The Advertising Standard Bureau has held that a video advertisement showing a Hindu deity eating meat breached the Advertising Standard code of Australia.
In September this year, Meat and Livestock Australia released a video ad promoting lamb meat which showed lord Ganesha sitting among gods and goddesses and prophets of different faiths coming together over lamb at a modern-day spring barbecue.
Several members of the Hindu community of Australia who were furious at the ad complained to the Advertising Standards Bureau claiming it had hurt their religious sentiments. However, the ASB held that the ad was not in breach of the Advertising Standard code.
Later, on appealling the decision of the ASB, in an independent review of the board’s decision was sought, claiming the words “addressing the elephant in the room” in the ad were "deeply offensive and hurtful to the Hindus."
Hindu deity Ganesha in the video ad released by Meat and Livestock Australia. Source: Youtube We love our lamb
After an independent review, the board of the ASB said Meat and Livestock Australia had not given adequate consideration to the religious views of some Australians and did not pay due attention to the level of offence caused to them.
The ASB board said Lord Ganesha, and by extension people of the Hindu faith, were given less favourable treatment than the other deities and that this amounted therefore to a depiction of material that vilifies a section of the community on account of their Hindu religion.
“After taking into account the Independent Reviewer’s finding that the Board gave insufficient weight to the views of complainants in regards to the Elephant Comment, the Board determined that the advertisement breached section 2.1 of the Code and upheld complaints,” the ASB said.
The ASB’s decision came after appeals for a review were filed, including one by Melbourne resident Karthik Arasu.
Mr Arasu says MLA should now remove the “derogatory” video from all platforms.
“The decision reinforces the belief that no one can denigrate a community in Australia on the basis of religion, colour or the size of the community,” he tells SBS Punjabi. “It’s a victory for the entire community”.
The advertiser-Meat and Livestock Australia confirmed that the advertisement is no longer being broadcast. However, the advertise- Meat and Livestock Australia maintains its ad does not discriminate against anyone.
“MLA respectfully disagrees with the review and the Board’s revised decision and reiterates that the advertisement was conceived and intended to promote religious inclusiveness in a light-hearted and humorous manner. Most critically, it was never the intention of MLA to discriminate against or vilify any religious group," said MLA responding to the board's latest decision.
