Global brands face pushback in India: When saying sorry isn’t enough

Audience outrage as a marketing strategy can either work like a charm or fail miserably. A recent tactic for attracting consumer attention by the local offices of global brands in Pakistan has led to severe backlash in India. Hyundai’s Pakistan dealership came under heavy fire for sharing a post on its official social media handles, extending support to “Kashmir Solidarity Day”. Soon after, #BoycottHyundai started trending on Twitter. KFC also came under scrutiny for a similar shock advertising campaign. After seeking a boycott of South Korean automaker Hyundai and its sister company Kia Motors, Indians have added these brands to the list: KFC, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Suzuki of Maruti Suzuki. Social media accounts from Pakistan of these international brands, that are handled by the local offices, put out posts about Kashmir Solidarity Day, supporting the cause for Kashmir’s secession from India. Two statements came from Hyundai clarifying its stance. The automaker was quick to take down the offending posts from its Pakistan dealership’s social media accounts. Hyundai Motors said it doesn’t comment on any political or religious issue in any specific region as a business policy. The South Korean automaker passed the buck on to an independent Pakistan distributor for making the unauthorised social media posts using their brand name. Hyundai then put out another official statement over the controversy saying the posts were unsolicited. Indian Twitterati wasn’t satisfied as many felt the statement didn’t sound like an apology. Hyundai is in a joint venture with Pakistani firm Nishat Mills in Pakistan, while the Korean automaker operates independently in India. But let’s lean back. Many Indian companies have also indulged in the purposeful stimulation of rage in an attempt to attract attention. After all, isn’t that what advertising is all about? Unsurprisingly, these ads saw swift visibility due to the all-pervasive social media. Some ads became government mouthpieces. Clothing brand Fabindia deleted an advertisement from its social media after facing backlash. The brand had come out with a collection called ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz’ before the Diwali season. Some BJP leaders accused Fabindia of “defacing” the festival of Diwali using an Urdu phrase. The Wire listed some instances by Amul echoing the government’s line. An Amul ad showed two smiling Kashmiris in a boat in the Dal Lake, sharing a buttered toast. Caption: “Union ke har territory mein…The real article”. (‘Kashmir loses its special status,’ said a tweet of Amul.coop, the company’s official account) “Abki Baar Bhajap Sweekar: Party favourite,” when the BJP won in 2014.  Another one said “SURIgical Strikes, Amul Paks a Punch,” commemorated the strikes after the Uri terrorist attack. Supporting the ban on Chinese products, the ad said, “Exit the Dragon,” showing the girl angrily ordering a fire-breathing dragon out, while the caption at the bottom read, “Amul Made in India.” ED Times listed a few more controversial ads: In 2002, Cadbury had launched an ad that compared “the temptations” one had for Cadbury to the long fight over Jammu and Kashmir’s territorial rights. The company’s punchline “Too Good To Share” was widely opposed and Indians felt hurt for portraying such a grim matter so lightly. Cadbury apologised. Wild Stone ad featuring a Bengali woman (2007). Set amidst the backdrop of Durga Puja, it showed a married woman in the traditional Bengali attire being drawn to fantasise sexually about another man after she bumps into him accidentally. This is courtesy of the “wild” fragrance. The Bengali community was very offended. Mullen Lintas had launched an ad (2016) for Flipkart, wherein they used children as chowkidars (security guards) trying to promote online shopping. The Gorkha Youth And Students’ Association filed a petition regarding the stereotypical portrayal of their community as chowkidars. Back to the present where Pizza Hut issued an apology to its Indian market over the posts posted by its Pakistan handles supporting separatists in Kashmir. Soon after, Japanese auto major Honda also apologised for hurting Indian sentiment. Pizza Hut said that “it does not condone, support or agree with the contents of a post circulating in social media”. Domino’s India said it is committed to the Indian market, “having called it home for more than 25 years, and has the utmost respect for the people, culture and spirit of nationalism of the country”. “We stand here to protect its legacy forever. We respect and honour everything the country has to offer," the pizza chain said. The verified Instagram handle of Pizza Hut Pakistan had posted the Kashmir-related post on 5 February, 2022. It has been taken down following the backlash. Similarly, Honda Cars India tweeted, “Honda is deeply committed to ensuring compliance with laws and sentiments of every country it operates in. Any hurt caused to this effect is regretted.” KFC, which like Pizza Hut, is a subsidiary of the US-based ‘Yum! Brands’, also issued an official apology on Twitter, saying they honour and respect India. KFC had made the Kashmir-related posts on its Pakistan social media handles in 2020 and 2018 that were dug out. A screenshot of a Facebook post was widely shared by the Pakistani handle of Domino’s Pizza dated 5 February 2020, that reportedly supported Kashmir Solidarity Day. This post has since been taken down. India summoned South Korea’s ambassador to India to convey its strong displeasure over the social media post, the Indian foreign ministry said. The foreign ministers of India and South Korea also spoke by telephone. Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP and former Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said the Hyundai company should have been direct in its apology over the issue. “Hi Hyundai. So many wishy-washy words not needed. All you need to say is — we are unequivocally sorry. Rest is all unnecessary.” BJP’s foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale also said that Hyundai’s global communications should object to the anti-India rhetoric. “@HyundaiIndia, this is not sufficient. You must explain if you endorse statements of @PakistanHyundai? What’s your global stand on such anti-India rhetoric? @Hyundai_Global,” he tweeted. A senior official of Hyundai Motor India preferring anonymity told IANS that Pakistani dealers of several other multinational companies — Suzuki, Isuzu, Bosch Pharmaceuticals, FAW Trucks, Honda, Daewoo Express, Toyota, Domino’s Pizza — too had posted similar anti-Indian messages on the social media. Was this furore more than genuine public outrage? “But why Hyundai Motor India alone was singled out and criticised. We are contributing to the community and have invested a huge amount, providing employment to thousands,” the official said. He does not rule out corporate rivalry. While there is a smell of corporate rivalry in these flames, the MNCs need to be far more astute and careful about letting their social media handles become a political battleground. Brand experts feel shock advertising and the subsequent public indignation seems to work even when people disagree with the sentiments expressed. However, calibrating the level of outrage is crucial for international brands. Sometimes, saying sorry is just not enough. The author is CEO, nnis. Views expressed are personal. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.