Article: Red Bull drops Jesus ad in SA

Energy-drink maker Red Bull said Wednesday it has dropped an advertisement in South Africa after an outcry from both Christians and Muslims for its portrayal of Jesus Christ walking on water.

South Africa's Roman Catholic bishops urged Christians not to drink Red Bull in traditional fasting for Lent ahead of Easter celebrations next month, stopping short of calling for a full commercial boycott.
 
where can we see that ad? As usual the religious zealots dictate what we can and cant watch.
 
Thank you Lord for answering our prayers...:D

/Goes off to drink Monster Energy Drink instead.
 
Don't worry, another equally offensive ad will be along shortly.

Red Bull achieved what they wanted to achieve, they flighted the ad for as long as they intended.... got the publicity from the controversy, and then still saved face by "pulling" the ad in response to "public demand", so they claim they can come off looking as a company that responds to people (but is still a bit risque)!
 
In a message to Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, head of the Southern Africa Roman Catholic Bishops Conference, the Muslim council said the ad was hurtful to Christianity, Islam and religion as a whole.
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The poor dears. :(

I hope they can afford counseling.

"We wish that our voices can be united to make clear to any secular extremist that any attack or defacement of religious symbols and sacred spaces is not acceptable," the council said.
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**** me. You've got to be kidding. :erm:

"There is a need for [-]a new sensitivity toward people's beliefs,"[/-] religions to realize they are open to criticism, and when people don't hold your faith in as high an esteem as you do, it is not an necessarily an attack, and the right of free speech in any open and democratic society trumps the butt-hurt that religious institutions claim in order to censor any views they find unpalatable." said Chris Townsend, an official of the Bishops Conference in South Africa.
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.
 
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Garyvdh said:
Don't worry, another equally offensive ad will be along shortly.

Red Bull achieved what they wanted to achieve, they flighted the ad for as long as they intended.... got the publicity from the controversy, and then still saved face by "pulling" the ad in response to "public demand", so they claim they can come off looking as a company that responds to people (but is still a bit risque)!
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By "equally offensive" I trust you mean not offensive at all?

Thing is, I don't think that was initially the intention. The ad is on YouTube in several other languages, some posted as much as a month ago. I'd assume that the English dub might've been behind a bit, and Red Bull - being an international company - simply didn't expect the level of zealotry they were met with locally. They undoubtedly attempted to save face in the manner you describe, but that they had to is somewhat saddening.
 
"Cardinal Napier earlier called on Catholic worshippers to donate to charities any money they saved on Red Bull during Lent."

:D
 
HapticSimian said:
By "equally offensive" I trust you mean not offensive at all?

Thing is, I don't think that was initially the intention. The ad is on YouTube in several other languages, some posted as much as a month ago. I'd assume that the English dub might've been behind a bit, and Red Bull - being an international company - simply didn't expect the level of zealotry they were met with locally. They undoubtedly attempted to save face in the manner you describe, but that they had to is somewhat saddening.
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Oh come now. Surely you are not that naive? Companies flight controversial ads all the time. Some of them use sex and some of them use taboo topics.
The point of all of them is to become a talking point... "have you seen such and such ad?"
Everything that Red Bull did in the last week was carefully planned and orchestrated by an Ad company... the entire campaign.
 
Garyvdh said:
Oh come now. Surely you are not that naive? Companies flight controversial ads all the time. Some of them use sex and some of them use taboo topics.
The point of all of them is to become a talking point... "have you seen such and such ad?"
Everything that Red Bull did in the last week was carefully planned and orchestrated by an Ad company... the entire campaign.
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Yes, I've seen a couple of Nando's ads in my time & I perhaps worded my response poorly as I meant to convey only that I don't think the ad was flighted only to be pulled a day later. All I'm saying is that I think Red Bull will come away surprised at the level of religious influence in good ol' SA. They might've hoped for controversy, but not for a 1-day campaign.
 
Obviously they have to practice what they preach (downhill on a skateboard at high speed). It's risky, but fun too.
 
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