BE Exclusive: Of stains and choppy waters: What’s with the ongoing backlash against HUL ads?

By Misbaah Mansuri

HUL, one of the country’s biggest advertisers has been at the receiving end of public ire yet again for its latest Holi ad for Surf Excel. It was just last week that the company’s ad campaign for Red Label Tea first faced backlash for describing the world’s largest gathering-Kumbh Mela as a place where old people get abandoned which led to #BoycottHindustanUnilever trending on Twitter.


Right-wing trollers have now attacked the Surf Excel ad campaign which shows Hindu-Muslim unity. The section of trollers asserted that the ad is hurting Hindu religious sentiments claiming that the ad was Hindu-phobic, promoting “love jihad.” Patanjali promoter Yoga guru-turned-businessman Baba Ramdev has also tweeted against both the ads.





ETBE reached out to HUL and Lowe Lintas, the agency behind the ad campaign for their comment but couldn’t elicit a response. The article will be updated with the statement from the brand and agency once we receive it.


Jagdish Acharya, founder and creative head of Cut The Crap is of the opinion that the backlash is going to get louder and louder. Acharya hinted that maintaining a balanced- story without making any generalization is definitely of the essence. He opined that the brand should have been more mindful with their overall creative approach for both Surf Excel and Red Label. “Brands should think 10 times before entering the zone around sensitive subjects. I think that the brand has gone wrong with this one because it is purely sales-driven as Surf Excel does no activity to maintain communal harmony. It is too blatant to talk about Kumbh to sell your brand,” Acharya asserted.

Harish Bijoor, brand strategist and founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc voiced the opinion that the effect will be a multiplier on brand after brand, till the contagion of distrust is contained. He observed that competition is contributing to it for sure. “HUL is under the microscope now. Thanks to RedLabel and Kumbh. Every action present, past, and immediate-future will be roiled and trolled. Baba Ramdev was the first to take the opposing stance from completion. HUL needs to take its every step rather cautiously for a while.”

Meanwhile, Prathap Suthan, managing partner and CCO of ad-agency - Bang In The Middle noted that there’s nothing negative about this commercial and that it’s socio-culturally relevant to India and the mood of the country. “If from a social/cultural perspective it can deliver the view that one has to respect others, then its job is done.” While Suthan agreed that in the current scenario it might get hauled over brimstone, he lauded Surf Excel’s “good relevant message”.

N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA echoed the sentiments that there is a vested interest in this backlash which is being promoted by Patanjali. He opined that while the Red Label ad could have been questioned creatively due to its poor rendering and execution but Surf Excel’s ad is, in fact, beautifully-made and wonderfully-executed. “While I am not a detergent chooser, for solidarity sake, I would buy an extra kilo of Surf Excel to applaud the advertising communication and support the brand on it. At the end of the day, they are just ads, if the creative work doesn't resonate, people shouldn't buy products but the trolling is just unnecessary and manufactured,” he said.