On Monday, Oreo released a short film chronicling a young man's decision to come out as gay to his extended family.
The film, titled, The Note, shows a young Asian male seated at the dining room table with his family as they await the arrival of their extended family, including the young man's grandmother. The ad shows the mother comforting her nervous son as he reviews a handwritten note announcing that he is gay.
"I think you're ready," his mother tells him.
A few moments later, the doorbell rings, and the family gets up from the table. The young man's little sister then runs off with an Oreo ahead of the highly anticipated moment.
Meanwhile, the young man also walks away, leaving the letter on the table. The ad then shows him combing his hair in an entryway mirror when his mother brings the letter over to him. When he looks down at the note, he sees that his mother has written, "she might be my mother, but you are my son" at the bottom of the page.
The video concludes with the extended family coming into the home and the young man smiling confidently.
Since the video's release, it has amassed close to 5 million views on Twitter.
"Coming out doesn't happen just once. It's a journey that needs love and courage every step of the way. Share our new film and let someone know you're their #LifelongAlly," Oreo's official Twitter account tweeted.
Coming out doesn’t happen just once. It’s a journey that needs love and courage every step of the way. Share our new film 👇 and let someone know you’re their #LifelongAlly. pic.twitter.com/S5ipPxZRON
— OREO Cookie (@Oreo) April 4, 2022
According to Fast Company, 2022 marks the third consecutive time Oreo has released a pro-LGBTQ ad in collaboration with PFLAG National, the nation's largest advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ people, their families and allies.
"For many people, the only time their parents or family even acknowledge that they're in this community is in that first moment," Oreo senior brand manager Olympia Portale told the outlet.
"That [subsequent] silence can last years and can be really harmful. So we wanted to show that being an ally, being supportive to family members, isn't just about saying 'I love you, and I support you' in that one moment, but how you show up in an active way, so that individual feels you have their back all the time," she added.
Oreo first showed public support for the LGBTQ+ community about a decade ago when it posted a picture of a cookie filled with rainbow-colored icing in honor of Pride month. At the time, the post received mixed reactions, as same-sex marriage had yet to be legalized in the U.S.
Related:
Christian Organization Calls for Cancellation of PBS' LGBTQ Pride Month Miniseries, TV Broadcast
Photo courtesy: ©Nelly Antoniadou/Unsplash
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
