more recently, opns have shifted dramatilly to the pot that is a posive for some pani to be viewed as supportive of gay rights, particularly among young ctomers, who might view cints such as the one articulated a year ago by Barilla as “stupid and backwards, ” he said.

BERTOLLI MAK THE MOST OF BARILLA CHAIRMAN'S ANTI-GAY COMMENTS

Starbucks, Nike and Microsoft, for stance, endorsed legalizg same-sex marriage Washgton state the se of Barilla — a 130-year-old pany based Parma, Italy, that is the world's largt pasta manufacturer — the blowback was fierce September 2013 when Guido Barilla told an Italian rad host, "I would never do [a mercial] wh a homosexual uple, not for lack of rpect, but bee we don't agree wh them, " acrdg to reports. Harvard Universy dumped Barilla om s feterias, gay rights groups promoted nam of other brands of pasta, and Barilla's petors seized on the opportuny to prent themselv as more forward-thkg, wh Bertolli Germany postg a ment on s Facebook page promotg "pasta and love for all!

“He was horrified at the nsequenc and his personal beliefs, ” said David Mixner, a veteran gay rights activist and thor who served as a nsultant for lled the recent diversy iative “the most all-enpassg effort to bounce back om an unfortunate misstatement that I’ve ever been part of. ”Seth Adam, a spokman for GLAAD, a gay advocy group that has also met wh Barilla, said is important to acknowledge someone when they have unrgone an “evolutn” support of gay rights.

It has broaned s anti-discrimatn policy to ver gay and transgenr pany also has donated money to the Tyler Clementi Foundatn, an anti-bullyg anizatn found by the parents of a gay Rutgers Universy stunt who mted suici, and featured a lbian uple on a Web se voted to urgg fai to eat more meals will same-sex upl be turng up any televisn mercials?

UPDATE 1-Italian pasta kg puts pany hot water wh anti-gay ment | Rters

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Contents:

DID BARILLA PASTA'S CHAIRMAN MAKE ANTI-GAY REMARKS?

BARILLA GO OM WORST TO FIRST ON GAY RIGHTS

BARILLA PASTA HOT WATER OVER COMPANY PRINT'S ANTI-GAY COMMENTS