{"id":166447,"date":"2025-09-24T19:11:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:11:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/166447\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T19:11:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:11:12","slug":"this-is-hate-pure-and-simple-muslim-pork-ad-pulled-from-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/166447\/","title":{"rendered":"‘This is hate, pure and simple’: Muslim pork ad pulled from awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Drum has removed a finalist from its Chip Shop Awards after it was called out for using the tagline: \u201cMake a Muslim eat pork\u201d.<\/p>\n

The full poster said \u201cMake a Muslim eat pork\u201d with an image of a skerrick of meat remaining on a plate. The brand tagline \u201cOr start using Finish\u201d was in smaller text at the bottom of the poster.<\/p>\n

The creative appeared to be advertising Finish dishwasher tablets, but Finish and its parent company Reckitt were not involved in the creative. Instead, it was communications students who had submitted the creative into the category Best Idea (Rejected by a Client).<\/p>\n

The idea of the Chip Shop Awards, according to The Drum, is to celebrate \u201craw, unfiltered creativity\u201d.<\/p>\n

ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chip Shop Awards have long been a notorious fixture in the creative industry, celebrating ideas with no limits, no briefs and no fear of going too far,\u201d its awards material says.<\/p>\n

Zed Anwar, however, said the work should not be celebrated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t clever. This isn\u2019t provocative creativity. This is hate, pure and simple, taking my faith and my identity and reducing them to the punchline of a joke. It dehumanises Muslims everywhere,\u201d the London-based creative art director said on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the most disturbing part? This was not only entered but shortlisted. It\u2019s been celebrated. Laughed at. Applauded. By respected figures in our industry from agencies like Ogilvy, Grey, McCann, Leo Burnett, We Are Social. Even by the Dean of the School of Communication Arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anwar said he was removing his own submissions from contention.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The ad submitted by advertising students, with one line allegedly cropped out (Linkedin)<\/p>\n

\u201cTo The Drum and to every judge who thought this entry was acceptable: shame on you. You\u2019ve told me loud and clear that my identity is a joke to you. My faith is disposable to you. My existence is less valuable to yours,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will not legitimise hate by standing on the same stage as it. I will not celebrate creativity that tramples on humanity. I have always said this, I care more about dignity and humanity than any award. My campaigning for the people of Gaza is proof of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Initially, The Drum issued a short statement to say it had removed the offending ad from the shortlist.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe concept was not intended to give the impression that anyone should be forced to eat food against their beliefs. It was about respecting dietary choices and religious practices by ensuring dishes are properly clean,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

Days later, however, founder and editor-in-chief of The Drum, Gordon Young, has issued a more lengthy response<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He said he had spoken to Anwar and while they \u201cdon\u2019t agree on everything\u201d they do agree \u201cit\u2019s always better to talk than shout\u201d.<\/p>\n

In the statement, Young attempted to provide further context.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Drum\u2019s Gordon Young said responsibility lies with him<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is some mitigation: what circulated on Linkedin was not what was published on the Chip Shop Awards site. The images were cropped, removing the crucial line that explained the concept was about avoiding food residue. The ad was intended to make the opposite point to the one suggested online \u2013 to respect people\u2019s dietary and religious requirements by ensuring they\u2019re not accidentally served food they cannot eat. When judged, it sat alongside a vegan ad, which helped underline that context,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said responsibility ultimately lay with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also want to be clear: this is all on me. It was my idea to bring the Chip Shops back, because I believe the industry needs a space for unfiltered, boundary-pushing creativity. And it was ultimately me who signed off the entries that went onto the site,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t anticipate how offensive it would feel to many, and I take responsibility for that misjudgment. We\u2019ve listened, the work has been withdrawn, and there are lessons we must learn,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Young also asked people not to direct their anger at The Drum team, who he said are hardworking, passionate people.<\/p>\n

He also apologised to the brand for getting it caught up in the furore.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just as importantly \u2014 please don\u2019t direct anger at the brands referenced in Chip Shop work. In this case, Finish and Reckitt had absolutely nothing to do with the entry. They are innocent bystanders who\u2019ve been dragged into a row they didn\u2019t ask for. For that, I want to offer a special apology to them for the difficulties and reputational issues this has caused,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The debate continues in the comments on Linkedin.<\/p>\n

\t\t\tSUBSCRIBE<\/p>\n

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