HDFC ad gets branded 'Anti-Hindu' over bindi

A section of netizens have taken umbrage at the main character in the ad who sports a stop sign-like red bindi on her forehead

by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 17, 2023 5:18 PM | 2 min read

Days after Make My Trip faced flak for its print ad mocking the Pakistani cricket team, HDFC Bank is now the object of the internet's ire after its print campaign "Vigil Aunty" is getting called out as "anti-Hindu."

A section of netizens have taken umbrage at the main character in the ad who sports a stop sign-like red bindi on her forehead.

The ad copy said, "Join the Vigil Army, Let's fight back. Financial frauds are the new enemy and they are bigger and trickier than ever. Don't Get Scammed is an initiative to arm you with all the information you need to stay ahead of the latest rampant frauds".

The brand has been trolled for "mocking" Hindu culture and has been trending on X (formerly Twitter) under the #AntiHinduHDFC hashtag with over 7.5k tweets at the time of writing this story.

Here are some of the angry comments:

The use of a bindi as a 'no' symbol by @HDFC during Navratri is highly disrespectful to Hindu sentiments.
This move is completely unacceptable and shows a lack of cultural sensitivity.

Why is everyone so desperate to mock Hindus? pic.twitter.com/zzsMd0Zqz4
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) October 17, 2023

Namaste @HDFCBank_Cares & @HDFC_Bank? We need 3 things to happen
1. Sack the advertising agency
2. Withdraw all anti Hindu campaigns immediately
3. Sack the marketing head who approved this campaign #AntiHinduHDFC

— Aviral Dwivedi (@avirald36) October 17, 2023

ओ बेशर्म @HDFC_Bank

ये क्या है.... तुम लोगों की इतनी अवकात कि हिंदू महिलाओं और पवित्र बिंदी का मज़ाक उड़ाओगे ?
क्या तेरी औकात है कि इस महिला की जगह
बुरका पहनाकर उन्हें अपमानित कर सके ?

अगर नहीं तो सीधे सीधे माफ़ी मांग देश की महिलाओं से वरना तेरा जो बॉयकॉट होगा वो परिणाम तू… pic.twitter.com/NineXuCTAt
— Deepak Sharma (@SonOfBharat7) October 16, 2023

#BoycottHDFC #AntiHinduHDFC #shameonhdfc
You should apologize pic.twitter.com/fNduPPE6p4
— Sambhav Surana (@SuranaSur41354) October 17, 2023

What the FK is this @HDFC_Bank & @HDFCBank_Cares

Do HDFC even know why Hindu Women put Bindi on their forehead ?

#AntiHinduHDFC
— Desi Witcher ?? (@Bhishma_Swami) October 17, 2023

HDFC has joined the ranks of some of the print ads that have been ill-received on the internet lately. An advertisement by MakeMyTrip was recently in the line of fire for taking a dig at Pakistani cricket fans who have come to India. The print ad was flayed by many on social media. The ad appeared in all leading English newspapers ahead of the big face-off in Ahmedabad on October 14.

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Published On: Oct 17, 2023 5:18 PM

Tags Hdfc Print ads Vigil Aunty