Coca-Cola Covers Swiss Newspapers Urging Voters to Outlaw Homophobia

In a show of solidarity with LGBTQ people, Coca-Cola purchased the covers of Switzerland's major newspapers and covered them with rainbow bottles of its signature product ahead of a referendum there Sunday that asks voters to criminalize homophobia.

If Swiss voters pass the measure, it will criminalize anti-LGBTQ hate speech in much the same way that discrimination based on race, gender, and religion are currently illegal there, according to Forbes.

There are early indications that the measure has the support of the majority of Swiss voters, according to The Local.

Coca-Cola launched its "Equality Manifesto" with a statement that read:

"For a Switzerland of living #together. It is no coincidence that Coca-Cola is campaigning today for a colorful and indiscriminate Switzerland. Because Coca-Cola's credo -- worldwide and here in Switzerland -- is unquestionably equality, diversity and tolerance. We are steadfastly committed to equal rights, diversity and tolerance. Discrimination and exclusion are not acceptable to us in any form."

The company made a push for equality in all four of Switzerland's national languages as well as in English.

But Coca-Cola's support for criminalizing homophobia is not without controversy. The youth wing of the Swiss People's Party put out a statement calling the company out for its hypocrisy because it still does business in countries that criminalize homosexuality.

"Coca-Cola is doing business in countries where homosexuality is still banned or even punished with death," Managing Director of the Swiss People's Party David Trachsel told the Swiss outlet Blick.