Cadbury pulls ‘discriminatory' TV ad in Australia
The Advertising Standards Bureau said it breached its code by negatively stereotyping the Indian community.
In the “obey your mouth” ad, the Indian announcer, who had a thick Indian accent, couldn’t control his mouth while trying to broadcast flight details at an airport until he stuck a Cadbury Picnic chocolate bar in his mouth.
Mondelēz Australia’s spokesperson told ConfectioneryNews, “We apologize if the advertisement caused any offense. It was designed to appeal to our consumers and we certainly did not intend to insult any person or section of the community.”
Advertising Standards Bureau received a complaint that: “The advertisement exploits the often used caricature of the ethnic stereotype; the stereotypical Indian accent with the cliché Indian caricature demeanor.”
The complaint also alleged the ad reminds stutterers of their “bad occurrences”.
Mondelēz has promised the ad will not return, though it was disappointed with the Bureau’s decision.
In 2011, Cadbury also apologized to Naomi Camppbell after depicting its Dairy Milk chocolate truffle in a newspaper ad that said “move over Naomi, there’s a new diva in town.” The model later described the ad was “upsetting for all black women and black people”.
The Advertising Standards Bureau also addressed three separate complaints about Mondelēz ads last month, but none were found to breach its advertising code.
