Australia's Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) will investigate complaints made about an lamb marketing campaign that has angered the easily offended. Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) launched an amusing advert featuring actors portraying Jesus,
Lord Ganesh, L. Ron Hubbard and Buddha.
So far the ASB has received about 30 complaints about the ad. An ASB spokesperson told SBS World News most people who complained about the ad cited discrimination and vilification on the grounds of religion.
MLA Group marketing manager Andrew Howie explained the advert:
Lamb is the meat that brings people together. Our 'You Never Lamb Alone' campaigns have promoted the value of unity and inclusivity. This latest
campaign instalment is no different,
Our intent is never to offend, but rather acknowledge that lamb is a meat consumed by a wide variety of cultures and capture how the world could look if people left their differing views
at the door and came to the table with open arms, and minds.
Howie also pointed out Ganesh was sitting across the table from Buddha, another vegetarian. Neither of them are eating meat or drinking wine but they were willing
participants at the party which we would hope everyone can come together and celebrate their difference.
Not all deities were represented at the dinner table. To save offending muslims with a depiction of Mohammed, he was conveniently unable to
make the dinner party.
Hindu Council of Ausralia spokesperson Balesh Dhankhar said they were very hurt and angry about this ad campaign. The reason being the Hindu community cannot imagine their deity, Lord Ganesh in this case, as eating meat.
Dhankhar said most people who follow Hinduism were vegetarians and seeing Lord Ganesh in this manner was very insulting. He said the Hindu community was one of the fastest growing in Australia and seeing the deity depicted in this manner went against the
country's values.
Update: India is offended
10th September 2017 See article from bbc.com
The High Commission of India in Canberra said it had made a demarche to three Australian government departments. It also urged Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) to withdraw the advertisement because many people considered it offensive and hurting
their religious sentiments.
A number of community associations have also registered their protest with government of Australia and Meat and Livestock Australia, the high commission said in a statement.
Update: And of
course Rajan Zed
12th September 2017 See article from rajanzed.org
Eternal whinger Rajan Zed has called for a ban of the Meat & Livestock Australia lamb advert.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that it was highly irresponsible of MLA to continue with this ad despite the clear
expression by Hindus that it was very inappropriate and hurt their feelings.
Rajan Zed also urged Australia Advertising Standards Bureau to act urgently on the various complaints received by it regarding this ad.
Besides withdrawing the ad
immediately, MLA Board Chair Dr. Michele Allan and Managing Director Richard Norton should resign for apparently working against the interests of the organization by upsetting consumers instead of charming them, and using cheap tactics to attract
attention instead of seriously attempting to prevent consumers from reducing their lamb consumption, Rajan Zed indicated.
Zed had sought ban on You Never Lamb Alone video ad, which seemed to make fun of Lord Ganesha. Zed pointed out that Lord
Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and he was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling lamb meat for mercantile greed. Moreover, linking Lord Ganesha with meat was very disrespectful and highly inappropriate,
Zed added.
Update: Censored by YouTube
14th September 2017 See article from thedrum.com
YouTube has removed the You Never Lamb Alone advert by Meat & Livestock Australia in India after requests from the Indian government.
A message on the video now reads for Indian viewers: this content is not on this country domain due
to a legal complaint from the government.
Update: Banned in Thailand
15th September 2017 See
article from khaosodenglish.com
Fight of Gods is no longer available for purchase from within Thailand on Steam. This item is currently unavailable in your region, notes the entry in Steam's online store.
After the game was released, Buddhist officials in Thailand
expressed outrage. Booncherd Kittitharangkoon, the director of a state agency that governs monks and temples, told reporters that the game could damage Buddhism.
Booncherd said he had asked the Culture of Censorship Ministry to send a complaint to
Taiwanese game developer Digital Crafter. He warned that Thai authorities could take legal action if some characters were not removed.
A spokesman for British developer, PQube acknowledged that Thailand has formally demanded that the game be
removed from sale in their territory.
