“Not To Adorn The Genitals!” Hindus Fume Over Lord Ganesha Boardies For Sale On Amazon Australia

“Not To Adorn The Genitals!” Hindus Fume Over Lord Ganesha Boardies For Sale On Amazon Australia
B&T Magazine
By B&T Magazine
SHARE
THIS



Brands continuing to use symbols from the Hindu religion has again outraged its religious leaders.

A pair of men’s shorts featuring Lord Ganesha has appeared on Amazon Australia priced at $22.90 leading Hindu statesman Rajan Zed to call for their immediate removal.

In a statement to media, Zed said: “Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s thighs, groin, genitals and pelvis. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.”

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged Amazon Australia general manager Matt Furlong to offer a formal apology; besides withdrawing the shorts.

At the time of writing, B&T notes the shorts were still on sale online and appear to come via a youth surfwear company called BEACHTEE.

The latest boardshorts incident follows a spate of products being sold online that feature icons from the Hindu religion.

In February, MyDeal.com.au was busted selling playing cards that Hindus deemed as “highly inappropriate”.

In early January, Sydney-based online retailer My Diva Baby was outed selling a toilet cover and mat featuring images of Lord Ganesha for $45 via its website and Facebook and Etsy stores. It apologised and immediately pulled the item from sale.

Meanwhile, last December, Puma caused global outrage after it ran a campaign starring American singer/actress Selena Gomez standing on a pile of books. According to Hindus, books are something to be revered and the ads showed “flagrant disrespect” for “mercantile greed”.

 

 

 

Please login with linkedin to comment

    Latest comments
  • Anne Miles 2 years ago

    Thanks for reporting on this story B&T. Unconscious Bias or to attract notoriety? Hard to know with some. It is still good to learn what is not appropriate for some cultures so we all don’t go and do something similar. WE can’t assume that graphic design in some cultures doesn’t have meaning that’s for sure. Colours, numbers, symbols all matter too. We can’t always anticipate every possible issue but some of these are pretty obvious and the creative team need to take more responsibility. Thank you for sharing this.

Amazon Australia Hinduism

Latest News

Eyeota Enhances Reach And Targeting Precision For RDA Research
  • Marketing

Eyeota Enhances Reach And Targeting Precision For RDA Research

Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.

Enthral Strengthens Journalistic DNA By Hiring Channel 7 Reporter Sean Sowerby
  • Media

Enthral Strengthens Journalistic DNA By Hiring Channel 7 Reporter Sean Sowerby

Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]

Blis Puts Its CEO In The Desert In Clever New “Data Drought” Ad
  • Campaigns
  • Technology

Blis Puts Its CEO In The Desert In Clever New “Data Drought” Ad

Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]

Agency Icon Sweeps The SABRE Awards
  • Marketing
  • Media

Agency Icon Sweeps The SABRE Awards

Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]

Former Agency Execs Launch Car Service Summon
  • Marketing
  • Media

Former Agency Execs Launch Car Service Summon

Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]