A marketing campaign for lamb, which was intended to promote inclusivity, has angered the international Hindu community, which is calling for the “ignorant and insensitive” ad to be banned.
Meat & Livestock Australia’s latest campaign for lamb features a number of religious figures – including Jesus, Buddha, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and Greek goddess Aphrodite – sitting around a lamb lunch.
The Hindu deity Ganesha is also depicted digging in, despite being considered a vegetarian by followers of the religion.
President of the Council of Indian Australians Mohit Kumar said the timing of the campaign’s launch, coinciding with the festival Ganesh Chaturthi, was particularly hurtful to the Hindu community.
“If [MLA] had consulted properly they would have been told that depicting Lord Ganesha in this way is highly inappropriate,” he said.
MLA has a long history of stirring controversy with its marketing campaigns, including upsetting the Indigenous community with its 2017 Australia Day promotion and attracting complaints for depicting violence towards a vegan in a 2016 ad.
Mr Kumar said the new campaign was another “marketing gimmick” but it was also “ignorant and insensitive”.
“They have made a big blunder,” he said.
“I realise any advertising is good advertising from their perspective and this is a marketing gimmick but it’s a big mistake.
“They have made a big blunder,” he said.
“I realise any advertising is good advertising from their perspective and this is a marketing gimmick but it’s a big mistake.