When Cheerios posted an ad to YouTube in May featuring an interracial couple, the comments section—as it so often does on Google’s video-sharing website—erupted with bile. Racist bile, in this case. This caused a stir, even though it’s nearly impossible to be surprised by ugly comments on YouTube. You could post a video about cabinet repair and draw dozens of foul-mouthed segregationists out of the woodwork.
The episode gave General Mills the chance to stand up to the backlash and earn a round of good will from everyone who abhors racism, so it makes sense that the company would make a Super Bowl spot featuring the same interracial family. It’s already up on YouTube and it’s adorable. And the comments section isn’t a cesspool of hatred.
