By Adedapo Adesanya
FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak and Three Crown milk, is facing the heat following its content which used the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a metaphor to promote its product on Good Friday.
In the design seen by Business Post, a rusted nail was used to open a tin of Peak milk which spilled over with the copy, Bruised and Pierced For Us, written on it.
This has since drawn criticism, with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressing “utter dismay” at the recent social media advert by the company.
CAN’s displeasure was contained in a statement on Monday by its General Secretary, Mr Joseph Daramola, who noted that the ad was “insensitive, offensive, and totally unacceptable.”
“We find this advert to be insensitive, offensive, and totally unacceptable. Good Friday is a solemn day for Christians all over the world, a day we commemorate the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross for our sins. It is not a day to be used for crass commercial purposes.
“FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC’s action is not only disrespectful to the Christian faith but also an affront to the millions of Christians in Nigeria and beyond. We are deeply disappointed that a company of such repute would stoop so low to exploit the religious sentiments of its customers for profit.
“We are considering sanctions against FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, including a boycott of their products by our members and all well-meaning Nigerians who share our concerns. We call on the company to issue an unreserved apology to the Christian community and withdraw the offensive advert immediately.
“We recall a similar incident in the past when Sterling Bank Plc. used crucifixion imagery to promote their product. We condemned it then, and we condemn it now,” the statement partly read.
The Christian body, therefore, urged all companies and organizations to be mindful of the religious and cultural sensitivities of their customers when promoting their products, adding that CAN will not tolerate any attempt to trivialize or disrespect the Christian faith.
This would not be the first time that the company came under fire.
A popular skit maker, Mr Chukwuemeka Emmanuel, otherwise known as Sabinus, in 2020 slammed a lawsuit to the tune of N1 billion on the firm over the alleged use of a trademarked phrase, something hooge, for a campaign.
The comedian claimed his slang was used to promote an initiative through one of its flagship products, Peak Milk, to “drive engagements on the product’s verified Instagram @peak_milk on May 24 2020,” seeking N1 billion in total for damages and the pain he has suffered for the use of his phrase.
The news has no effect on the company’s market performance since there is a public holiday on Monday.
Business Post Contributor