No more 'Big Mjohnana' - Twitter reacts to Chicken Licken ad ban
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Image: YouTube/Chicken Licken SA
The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has canned a controversial new Chicken Licken advert - but many people on Twitter are not backing the decision.
The commercial tells the fictional story of an African man named Big Mjohnana, who sets off by boat in search of adventure. At the end of his journey he "discovers" white people working in a harbour.
Big Mjohnana tells the workers: "I like this place. I think I will call it 'Europe'."
The ad is a spoof of colonisation, with the African man being the coloniser and Europeans the colonised.
Sandile Cele complained to the ARB that the advert was offensive because it trivialised colonialism, a traumatic subject for many Africans.
Chicken Licken defended the promo. The company said: "The commercial stems to show South Africans that Chicken Licken believes this country has all the potential to conquer the world and rewrite history from an African perspective."
The ARB ruled in favour of the complainant and ordered Chicken Licken to stop using the advert in "its current format" with immediate effect.
But the ruling did not get much love on Twitter, with many lashing out at Cele for initiating the process. One said he "saw nothing wrong" with the commercial, while another felt it was "the best ad this year".
So this one faceless individual by the name "Sandile Cele" complained about #ChickenLicken ad and it was banned, just like that?
— Need Beats? (@MGExclusiveSA) December 18, 2018
Sandile, I need you to complain about petrol prices, I wanna see something! 🤔
They banned Mjomane... I didn't see that one coming... #POWERDrive #ChickenLicken pic.twitter.com/vXYn8szAbS
— Thabo Phuti Mojela🇿🇦 (@ThaboMojela) December 18, 2018
"This Big John Chicken Licken Advert showing reverse colonialism has been banned on TV because a faceless "Sandile Cele" complained, "the commercial makes a mockery of the struggles of the African people against colonisation.." 😕
— BadTown (@tinovusi) December 18, 2018
Was Sandile Cele's identity fact-checked?"
I liked the #chickenlicken big john advert, I don’t think it makes a mockery of black people’s struggles under colonialism at all but rather ridiculing the discovery of a pre existing land and people. Help me understand guys? #bigjohn
— Bamsy Eats (@bamemodungwa) December 18, 2018
That Big John advert by Chicken licken is the best ad this year. I don't see any offence in it. Some people are way too sensitive.
— Homo-Sapien 👣🌟 (@nelsonbarei) December 18, 2018
i saw nothing wrong with the Chicken Licken ad
— D A V E (@BrianDaveZa) December 18, 2018
#chickenlicken #bigjohn pic.twitter.com/kDoZiMunxP
— Obren Msuku (@obren_inc) December 18, 2018
Sandile Cele I'm not recognising you,take your sit. We need to appeal this ruling#ChickenLicken
— afrikanstoryteller (@siphokandebele) December 18, 2018
Where do we complain that we want the #ChickenLicken ad back on our screens #BringBackTheChickenLickenAdBack long #tag I don't care
— @MissL (@LinahMokoena) December 18, 2018
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