Ogilvy & Mather apologises for controversial ad campaign featuring Malala Yousafzai being shot
Ogilvy & Mather India has apologised for an ad created in India that depicts cartoon images of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the face by the Taliban, in a campaign for Kurl On mattresses. The campaign, released on Campaign Brief Asia on Tuesday, features Malala, Mahatma Gandhi and Steve Jobs.
The ads were stories about famous personalities bouncing back or reclaiming their lives to become legends. The Malala poster features images of her being shot and falling backwards covered in blood, being put on a drip and then bouncing off a mattress and recovering to receive an award.
Ogilvy’s press spokesman for Asia Pacific, Greg Carton has apologised to Yousafzai and her family.
The Guardian Newspaper quotes Carton: “The recent Kurl-On ads from our India office are contrary to the beliefs and professional standards of Ogilvy & Mather and our clients. We deeply regret this incident and want to personally apologise to Malala Yousafzai and her family.”
“We are investigating how our standards were compromised in this case and will take whatever corrective action is necessary. In addition, we have launched a thorough review of our approval and oversight processes across our global network to help ensure that our standards are never compromised again.”
4 Comments
the pressure to win awards at any cost has led to such insanity. From xenophobic coke delivering drones to the exploitation of Malala, none of these are coincidental slip-ups at this time of the year.
This is true. At any cost. Exploit foreign workers, making use of assaulted women. Where is my CannesLion? This is not worth it O&M. Tell us where these ads ran? Tell us what this client paid for you to makes these ads? I presume that not a rupia was paid again and these ads are just made to pin on a wall in Cannes for people to ogle at and celebrate your creativity. Cannes doesn’t care as long as they get paid. This is sick.
The pressure to win awards ‘at any costs’ comes from the very top now. Then when someone gets caught, the networks throw up their hands in horror and pretend shock and innocence.
‘Should you or any of your team get caught, we will disavow any knowledge of your activities. Suckers.’
Given that, these ads are rubbish and shows enormously bad judgment. Some good ads are shocking in some way. This has led to some idiots thinking that just being shocking makes an ad good.
The agency has used the likeness of a living person for commercial gain without permission and certainly hasn’t pay the usual endorsement fee you would need to pay a global celebrity.
I reckon there’s a strong case for a lawsuit here….and I hope the malala’s people go for it….if nothing, then to gather some funds for the charities she has set up for afghan girls. Let the stupidity of this agency and its senior people at least result in some good, for those who really deserve a better life.