Love Conquers Haters As Old Navy Ad With Toms River Man Stirs Controversy

An Old Navy ad featuring a Toms River man has stirred up a whole lot of hate -- and a whole lot of love, too.

The ad, tweeted Friday by the clothing retailer, shows an interracial couple dressed in Old Navy clothing and trumpets its 30 percent off customer appreciation event:

But the choice of an interracial couple prompted a number of racist responses among Twitter users, criticizing the choice. Some users went so far as to alter the Old Navy photo with monkey faces.

But the backlash against the hate has been swift and overwhelming, with people sharing photos of their multicultural families and expressing outrage and shock at the hateful responses.

Among those responding is the man in the ad, model Clay Pollioni, who is from Ortley Beach, according to Jersey Shore Hurricane News.

"I'm extremely proud to have taken part in a campaign that not only celebrates our nation's diversity, but also unites families with multicultural backgrounds and promotes love of all kinds!" Pollioni said in an Instagram photo of himself in front of the ad at the Ocean County Mall.

A photo posted by Clay Pollioni (@clay_pollioni) on May 2, 2016 at 11:26am PDT

Others who have responded include Jack McCain, the son of Sen. John McCain, who ripped critics of the ad and tweeted photos of himself and his wife, Air Force Officer Renee Swift McCain, a black woman, in response.

The backlash against Old Navy isn't the first time social media has responded negatively to an ad with an interracial couple. In May 2013, Cheerios released an ad touting the cereal's role in a heart-healthy diet with an interracial family.

The spot sparked an outrage among some, but didn't faze cereal giant General Mills; it responded with a follow-up ad during the Super Bowl in 2014.