Controversial advertising is a thing and has been a part of our industry for as long as we can remember. Despite trying to shatter the stigma and advocating for body positivity, brands have still a long way to go. In a recent instance, a renowned cooking oil brand launched its new ad, and they are taking body shaming to a whole new level.
The Cooking Oil Ad
The concept is based on a kid who loves himself some roadside snacks, and who doesn’t? The ad starts with a kid asking his mother for a plate of kachori. Portrayed as a foodie, he asks for a second, then a third plate. However, he immediately starts complaining about a stomachache.
The scene follows the dramatic entry of two inspectors who questions the quality of the cooking oil used by the vendor. Saying a few things about the quality of oil and how consumers should only consume food cooked in Meezan Oil, they blame consumers for not knowing what type of oil is used in roadside cafes.
However, what took the attention of social media was the closing comment which stated,
“Meezan main bana khana khilaen, is bachay ko burger se insan banaen.”
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Take a look at the commercial below.
https://www.facebook.com/302087329821891/posts/5460388320658407/
The spoken words aren’t only derogatory, but they also normalise body-shaming. In a society which is taking too long to un-learn such words, it doesn’t help anyone yet only adds to the problem. The brand should know better and get the scripts reviewed multiple times for any sensitive comments.
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Likewise, the type of oil used is not relevant to the weight gain, and hence the link drawn and the choice of words could’ve been better for the said commercial.
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