Kent atta maker ad called ‘classist’ & ‘discriminatory’ towards house help

Post lockdown, hygiene will be an important proposition for advertisers to attract consumers. Taking a leaf from this, Indian healthcare company Kent highlighted the merits of automation in maintaining hygiene in its new digital ad for the Atta & Bread Maker. The advertisers, purportedly made a glaring misstep, making the ad appear tone-deaf and classist.

The ad copy read: “Are you allowing your maid to knead atta dough by hand? Choose KENT Atta & Bread Maker for hands-free kneading of dough. Let automation take care of hygiene this time!"

Twitter has since erupted and has accused the brand of being discriminatory towards house help by implying they have unclean hands.

Here are some reactions:

1.

@ascionline This ad by Kent for its Atta Maker is in rank bad taste. Would like to complain on grounds it is discriminatory to house helps and objectionable . @ambimgp @rameshnarayan @skswamy @beastoftraal @bhatnaturally pic.twitter.com/hvdy2xPAYH

— Chitra Narayanan (@ndcnn) May 26, 2020

2.

I presume #Kent Atta maker doesn't want my business. Not only is it unfair to service demographics by assuming all are unhygienic, also assumes me or my husband do not knead atta. A great product bites the dust cos the Ad agency/Product Manager couldn't see beyond their biases. https://t.co/lVCmjNG5Qp

— Avtar Dr Saundarya Rajesh (@SaundaryaR) May 27, 2020

3.

wrong.offensive.chauvinistic.
disrespect the entire community of domestic help.this advertisement jeopardise social cohesion and is detrimental to progress of the nation.#kent pic.twitter.com/qPIkP9jGW2

— Vijayakumar IPS (@vijaypnpa_ips) May 26, 2020

4.

Hi #Kent @KentROSystems, what casteist classist bullshit is this?? You should be ashamed of yourself for putting this ad out. pic.twitter.com/fwJRslPuS4

— Japleen Pasricha (@japna_p) May 26, 2020

5.

You should be ashamed @KentROSystems #Kent pic.twitter.com/LIZX0rl6q0

— Vandita Morarka (she/her) (@vanditamorarka) May 26, 2020

6.

This is offensive AF! #Kent pic.twitter.com/yivwHHCPO6

— Prasannakumar Palani (@prasannatrl) May 27, 2020

7.

Can you believe this ? Such pathetic classist ad by Kent.
Kent should purify and filter their thoughts first. #kent pic.twitter.com/jP3SPnmPCH

— Noman Shaikh (@NomanixShaikh) May 26, 2020

8.

This is disgusting...shame on you #kent pic.twitter.com/3Kr1fRkC8X

— Sam (@Sam33055525) May 27, 2020

9.

Mothers, chefs, and alot more workers in food industry are kneading aata for years. This particular insta post mentioning maids only showing your ignorance for the labour and poor class hardworking people.
kunt go purify yourself!#kentrosystem #Kent pic.twitter.com/D50ZkTaXcx

— Shri Ram Maheshwari (@maheshwarisr) May 26, 2020

The outrage has been sparked due to the implication that house help are not hygienic. Following which, the ad has been flayed by Twitter users who have been schooling the brand on their supposed ignorance towards the working class.

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