Is This The Future of Advertising in the U.S.?

Cheerios features the touching story of a gay couple adopting their daughter in a new ad in Canada.

Lucas Grindley

Lucas Grindley is VP and Editorial Director for Here Media, which is parent company to The Advocate. His Twitter account is filled with politics, Philip Glass appreciation, and adorable photos of his twin toddler daughters.

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Lucas Grindley

October 04 2014 3:30 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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Is this the future in the United States?

As part of a campaign in Canada called "The Cheerios Effect," General Mills is running a commercial featuring a gay couple -- Andre and Jonathan -- and their adopted daughter, Raphaelle. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005.

"At Cheerios, we believe everyone is worthy of love and connection," says the campaign's website, "and everyone has stories that deserve to be told."

The 15-second spot is airing on television, and a longer three-minute story online goes into detail about the couple. Watch the longer story below.

What would happen if the same commercial were part of a campaign for the United States? Cheerios got a lot of racist flack for an ad featuring an interracial couple back in 2013. Then the cereal maker brought the couple back for a Super Bowl commercial in 2014.