Crisis Communications

Greek cultural center slams Kraft for its latest hummus ad

Ethnic stereotypes are one lame way that lazy copywriters get cheap laughs. This time it’s incited backlash. What do you think of the ad?

By {/%BYLINE%} {%AUTHOR%}Alan Pearcy{/%AUTHOR%} {%TITLE%}Greek cultural center slams Kraft for its latest hummus ad{/%TITLE%} {%ALTERNATIVEURL%}{/%ALTERNATIVEURL%} {%IMAGE%}/Resource.ashx?sn=athenos{/%IMAGE%} {%ROLE%}87d65c27-6e78-4e5c-b423-78d47d4f2768{/%ROLE%} {%KICKER%}Crisis Communications{/%KICKER%} {%CATEGORIESID%}5b5f5480-7a63-458a-90a4-0b98007ec3f7, 0477205a-9000-4c0a-925f-3e6f232a4904{/%CATEGORIESID%} {%CAPTION%}Ethnic stereotypes are one lame way that lazy copywriters get cheap laughs. This time it’s incited backlash. What do you think of the ad?{/%CAPTION%} {%BODYCOPY%}Kraft is fielding complaints from a Greek nonprofit cultural center about its Athenos hummus. The problem isn’t with the food—officially—but with the latest commercials for the product. The spots depict a Greek grandmother—or yiayia—in her native land berating her granddaughter for dressing too scantily. “You look like a prostitute,” she chides. According to USA Today, the campaign starts airing today but “is raising eyebrows for its saucy language, stereotypes of Greek culture.” Maria Anagnostopoulos, program director at The Greek Institute, a nonprofit cultural center, told USA Today she wants the ads pulled. "These commercials are not appropriate from a Greek perspective,” she said. Kraft executives have no such plans. “While these ads may be controversial, for the most part people will see them for the light-hearted fun they are having,” Jill Baskin, Kraft’s ad chief, told USA Today. “Any Greek-Americans we ran them by thought they were really funny.” See for yourself. Over the line? {/%BODYCOPY%} {%ID%}7399{/%ID%} {%DATAID%}3034ed13-740c-4304-ae44-ce37d026faad{/%DATAID%} {%CanonicalUrl%}{/%CanonicalUrl%} {%PUBLISHDATE%}3/2/2011 2:45:34 PM{/%PUBLISHDATE%} {%LINK%}https://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/7399.aspx{/%LINK%} {%BYLINE%}
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The spots depict a Greek grandmother—or yiayia—in her native land berating her granddaughter for dressing too scantily. “You look like a prostitute,” she chides.

According to USA Today, the campaign starts airing today but “is raising eyebrows for its saucy language and stereotypes of Greek culture.”

Maria Anagnostopoulos, program director at The Greek Institute, a nonprofit cultural center, told USA Today she wants the ads pulled.

“These commercials are not appropriate from a Greek perspective,” she said.

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