Dip Brand Faces Backlash For Drug Dealer Stereotypes In ‘Illegal’ Guacamole Ads
“Guac so good, it should be illegal,” stated Holy Moly Dips’ latest campaign—with videos on its social media platforms portraying mock police raids on “guac dealers” handing out samples of what it calls “Colombia’s purest export.”
Not everyone is enamored by the stunt, however, which included statements such as “a new wave of Colombian export has hit the UK.” Thousands of tubs of guacamole were distributed across London as part of the advertising push.
In response to a video posted on the brand’s Instagram, members of the public unleashed their displeasure in the comments, threatening boycotts and calling the initiative “completely unacceptable.”
Most of the complaints seem to stem from the fact that the episode was seen as “perpetuating a really offensive stereotype about Colombia” by linking the country directly to the concept of illegal drug dealers.
While Holy Moly has responded directly to some of the comments, it appears to have doubled down on the campaign, not removing any of the offending videos or advertisements from its pages.
“It’s never our intention to offend and our aim for the campaign is to challenge the stereotype in a playful manner and to highlight why we source for Colombia,” it explained.
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[via Marketing Beat and The Grocer, cover image via Holy Moly Dips]
