In times of #metoo, the advertising of Eataly Usa did not appeal to the Americans
In times of #metoo, the advertising of Eataly Usa did not appeal to the Americans

Video: In times of #metoo, the advertising of Eataly Usa did not appeal to the Americans

Video: In times of #metoo, the advertising of Eataly Usa did not appeal to the Americans
Video: Why Sexual Harassment Is Still A Problem In The #MeToo Era 2024, March
Anonim

“Bring home an Italian. Because the smell has a value"

What you have just read is a slogan from Eataly USA's Christmas advertising campaign, in this case the protagonist is the truffle.

There are other slogans, always referring to Italians - edible or human products, it makes no difference for the American branch of Eataly - such as the one on wine: “Bring an Italian home. Powerful legs, better body.

Between implicit sexual references and allusions to old clichés about the scent of early Italian emigrants, it was to be expected that someone would not be exactly flattered by the advertisements, and would protest.

Too bad that the remedy, that is the answer (not) given by the managers of the chain, was worse than the evil, complete with a case that ended up on the front pages of the newspapers.

On December 20, Brittany Pape, a client of Italian origins, wrote to the public relations manager asking to suspend the advertising campaign described as dirty and in bad taste. Also in consideration of the events that involved the famous chef Mario Batali, one of the owners of Eataly USA, accused by several women of being a sexual predator.

At that point, Sara Massarotto, social media manager of the American store chain, would have discussed the problem with some colleagues, mistakenly including in an e-mail the very customer who had complained. The e-mail shows how Massarotto had decided, after consulting a consultancy company, not to take any action. This is the offending sentence: "Please keep the documentation and DO NOT reply to the customer's e-mail".

A client who, in fact, reports that he never received an answer, on the other hand spoke Louis Rago, president of the American Foundation for Human Relations in Chicago, stating that "anyone who has approved such a campaign should be fired for the dissemination of an image offensive and negative of the Italians ".

To which, Massarotto finally decided to respond, explaining that the ad "was a direct reference to the intense aromas of our prized truffles", and returning the accusations of sexual references to the sender.

It will certainly be so, but perhaps the creativity not exactly from the annals of marketing of the advertisers who work on Eataly USA campaigns, should be kept in check.

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