South Korean dairy giants were forced to apologize after an advertisement appeared to have compared women and cows.
Seoul Milk, which is the country’s most popular dairy brand in south-east Asia, featured an advertisement that showed a man recording a group of women working in a field.
Voice-overs in the nature of wildlife document described the lifestyle and diet of the women.
The man attempts to move closer but he stumbles on a twig that snaps loudly. Strangely enough, the woman looks up to see that they have been transformed into white and black cows. They then moo very loudly.
South Korean dairy firm was criticised for comparing women to milk cows via its latest online advertisement
In the ad, a man sneaked up on women in field work and spied on them.
The women were seen doing yoga, while the men were drinking water.
The woman suddenly becomes a field of Friesian cows after the man has stepped on a twig
The advert sparked a social media backlash after being uploaded to Seoul Milk’s official YouTube channel on November 29 and was removed on December 8, according to The Korea Herald.
The sexist nature of the crime was not only condemned, but also compared with “molka” crimes, in which men secretly record women without their consent. These crimes are an increasing problem in South Korea.
In its apology Seoul Milk said: ‘We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable seeing our milk advertising video uploaded on Seoul Milk’s official YouTube channel, November 29.
“We take this matter seriously, and we will be taking more precautions to avoid similar issues in the future.” All consumers who were uncomfortable by this advertisement are sincerely reprimanded.
The narrator speaks of women in the advertisement, which was shared via social media. We finally managed to get them captured on film in a beautiful place, where nature has preserved its beauty.
They drink pure water, don’t eat processed foods, live in peaceful surroundings, and are committed to a healthy diet. I will try to approach them cautiously…’
The advert eventually praises the cows that come from an organic ranch located in Cheongiang.
Korean Times readers said that the man illegally took photos of women and turned them into cows. The advertisement is too problematic. It’s disgusting.’
While others do yoga, one of the women is trying to drink water. The group suddenly turns into milk cows when the man steps on the broken branch.
Another writer wrote that the “person who made the advertisement” and “the person who granted permission to publish it” lacks gender sensitiveness.
Other customers complained directly to the company, stating: “I will never again drink Seoul Milk.”
An additional comment: Humans should not be referred to as cattle. Spy-camming is also prohibited from being used for advertising purposes.
YouTube users were outraged, with one user asking: “How could this horrible advertisement get approved?” Is it possible that no thought was given to its production and planning?