By Sheikh Saaliq
NEW DELHI (AP) --The advertisement by the popular Indian jewelry brand featured a Muslim man and his Hindu wife preparing for a Hindu-style baby shower. Its tagline read: "A beautiful confluence of two different religions, traditions and cultures."
But just days after the 45-second advertisement aired, the Tanishq brand withdrew it from TV channels and its social media platforms on Tuesday, following a backlash from Hindu nationalists, including members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. They said the ad promoted "love jihad," a conspiracy theory used by radical Hindu groups who accuse Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage.
The withdrawal of the ad drew sharp criticism from many in India who said the company was succumbing to right-wing extremists. It also shed light on the country's growing religious polarization under Modi, whose party and supporters envision the country as a Hindu nation and are accused by critics of normalizing anti-Muslim sentiment.
Tanishq said in a statement Tuesday that the ad was meant to celebrate diversity but that it decided to withdraw it due to the "divergent and severe reactions." It said the decision was made keeping in mind the "well-being" of the company's employees and partners.
The jewelry brand is part of the Tata Group, one of the largest conglomerates in India.
This isn't the first time an Indian brand has faced the ire of Hindu nationalists.
Last year, an ad for a detergent powder faced backlash after it sought to promote its brand showing Hindu-Muslim harmony. It showed a Hindu girl saving her Muslim friend from getting smeared with colored powder during the Hindu festival of Holi. The ad drew calls for a boycott and was accused of being "Hindu-phobic."
A lawmaker from the opposition Congress party, Shashi Tharoor, who posted the Tanishq ad to his Twitter account on Tuesday, said, "Hindutva bigots have called for a boycott for highlighting Hindu-Muslim unity through this beautiful ad."
If the ad "irks them so much," Tharoor wrote, "why don't they boycott the longest surviving symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity — India?"
Critics of Modi say India's tradition of diversity has come under attack since his Hindu nationalist BJP won power in 2014. The party denies the accusation.
But an apparent mood of fear, anger and disenchantment is growing among ordinary Indian Muslims, who say Modi and his party are slowly disenfranchising them, leaving the community reckoning with a future as second-class citizens. At the heart of this feeling are the policies and rhetoric of Modi's party and some of its leaders who have publicly given hate speeches against Muslims.
India is a predominantly Hindu country, with Muslims making up about 14% of its 1.4 billion people.
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More