Hard Rock Removes Ad After Accusations That a Guitar-Playing Orangutan Is Offensive

National Review ^ | April 21, 2015

[Steelfish]

Hard Rock Removes Ad After Accusations That a Guitar-Playing Orangutan Is Offensive

Inset: Hard Rock's offending ad

by KATHERINE TIMPF April 21, 2015

Ad was intended to promote new location in Malaysia. Hard Rock Cafe has ended a promotional campaign featuring a Photoshopped picture of an orangutan playing a guitar after facing accusations that the picture was outrageously offensive because the orangutan was playing a guitar.

The ad was intended to promote the chain’s new location in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the state of Sabah in Malaysia and home to a famous wildlife refuge for the endangered animal. Seeing as Hard Rock Cafe’s symbol is a guitar, and Kota Kinabalu’s symbol is the orangutan, the marketing team probably didn’t think twice about combining the two. After all, they’ve done similar things before — like a raven-guitar combo for the Baltimore location and a bear-ukulele combo for Maui — without having any problems.

[Jemian]

I am in Kuala Lumpur now. I just saw a billboard for a hair removal treatment. The sign featured three figures jumping off a rock into a swimming hole. The middle and left beings were Asian women and the third was an orangutan. Too funny!

[BulletBobCo]

[Rastus]

I like to think this otter is playing the Jon Lord part on Perfect Strangers.



Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers

[Amagi]

Caving to absurd demands of those who claim to be offended only encourages more such stupid bullying activity.

[verga]

Or the drums, Orangutans are awesome on drums.

Much better on drums, they can hold 4 sticks.

[exDemMom]

That is just ridiculous. They seriously think that people would really believe that the refuge is actually teaching orangutans to play the guitar?

The apes would probably smash the guitar into pieces.

[Hatteras]

Buddy is not amused...

[Pollster1]

Keyboards?

[Jack Hydrazine]

How about this Cadbury commercial of an ape playing the drums? Think about how racist it is - gorilla, drums, chocolate - you get the picture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnzFRV1LwIo

[showme_the_Glory]

What does the Fox say?

[Eddie01]

Are those seymour duncan hot rails on the tele?

[Jonah Hex]

What would Ernie Kovacs say?

[PhiloBedo]

Clyde would show those offended proper fingering.

[Mrs_Puddleglum]

How dare anyone impede an orangutan’ God-given right to play the electric guitar?! What, orangs aren’t allowed to be cool? I am so offended.

[Mrs_Puddleglum]

That is so freakin awesome.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks ApplegateRanch. Apparently this is this week's "WTH?"

[BigEdLB]

What would the poodle say (not a photoshop - actual photo)

[SaraJohnson]

Whomever is offended is comparing Blacks to apes. Who is the racist?

[Rastus]

Much better on drums, they can hold 4 sticks.

Is that what Zeppelin's Four Sticks is about?

[Rebelbase]

I see what you did there.