Hallmark Channel Under Fire for Pulling Same-Sex Wedding Ad [Video]

The Hallmark Channel prides itself on steering clear of controversy, but the network has landed itself in a major fracas—smack in the middle of its most lucrative time of the year, the Countdown to Christmas marathon.

On Thursday, in response to pressure from a conservative group, the network pulled several ads from wedding planning brand Zola that featured a same-sex couple kissing at their wedding, which had been airing for a week. Zola responded by saying it would no longer advertise on the network for the foreseeable future.

Hallmark’s decision sparked outrage on Saturday as the hashtag #BoycottHallmark trended on Twitter and GLAAD called the network’s action “discriminatory,” urging other advertisers to reconsider their own involvement with the company.

On Dec. 2, Zola began airing six ads on the Hallmark Channel, featuring various couples standing at the altar during their wedding, wondering if using Zola would have helped them get …

Tags Digital Marketing Strategy, Marketing, Twitter, Twitter Marketing