Tanmay Bhat's old Ganesha tweets zap Kotak Mahindra Bank's new campaign
Netizens dug out tweets by Bhat from 2013 where he joked about Hindu gods, forcing the company to pull down its latest campaign featuring the comedian
Recently, Kotak811, a semi-autonomous digital bank by Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited, launched an ad starring comedians Tanmay Bhat and Samay Raina. The #SamayKoSahiKaamPeLagao campaign highlighted how Kotak811 lets you put your time (or "Samay") to good use by using some clever puns and the comic timings of Bhat and Raina.
Shortly after it was launched, Kotak scrambled to pull down the campaign and erase the video from the internet. While there was nothing contentious about the ad, it was Bhat's tweets from the past that came back to haunt the brand. Netizens dug out old tweets by the comedian from 2013 where he joked about Lord Ganesha.
The company found itself in the crosshairs of irate netizens, asking why they associated themselves with Bhat, who was "spreading hatred for Hindu Gods." They even demanded that Kotak pull down the ad.
The bank was very vocal about its stand and even started replying to some of the tweets, but it eventually had to submit to the angry mob and pulled down the campaign.
The company tweeted saying that it doesn't endorse the hatred:
We, at Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. do not support or endorse the views of actors made in their personal capacity that harm or offend any individual or group. We have withdrawn the campaign.
— Kotak 811 (@kotak811) February 12, 2023
Dear @udaykotak do you agree with Hindu hater Tanmay Bhatt’s description of Shri Ganesh Murti? Do your customers agree? @KotakBankLtd pic.twitter.com/WG0qxtDTm2
— Shefali Vaidya. ?? (@ShefVaidya) February 11, 2023
I invest through zerodha & my mom does it through @kotaksecurities
— Madhav (@kehkaeluga) February 11, 2023
Have asked my mom to move all her investments from kotak and park with some other broker. Will be looking for option but will #BoycottKotak for being hinduphobic & hating hindus
Kotak premium customer here, this is appalling and disgusting stuff. Why are they hiring this pervert? He isn’t even popular.
— Amit Thadhani (@amitsurg) February 11, 2023
Soon, there were calls to boycott the bank.
No point in asking Kotak's... They know how this person is... Best way is to boycott the bank... Like bollywood such institution should be banned so that they are out of system... Kotaks should be ashamed provided they still have some shame left.
— SS - एक सच्चा भारतिय (@sshashin) February 11, 2023
I m Kotak Bank and Kotak Security customer since 2010. Time to say good ?.
— manoj jha (@manojha72) February 11, 2023
I guess this is the lowest the brand @KotakBankLtd has stooped to. If their Brand Ambassador has FoE, they too have a choice to survive. If they want to attract a particular section of the society (that follows @thetanmay) as their customers, so be it. Let's wish them good.
— Rahul Jagtap (@RahuIJagtap) February 11, 2023
Not a kotak customer, but I hold immense respect for the Mahindra’s. I am sure the mistake will be corrected. Brands should choose their ambassadors wisely with due diligence especially on their personal view points on sensitive issues like Religion & Politics.
— Anand Shukla (@ElixirAnand) February 11, 2023
Digital footprints like Bhat's old tweets are evidence of the past. With the evolving technology, it has become immensely easy to trace anything even if it has been deleted. It will soon become imperative for brands to scrutinize the people they associate with and look up any past brushes with the Twitter mobs in order to prevent the possibility of a boycott.
