The sandwich in question
Credit: BFC
An Australian advertisement depicting a man eating a bat sandwich has been reported to the country’s advertising watchdog.
The advert for Boating Camping and Fishing (BCF), an outdoor clothing and equipment retailer, makes a reference to the Covid-19 pandemic allegedly being caused by someone eating a bat.
While early cases of the coronavirus were linked to a live animal market in Wuhan, no definitive evidence has emerged in regards to how the virus originated and initially spread.
Some scientists theorise that while the virus may have originated in bats, it passed through a second species before infecting humans.
The advert, which has been viewed more than a quarter of a million times on YouTube to date, has attracted “a number of complaints”, a spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Bureau told the BBC.
"Ad Standards… is in the process of assessing these complaints to see if they raise an issue," he said.
A BCF spokesperson told Australian media that the marketing campaign recognises that many Australians will be staying home this summer and encourages them to explore their own regions.
“Of course, we understand the severity of the pandemic and spread of Covid-19 but it is clear that this ad is framed in the same spirit,” he said.
“Over the years BCF has established a tradition of irreverent campaigns in the spirit of good-natured fun… They will have their detractors and we recognise that.”
BCF promotions made the list of most complained about ads in Australia in both 2016 and 2018. The ad, with the international attention it is gaining, could also further aggravate relations with China.
Relations between the governments of China and Australia are at their lowest ebb for decades, with tensions rising over a range of issues, including Canberra’s criticism of Beijing’s early handling of the coronavirus and calls for an official probe.
China has placed a number of trade sanctions on Australia.
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