The Zimbabwe Association of Accredited Practitioners in Advertising (ZAAPA) has warned fast growing fast-food outlet, Mambo’s over its sexualized advertising content.
In a statement addressed to Mambo’s Chicken’s Chief Executive Officer, ZAAPA President Barry Manandi said the outlet’s use of sexual slant in its advertising content stood against widespread efforts to promote, elevate and empower girls and women.
“We have noted with concern, that in recent times your business has been exclusively using sexualized content to promote your products. While it is your prerogative to create the brand that you desire, the introduction of lewd and course innuendo has come to the Association’s attention and members of the public have raised concerns around this.
“Your latest piece of work has been of most concern, as not only does it centre on your chosen sexual slant, but further, insinuates the violation of women, using your chicken. The inference is around your suggestion as a brand, that at the purchase of Mambos Chicken for a woman, sex must be the immediate reward. In a society that has made it policy to promote, elevate and empower girls and woman, this is not only against Government policy, but flies in the face of womanhood,” said Manandi.
He further threatened to take action should Mambo’s continue creating advertising content that ‘borders on pornography.’
“while your material has been of concern generally, it is this latest piece of work that is most worrying. We now implore you, your marketing team and those handling your brand, from a creative perspective, to assess whether your desire is to promote great-tasting chicken or to tear the moral fabric of the nation, through advertising work that borders on pornography. As you are aware, the latter Is illegal in this country, and action will be taken by this Association, in tandem with its line Ministry, to ensure that our cultural fabric is not further denigrated.”
The ZAAPA letter follows a controversial advertisement posted by Mambo’s which read “Kana Akutengera Mambo’s Ngaapinde Hake amana” which ZAAPA loosely translated to mean that buying chicken for your woman should get you sex.
