Magnum Is 'Sorry' for Ad Comparing Ice Cream to Gay Imprisonment

Magnum has apologized for an advertisement in its "guilty pleasure" series that compared being jailed for homosexuality to eating ice cream.

"A hug for my boyfriend -- that's my guilty pleasure," said the narrator in the controversial ad, which was first flagged by Spotify users earlier this month. "Because in my country, just a simple hug with the man I love could send me to prison for more than 10 years."

Predictably, the ads sparked a firestorm of criticism on social media. "Magnum is comparing the guilt of eating an ice cream to the guilt of being gay in a country where homosexuality is illegal. Bold move Magnum, but maybe no," wrote user @HidayahLGBTQI on Twitter.

Initially, a spokesperson appeared to defend the ad, telling Newsweek its purpose was "to remind people that what is considered a guilty pleasure isn't always what you would expect."

However, the ice cream company issued a more concrete apology to HuffPost U.K. that also defended its LGBTQ record. "Magnum has a history of championing LGBTQ+ rights and Pride Month is a moment when lots of us celebrate progress," a spokesperson stated.

"We're sorry for any offense caused by the advert, which aimed to bring awareness to the injustices people still face around the world."