HUL's Kumbh Mela ad draws flak over 'abandoning' parents, #BoycottHindustanUnilever trends on Twitter

Picture for representation

Consumer goods company Hindustan Unilever Limited’s recent advertisement has irked the tweeple. In an ad campaign meant to promote familial ties, the corporate giant’s ad film talks about how the elderly often get 'abandoned' by their immediate family members at venues such as the Kumbh Mela.

The ad for its beverage Brooke Bond Red Label Tea, has been widely criticised for taking potshots at the religious fanfare. Enraged users of the microblogging platform have called out the company for maligning the Maha Kumbh, reducing it to just a venue where old people are left behind.

Though the original post titled "heartwarming video; an eye opener to a harsh reality" was taken down by the company. It had said, "Kumbh Mela is a place where old people get abandoned, isn't it sad that we do not care for our elders? Watch an heartwarming video, an eye-opener to harsh reality."

HUL later reposted the video with title: "RedLabelChai encourages us to hold the hands of those who made us who we are. Watch the heart-warming video".

.@RedLabelChai encourages us to hold the hands of those who made us who we are. Watch the heart-warming video #ApnoKoApnaopic.twitter.com/P3mZCsltmt

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— Hindustan Unilever (@HUL_News) March 7, 2019

The backlash resulted in an adverse hashtag trending on Twitter -- #BoycottHindustanUnilever.

Here's what Twitter users had to say:

So @HUL_News too joins the list of brands in the shit-list. Surprising that such corporates don't game the potential loss of business when pushing such borderline bigoted campaigns. Even more surprising is the fact that the tweet with the ad is STILL up!#BoycottHindustanUnilever — Harpreet (@CestMoiz) March 7, 2019

Use Indian , non toxic herbal ,eco friendly and organic products. So many small scale industries make handmade soaps, natural cleaners, laundry powder etc which I use. #BoycottHindustanUnilever will not only show their place, it will make you environmentally conscious too. — krithika sivaswamy (@krithikasivasw) March 7, 2019

Wow @HUL_News - you just summed up the world's largest gathering in one insensitive statement to peddle your brew dust. @Unilever - do you stand for this hatred and bigotry ? #BoycottHindustanUnileverhttps://t.co/IN1kPzCffx — rag (@cmnsenseindian) March 7, 2019

#BoycottHindustanUnilever Dear Hindustan Unilever, Kumbh Mela is a place where old are abandoned? No wonder people switch to Patanjali after so many brands endorsing anti Hindu sentiments.#BoycottHindustanUnilever — Shailendra Singh (@anpadhmaster) March 7, 2019

From East India Co to @HUL_News that’s their true character. Their only agenda is to make the country poor economically & ideologically. Why shld we not boycott them? For them everything, every emotion is just a commodity. For us parents are next to Gods #BoycottHindustanUnileverhttps://t.co/suozbymLBI — Swami Ramdev (@yogrishiramdev) March 7, 2019

#BoycottHindustanUnilever HUL denigrates #Kumbhmela as a place where elderly are abandoned, in a tweet and a video. What is worse is that they quietly deleted old tweet without apology,and put out this tweet below with the same disgusting video. Never drinking #RedLabel again! https://t.co/6hDZIdjzSh — Ravi Mantha (@rmantha2) March 7, 2019

In the new clip, a son can be seen making an attempt to abandon his father, but he has a change of heart after seeing another father-son bond. He returns to his father with a cup of tea instead. A message appears towards the end of the clip saying: "Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world. At this gathering, many elderly are abandoned by their families. This Kumbh, let's hold the hands of those who made us who we are."

The original post read: "Kumbh Mela is a place where old people get abandoned, isn't it sad that we do not care for our elders? #RedLabel encourages us to hold the hands of those who made us who we are. Watch the heartwarming video; an eye opener to a harsh reality #FatherSon #Bond #Oldage."