Detergent brand Surf Excel released its latest advertisement for Holi, which shows a presumably Hindu girl saving her Muslim friend from getting colours on his clothes as he goes to offer prayer at the mosque.
Named Rang Laaye Sang, the ad is supposed to show communal harmony, a message that wasn’t well received by people on the internet.
Calling the ad ‘Hindu phobic’, people criticised the ad to the extent that the #BoycottSurfExcel started trending on Twitter.
Surf Excel India#boycottSurfExcel#अजातशत्रु pic.twitter.com/gMY5gfxcEc
— सूर्यवंशी ठाकुर (@OO788987161) March 9, 2019
#BoycottSurfExcel@HUL_News made a controversial statement in his Kumbh Mela ad stating “People visit Kumbh mela to get rid of their family and friends”,
— Gandhi And Sons Pvt Ltd (@and_pvt) March 9, 2019
Now again stating “Being Hindi is a Daag(Mark) and Namaaz it’s more important than Holy”.#BoycottHindustanUnilever pic.twitter.com/Ue1mFa4lud
Throwing @HUL_News products into dustbin . Vow never to purchase them again . Sensitising my family and friends too . #BoycottSurfExcel #BoycottHULproducts #BoycottHindustanUnilever pic.twitter.com/Ld1YE9ZPCF
— Shrikanth (@ShrikZinga) March 9, 2019
Canceled my order, cited Hindu phobia as the main reason! #BoycottSurfExcel pic.twitter.com/LWb2fqeeDq
— AtmarathiH (@aarthaH) March 9, 2019
Boycott this anti-hindu product. #BoycottSurfExcel pic.twitter.com/uvhIe1jdCS
— Ramesh Paramanik (@RameshParamanik) March 11, 2019
Hey @HUL_News guys, People have decided to boycott all your products and hope this brings you into senses.#BoycottHindustanUnilever #BoycottSurfExcel #BoycottHULproducts pic.twitter.com/ATT3t7QVQs
— Himanshu #NaMoAgain 💪 (@himanshuforever) March 10, 2019
Whichever duffer came up with the anti Hindu #SurfExcel advert, doesn’t only not know Hinduism, doesn’t know basics of MARKETING. Market research was utter disaster, clearly.
— Arti Agarwal (@arti_agarwal) March 10, 2019
Use brains. I’ll coach u, if u like @HUL_News ur top mgmt should take it seriously#boycottSurfexcel
#BoycottSurfExcel
— Ashok Yadav (@Ashokyadav123) March 9, 2019
From today onwards
We are not going to buy
Monthly
fair n lovely 1 nos – 50 Rs
Surf 20 rs x – 100 Rs
Wheel 36 Rs
I m not going to do 186 Rs business with HUL
However, there were some positive responses too.
Well done #SurfExcel for promoting religious harmony in these times! Great ad too.
— Konkona Sensharma (@konkonas) March 10, 2019
Ignore the haters. https://t.co/TnjUUAr8Tz
I think multiple bhakts should boycott #SurfExcel
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) March 10, 2019
I support you…109%
Id just like to point out that the ad was posted on Twitter.
Since you’re already in the boycotting spirit 🙂, might I persuade you…..
This ad of #SurfExcel can only make communal people angry. Not anyone who likes to live in peace and harmony. pic.twitter.com/ICCJLtdqtZ
— Fahad Shah (@pzfahad) March 10, 2019
This Surf Excel ad made me,
— Karthik (@beastoftraal) March 2, 2019
– smile at the ingenuity of the little girl who helps her little friend
– tear up a bit at the innocence with which children look at each other, beyond the differences we adults create among ourselves.
Lovely piece of work by Lowe Lintas. pic.twitter.com/WWA6mpZrYe
People are Trending Surf Excel and calling it as Anti Hindu.
— Why So Serious ! (@SurrealZak) March 10, 2019
Reason ?
Apparently This Ad is Anti Hindu according to Some. (I am Just Speechless)
Watch it by yourself and Decide.pic.twitter.com/wrIYBrIyyk
Search #BoycottSurfExcel hashtag and witness #TheCultOfStupidity in action. I hope @HUL_News will have the conviction to stand by their advertisement aimed at promoting communal harmony & not be cowed down by hate mongers.
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) March 9, 2019
Oh boy. Not really a fan of #SurfExcel the product or even #HLL. But will buy it now in solidarity!! #stopdivisiveness https://t.co/kAUoxb8cxG
— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) March 11, 2019
