Recently, Target pleasantly surprised many when it unveiled a Wedding Gift Registry ad campaign featuring a smiling same-sex couple holding hands underneath the tagline "that's love."

But those who expected the ad to mean more than a coldly calculated salvo launched by a heartless megacorp into an untapped market were quickly met with major disappointment.

On Friday, a Target spokeswoman told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the Minneapolis-based company was not making a statement concerning its stance on Minnesota's "traditional marriage" amendment one way or another.

"We recognize that there is a broad range of strongly held views on the MN Marriage amendment," said Molly Snyder. "Consistent with our longstanding support of civic engagement, we strongly encourage our team members to exercise their right to vote in November."

She went on to claim that the ad was nothing more than an attempt to "reach all guests and represent the diversity of communities we serve."

In the past, Target has come under fire for supporting Republican candidates and conservative groups known to oppose marriage equality in Minnesota.

Same-sex marriage is currently legal in only five of the 49 states in which Target operates: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Iowa, and New York. There are no Target stores in Vermont.

[H/T: Joe My God]