Hindustan Unilever’s Red Label released their campaign for Kumbh Mela with the hashtag #ApnoKoApnao. The video was posted on Twitter with the message “Red Label encourages us to hold the hands of those who made us who we are." The campaign video has since sparked a controversy and #BoycottHindustanUnilever is trending on Twitter.
Kumbh Mela is a Hindu Pilgrimage held every 3 years with an estimated footfall of 120 million. Many brands have often created campaigns around this mass attraction of India to garner attention for their product due to the popularity of this sacred event. Hindustan Unilever's Brookebond Red Label too banked upon the occasion and created a campaign touching a sensitive topic related to old age. The video has received ubiquitous flak on Twitter.
Watch the TVC below :
&t=3s
Hindustan Unilever has now deleted their old tweet which quoted "Kumbh Mela is a place where old people get abandoned, isn't it sad that we do not care for our elders?#RedLabel encourages us to hold the hands of those who made us who we are. Watch the heartwarming video; an eye opener to a harsh reality #FatherSon #Bond #Oldage."
This campaign has hit the wrong foot with people and have uprooted a widespread backlashing on Twitter. The hashtag #BoycottHindustandUnilever has since been trending on Twitter. Netizens have called out Hindustan Unilever for promoting the notion that Hindus leave behind their old-age parents at Kumbh Mela. They have termed this ad insensitive and tone deaf.
I called out Hindustan Unilever for their shameful tweet which was disrespectful towards Hindus.
Their tweet has now been deleted. These MNCs hire pseudo liberals in the Marketing Department and this is the result. I urge all self respecting Hindus to #BoycottHindustanUnileverpic.twitter.com/Wl1OozV0HF
The whole purpose of Kumbh mela is just reduced to abandoning elders. These ads are circulated in different mediums which I will say that feeding in people’s brain that Kumbh is all about abandoning elders. It’s time for action time to #BoycottHindustanUnilever products.. pic.twitter.com/GB4lYMffwS
Baba Ramdev has taken this occasion to promote the use of Patanjali, a homegrown brand of India
From East India Co to @HUL_News that’s their true character. Their only agenda is to make the country poor economically & ideologically. Why shld we not boycott them? For them everything, every emotion is just a commodity. For us parents are next to Gods #BoycottHindustanUnileverhttps://t.co/suozbymLBI
#BoycottHindustanUnilever Buy Patanjali world class Products +Money u spend on Patanjali Products will remain in Bharat✔ Buy Patanjali Ghee Curd Shampoo Shower gel Danti Kanti Face Wash Aloo Vera gel Dishwasher Detergent Masale Power Vita Honey Chanch etc pic.twitter.com/Sl35LF2TL4
Follow Us/socialsamosa/media/post_banners/7X7RghTLc842rYFIw8dZ.jpg)
/socialsamosa/media/agency_attachments/PrjL49L3c0mVA7YcMDHB.png)
