Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has received a wealth of complaints from racist online trolls after airing this years Christmas advert
The first part of Sainsbury's three part Christmas ad aired last Saturday and devastating it has already received numerous complaints due to it featuring an all Black family. The ad is titled 'Gravy Song' and it showcases a phone conversation between a Father and Daughter, discussing the Dads infamous gravy whilst a montage of the families Christmas memories play out on screen.
Many shoppers took to social media to share their distaste for the ad supposedly due to the fact that it 'doesn't represent them.' Some people even threatened to stop shopping at the supermarket all together as a result of it.
Sainsbury's have since released a statement defending the advert, writing "Sainsbury’s is for everyone, and it’s important our advertising reflects this. The negative response of a vocal minority won’t stop us from representing modern Britain." A spokesperson for the supermarket also commented that "We are proud that our advertising represents the diverse communities we serve, and this year’s Christmas campaign simply reflects three stories of three different families celebrating Christmas in their own way."
Diversity star Ashley Banjo is one amongst many celebs who have shown their support for the supermarket and their advert, taking to social media to call out the absurdity in peoples complaints. He joked“Dear Sainsbury’s, your application has been accepted… Welcome to the ‘trigger the racists’ club.” This comes after Banjo came under scrutiny earlier this year after his dance group performed a routine inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement on Britains Got Talent. Read more about that right here on the CFM blog by clicking here.
The devastating amount of criticism as a result of Sainsbury's showing a Christmas ad with a Black family simply proves that racism is still very prevalent in the UK and that just because Black History Month and the Black Lives Matter protests are over it doesn't mean you should stop fighting to end racism and stop educating both yourself and those around you surrounding issues about equality.
There couldn't be a time where spreading joy was more needed so as much as you can spread love, not hate this festive season!