Tanishq’s ad was released last week.
Mumbai:
Hours after Titan’s Tanishq, a popular jewelry brand, was brutally tracked down on social media for an ad featuring an interfaith baby shower (and forced to withdraw the ad), the brand released a statement saying it was “deeply saddened by the inadvertent stirring of emotions. “
Referring to the barrage of savage comments directed at the brand and Ratan Tata (under whose Tata Group Tanishq appears), the statement said it was pulling the film “with … the well-being of our employees, partners and personal store in mind.”
“The idea behind the Ekavatam campaign is to celebrate the coming together of people from different walks of life, local communities and families during these challenging times and to celebrate the beauty of unity. This film has stimulated divergent and severe reactions, contrary to its objective. himself, “the statement said.
“We are deeply saddened by the inadvertent stirring of emotions and we are withdrawing this film with the hurt feelings and well-being of our employees, partners and store staff in mind,” he added.
Titan’s shares fell sharply amid today’s trolling, ending with a 2.1% drop on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and 2.5% on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
The ad, published last week, was the target of a section on social networks that considered it “promoted love jihad.” But many others condemned the bigotry and hateful posts that were driving the boycott trend, calling it completely against the Idea of India.
His supporters also urged industrialist Ratan Tata to stand strong in the face of such hatred and not back down. Some also asked why Tanishq had given in to the pressure and taken the ad off the air.
Famous author Chetan Bhagat and former Congress leader Sanjay Jha called Tata and Tanishq, telling them “don’t be intimidated.” Earlier in the day, Congressional leaders Shashi Tharoor and Abhishek Singhvi tweeted; Tharoor praised the announcement as an example of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Opponents of the ad claimed that Tanishq was promoting “love jihad.” Others alleged that the brand also promoted “Muslim” jewelry rather than “Hindu” jewelry.
The ad shows a pregnant woman in a sari accompanied by a woman she calls “ma (mother)” to a baby shower ceremony. At the end the young woman asks the old woman, apparently her mother-in-law, “but this ceremony is not held in your house …”.
The mother-in-law, dressed in a suit and her head covered with a dupatta, replies: “Isn’t it a tradition in every home to keep daughters happy?”
The film was removed from Tanishq’s YouTube channels today.
The ad is for Tanishq’s new collection, called “Ekatvam”, which literally means “unity”.
“Each #EkatvamByTanishq jewel is meticulously crafted using art forms from across the country. Over 1000 Karigars have spent countless hours creating these jewels that are a captivating ode to the beauty of unity. #TanishqWaliDiwali,” a tweet on the official Twitter account read.
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