Zomato withdraws outdoor advertisement after social media users criticise it as offensive and sexist
The company’s co-founder apologised and said the firm had not intended to offend anyone.
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Restaurant guide and food ordering app Zomato has withdrawn its new outdoor advertisement campaign that was criticised on social media for being offensive and sexist, Mint reported on Friday.
“While we did not mean to, we can see why it can be offensive to people, and we apologise for it,” the company’s co-founder Pankaj Chaddah said in a tweet on Wednesday. “We will take this ad down with immediate effect.”
Hey, while we didn't mean to, we can see why it can be offensive to people, and we apologize for it.
— Pankaj Chaddah (@pankajchaddah) November 30, 2017
We will take this ad down with immediate effect. cc @AksharPathak @prao24
Hey guys, we at @Zomato (me mostly, I'm a great team player) have been working on some outdoor ads. If you spot one in your city, please share a picture with us (me). Thanks! 😇 ☺️ pic.twitter.com/sxl5qYpAuk
— Akshar (@AksharPathak) November 29, 2017
Though most of the advertisements puns used wordplay based on pop culture references, an ad that read ‘MC. mac n’ cheese? BC. butter chicken?’ offended many people on social media.
So the PR bandwagon of Zomato's new outdoor campaign is rolling.
— Ashok Lalla (@ashoklalla) November 30, 2017
Expectedly, it ignores the outrage against its MC BC creative.
And we wonder about why sexism is alive and kicking. So much for apparently being a category *leader*. pic.twitter.com/XlGsLBsVOT
“While it was not our intention, we can understand how that one particular creative could have been perceived as offensive,” Pramod Rao, the company’s marketing head, told Mint. “We will be withdrawing that creative in particular.”