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WORLD  Complaints Against Dancing Butchers Ad Upheld FROM NEW ZEALAND STUFF NEW ZEALAND, Apr 14 (VNN) — 11 April 2003 A television advertisement featuring butchers dancing in the streets like Hare Krishna followers has been taken off air after complaints against it were upheld. The Advertising Standards Complaints Board said today the New Zealand Beef and Lamb commercial - Red Meat Feel Good - that featured butchers dancing to the song Jitterbug Boogy had prompted more than 80 complaints. Most complaints said the advertisement was offensive because it mimicked Hare Krishna followers, who don't eat meat and hold the cow to be sacred. New Zealand Beef and Lamb told the board it had purchased the advertisement from Australia. A similar complaint against the advertisement in Australia had not been upheld. "Aside from members of the public, the featured people are butchers, celebrating the nutritional benefits of red meat in a busy city street," NZ Beef and Lamb said. "It does not follow, as the complainants appear to believe, that promoting meat in a celebratory way is an attack on or insult to those who do not eat meat and consider the cow to be sacred." However, the board said it had upheld complaints against the advertisement. "It was unanimously of the view that the advertisement had in fact caused serious offence on the grounds of religious and ethical belief... in the board's view it was not saved by humour as allowed for." A board spokesman said the advertisement had been taken off air and replaced by a new commercial, but complaints had now also been made against it. Story URL Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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