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A militant youth group loyal to Zimabwbe’s president is calling for a boycott of a restaurant chain whose latest advertisement depicts the aging, authoritarian president as the last dictator standing, state radio reported. Photo: YouTube
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What do Bob Mugabe, the Pope, an angel, an actress and a stripper have in common … Well they have all been used by advertisers to sell products in a way that has many hot under the collar.
Here are IOL’s Top 5 adverts that have caused a stir in recent months.
1. Nando’s “Last Dictator Standing”: Well who knew Mugabe didn’t have a sense of humour? … Um , well everybody.
Nando’s have pulled their ad, featuring the Zimbabwean president, after threats from militants against its Zimbabwe branches.
“No TV commercial is worth risking ther safety of Nando’s staff and customers”, the company said.
Theadvert, , which has gone viral on YouTube, begins with Mugabe organising a festive season dinner table, setting down a place mat for the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. As a saddened look crosses his face, we see dreamy flashbacks of Mugabe and Gaddafi wielding water pistols in a water fight in what appears to be one of their many palatial estates.
Cue the song “Those were the days, my friend” over images of Mugabe making sand angels with dead former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, a karaoke scene with Mao Zedong, and a nod to the epic film Titanic, with former Ugandan strongman Idi Amin. As the memories fade back to the present, we see the “Last Dictator Standing” sitting alone at a table.
The tagline? “This time of year, no one should have to eat alone.”
Nando’s maintains their advertising has always been built around social commentary. However, pro-Mugabe militants were not buying it.
2. Axe’s falling angels: In October the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) instructed a TV advert depicting angels falling from heaven because they are attracted to a man’s deodorant, to be withdrawn, as it could offend Christians.
The advert for Axe deodorant depicts winged, attractive women crashing to earth in what appears to be an Italian town, and then being drawn towards and sniffing a young man who has used the deodorant. The text at the end of the ad reads: “Even angels will fall”.
A viewer who complained to the ASA about the advert said the suggestion that angels – God’s messengers – would literally fall for a man wearing this deodorant was incompatible with his belief as a Christian.
“As such, the problem is not so much that angels are used in the commercial, but rather that the angels are seen to forfeit, or perhaps forego their heavenly status for mortal desires,” the ASA said. “This is something that would likely offend Christians in the same manner as it offended the complainant.”
3. Dakota’s flower: In October, Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority banned a magazine advertisement for fashion designer Marc Jacobs’ “Oh, Lola!” fragrance featuring teenage actress Dakota Fanning because it “could be seen to sexualize a child”.
The group said its decision was partly based on the “sexually provocative” way the oversized perfume bottle, shaped like a vase holding a flower in bloom, rested between Fanning’s legs.
“We considered that the length of her dress, her leg and position of the perfume bottle drew attention to her sexuality,” the ASA said.
“We understood the model was 17 years-old but we considered she looked under the age of 16,” it added.
“We therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible and was likely to cause serious offence.”
4. Mavericks “Alibi” billboards: Cape Town strip club Mavericks has warned it will take the ASA to court for ruling that two of the club’s billboards be removed..
Mavericks is marketing scents as “alibis” for men who lie to their wives about staying out partying and, complainants claim, engaging in extramarital affairs. The fragrances are “My Car Broke Down”, “We Were Out Sailing”, and “I Was Working Late”.
The ASA received complaints that the ads portrayed pornographic imagery in public, demeaned and objectified women, and contained wording that encouraged cheating.
“If advertising didn’t objectify women, most female models would be out of work,” was Mavericks owner Shane Harrison’s response.
Responding to the charge that the ads promoted adultery, Harrison said: “They are tongue-in-cheek, and they are not meant to hint at cheating, just staying out late.”
5. Benetton’s Unhate campaign: Last month, Benetton provoked fury at the Vatican by unveiling an advert featuring a mocked-up picture of the Pope kissing an imam.
The image of Pope Benedict kissing Ahmed al-Tayeb, sheikh of Cairo’s Al-Azhar mosque, appeared on the Italian clothing firm’s website and on sites around Rome.
The Vatican threatened legal action, saying the advert was “damaging to not only the dignity of the Pope and the church but also to the feelings of believers”.
Within hours of unveiling the manipulated image as part of a new campaign – supposedly aimed at fostering tolerance – Benetton withdrew it.
A spokesman confirmed the advert was no longer part of its campaign, which shows other political leaders indulging in digitally created kisses. US President Barack Obama was seen kissing Chinese President Hu Jintao, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu smooched Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and French President Nicolas Sarkozy kissed German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Alessandro Benetton, the company’s executive deputy chairman, said: “The images are strong but we have to send a strong message.” – IOL
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Top 5 ads that have caused a stir