Barilla's chairman said he'd never feature a gay family in an ad — and a boycott followed

In September 2013, Guido Barilla, the chairman of the world's biggest pasta maker, was asked on an Italian radio programme whether the company would ever run an advertisement featuring a gay family. He said he would not. 'I would never do a commercial with a homosexual family, not for lack of respect but because we don't agree with them,' he said. 'Ours is a classic family where the woman plays a fundamental role.' He added that if gay people did not like Barilla's advertising, 'they will eat another brand.'

The reaction was immediate. LGBTQ groups and consumers called for a boycott, and the head of the Italian group Equality Italia called the remarks an 'offensive provocation,' accepting, as he put it, 'the invitation from the Barilla owner to not eat his pasta.' The story spread internationally within hours, turning a radio aside into a global test of the brand.

Guido Barilla's first response made things worse: he stood by the company's view of the family even as he said he respected gay people. As the boycott grew, he issued a fuller apology, saying he was 'saddened' and 'depressed' by the reaction and that 'it is clear that I have a lot to learn about the lively debate concerning the evolution of the family.' He then began a very public effort to repair the damage.