At its best, Australia Day gives us a chance to celebrate what makes this place so grouse: a free and open democracy, a diverse mix of cultures and an unfuckwithable ability to have a laugh at our own expense.
Frankly, failing that last one is flat-out un-Australian. Yet, as a new Oz Day approaches, with another deadset ridiculous ad for the lamb industry in its broad cultural wake, self-conscious Australian vegans have complained – again – about the content of the TV spot to the Advertising Standards Bureau.
If you haven’t seen it yet (rectify that immediately below) the spot features a crack paramilitary team charged with returning Aussies home so they can enjoy some chops on the 26th of January.
One of their targets – SHOCK HORROR – is revealed as a vegan living in Brooklyn. Cue the flamethrowers, natch.
An ASB spokesperson said that they’re fast-tracking a review into the honestly innocuous ad after a slew of complaints landed on their desks. Oh, it was released less than three days ago, too.
While a stack of the complaints focus around the ~ mortally horrifying ~ violence of it all, the ASB confirmed a fair few Aussies got their hemp-fibre knickers in a knot due to its purported offense to vegans.
As always, they’re still not winning friends with salad.
While their claims have about as much substance as an artisanal kaleslaw, it is interesting to see these ads still tick off the plant-based crowd. Sam Kekovich and crew have been lambasting that crowd for the better part of a decade, but last year saw the most vegan-based events in Australian history.
Last year saw pearl-clutchers nationwide have a whinge about some absolute corkers too: complaints against a Hyundai ad that featured someone going after a snake with their belt were dismissed, and real humans among us got offended about Holden’s take on “bloody caravaners.”
Still, complaining about something almighty priestess Lee Lin Chin deigned with her inimitable aura is on another level. No on, mates. Not on at all.
