Advertising pros weigh in on controversial Estonian meat campaign

Advertising pros weigh in on controversial Estonian meat campaign Advertisers say a new campaign by Estonian meat producer Rannarootsi was bound to divide opinion after critics linked its imagery and wording to anti-Russian messaging. The advertisement, posted on social media by Rannarootsi on Tuesday, shows two men in black shirts with Ukrainian flags on them, grilling meat on a beach as plumes of smoke rise into the sky in the distance behind them. The slogan, promoting the brand's new barbecue pork with caramelized onions, reads: "The right grill will turn a bitter onion sweet." ("Õige grill muudab kibeda sibula magusaks.") The campaign has since drawn a significant response, with nearly 16,000 reactions and nearly 4,000 comments on the original post by Friday morning, and feedback ranging from approval and promises to continue supporting the brand to condemnation and calls to boycott its products. Critics said the combination of imagery is an inflammatory reference to the Russia-Ukraine war. The word sibul, or onion, meanwhile, is also used in Estonian as a derogatory slang term for Russians, including local Russian-speakers. 'Estonia won't come to a standstill over it' Indrek Viiderfeld, creative director of award-winning Estonian advertising agency Tabasco, said he did not view the Rannarootsi campaign as harshly as many critics. "I don't see it in such dark terms, and life here in Estonia isn't going to come to a standstill over it," he said. Even so, Viiderfeld acknowledged he would not have produced a similar campaign for packaging retailer Pakendikeskus, whose popular advertisements are a prominent part of Tabasco's portfolio and often respond to current events in Estonia with suggestions for products they sell. His agency, he said, generally avoids taking positions on major issues and prefers to steer clear of divisive topics. He urged others not to take things so seriously either. Madis Otsa, cofounder and creative director of the agency Salama, said it was unsurprising that some people interpreted the Rannarootsi post and campaign as inciting hostility. At the same time, he argued that responsibility for fueling hatred in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war ultimately lies with Russia, which launched it. Hold the onions "Rannarootsi's ad was certainly more simplistic than it could have been," Otsa said, adding that it lacked subtlety. He said that if the company's goal was to take a clear stand on the war, it could have done so without referring to Russians as sibulad. "It's up to each company and brand to decide what tradeoffs it is willing to make," Otsa said. Rannarootsi CEO Karmo Aksel said Thursday he was previously unaware of the negative meaning of the term sibul, adding that he only learned about it after the post had already gone up. The advertisement, he stressed, wasn't meant to convey any political or hostile messages. "It's directly connected to our product and its ingredient — caramelized onion," Aksel told ERR's Russian-language online news portal. "The slogan refers specifically to that product." Divisive campaigns rare in Estonia While the CEO acknowledged that the message was not received as intended by the company's marketing department and could have been designed differently, Rannarootsi does not plan to remove the post. "The post has already taken on a life of its own," he said. "What would be the point of deleting it now?" At Salama, Otsa agreed, saying removing the social media post now would make little difference because public reaction has already taken hold and people aren't going to forget the advertisement. "Honestly, I don't see much difference in that regard," he added. Otsa noted that Estonian companies rarely take public positions on political or social issues, making the recent campaign unusual regardless. He pointed to other examples of major brands taking divisive public stands, including a 2018 Nike campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick after his protests against racial injustice and police violence, as well as BrewDog's 2022 anti-World Cup campaign criticizing FIFA's choices of host countries. "First Russia, then Qatar," the slogan read. "Can't wait for North Korea." -- Editor: Aili Vahtla