As I walked into a departmental store in Kolkata’s City Centre, a poster of Kingfisher Beer informs that to be a proud Indian, one must forget the Ugly Aussie. Obviously a take “below the belt” at Fosters, the South African competitor, which to most is perceived as an Aussie brand.
This advert is to use the much-hyped incidents that took place in Australia in 2009-2010 to give an impression that Australians are racists. Gross generalization for sure and one that needs to be objected upon by all sane minds. Now there is clear evidence that while some of the attacks may have had racistic undertone, the bulk of the incidents were pure acts of “mugging” by “druggies and other such loonies”. Australia continues to be a multicultural society and Indian students at Universities continue to feel as safe and secure as they will feel in any part of the world including their home country.
The dictionary gives the meaning of “racism” as:
racism |ˈrāˌsizəm| noun
the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
• prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief : a program to combat
If this definition can be applied, the Kingfisher Beer advert is clearly racistic too. Mr Mallaya’s company has “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.”
Can someone tell the company that it should stop making lndians look and feel ugly. I commit that I will not be touching the advertised product. By doing that, I will be forgetting “this Ugly Indian to remain a Proud Indian”.
However, a question remains: Why does Kingfisher choose to shoot its calendars in Australia at all. I understand that it exports its beer too to Australia and has Aussie cricketers playing for its various IPL teams.
RLS's Blog 
I am really shocked by seeing this ad as I can remind an interview given By, Dr. Malyya on 26/02/2008.
Vijay Mallya, the owner of the new Force India team, has questioned the FIA’s reaction to the recent Spanish racism affair.
The Indian billionaire roundly condemned the actions of the “oddballs” who taunted Lewis Hamilton at a 2008 Barcelona test, but reckons formula one’s governing body was wrong to make too big a fuss about the incident.
“If you take protective measures, you are only acknowledging there is a threat,” Mallya told the Daily Mail, amid reports that security has been tighter as the circus tested again at the Circuit de Catalunya on that week.
The FIA also reacted strongly to the racial abuse of F1’s only black driver, threatening to wipe Spain off the annual calendar and vowing to launch an anti-racism campaign at the Barcelona race this year.
But Mallya said of the alleged racism: “It should be rubbished.”
“You can’t punish a nation. There are oddballs out there in every country.”
“You can’t begin to make the rules and regulations around racism.”
“I think you are giving racism too much importance. You take care of them locally.”
“You can’t allow it to escalate into a major international issue,” he insisted.
Source: GMM (28/02/2008)
I hope now Dr. Mallya should look in to his mirror try to remind his own words.
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Very appropriate reminder. He does need to hear the echo of his own words.
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Kingfisher brand is leading and very well recognized in India and I agree Ravi that a company of such repute should not get into this sort of “mud-slinging”. It’s a known fact that Kingfisher has serious competition in India with the Australian brand Fosters and this is a direct attack on the competition and an attempt to defame the other brand misusing the news that appeared and not demonstrating the facts. In addition to this no advertisement should actually affect friendly relation with other foreign states. The company should stop using such negative advertising build their own brand.
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I am shocked by this ad. I always thought of VM as an evolved
human being.Such provoking lines defy the very essence of being
an Indian.
It is time we all supposedly evolved,educated,intelligent, people
wake up to the fact that if some badly brought up jouveniles from
a certain country or religious belief go around creating trouble
you dont condemn the entire lot for it.
It is very easy to create hatred and negativity but pause and think
before doing that,where will it take us all..
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Well said. It is easy to create hatred… where will it take us all…
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Dr.Mallya should read this incident which has happened on last year in his own proudy airlines before commenting :
Some of my friends( OZ &OZ- Indians) came to India for small trip.I am the person who have recommended them for Kingfisher Airlines.In the flight they have found few tissue papers & water bottles are dirty with few seat belts are not functioning properly.When they have informed the cabin crew, they have promised to change it soon however on their way back to Mumbai they have found the same stuffs for which they have complained.My friends have told many ugly & nasty words about YOUR PROUDY AIRLINES however we Indians know only how to respect all nations & its cultures.
We should have our own Ethics & never ever put other nations(EDUCATED NATIONS) down for our own benefit.
The bottom line here is before doing publicity that ‘forget the ugly Aussie & U guys are proud to be Indian” please BEING AN EXAMPLE FIRST & THEN DO PUBLICITIES.
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