House Approves Petition Against Neymar's "Bullying" Advertising

03/13/2014 - 09h17

The Human Rights Commission of the House of Representatives approved a petition on Wednesday recommending Conar (Council of Advertising Self-Regulation) and the Brazilian Presidency asking to remove advertising being broadcast in which attacker Neymar does a practical joke on foreign tourists.

The committee unanimously considered the commercial distasteful, offensive to tourists who come to Brazil to attend the World Cup, and detrimental to the image of the country.

The advertising by Antarctica Guaraná, starring the Brazilian national team's attacker, features the motto "everybody wants it, but only one of us has it" and has Neymar teaching four foreigners asking what to drink in Brazil.

In it, the player writes little notes to them, appearing in advertising falling into a "practical joke" where, without understanding, they read the text to the vendors like "a guaraná for 'hot dog water' here" or "a guaraná for 'for a really ugly thing', please".

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The film is undersigned by the agency DM9DDB.

AmBev, which owns the Guaraná Antarctica brand, said the initial media plan for the commercial wound up its exhibition period on Tuesday and said the intention was to emphasize Brazilian good humor and that at no time was their any intention of offending tourists.

"Guaraná Antarctica is the sponsor of the World Cup, the national squad and several players, we wanted to play on the Brazilian mischievousness and at no time had the intention to offend tourists," said AmBev communications director, Alexandre Loures.

According to him, as is usually done, the commercial went through several consumer tests before going on the air and there were never any questioning or negative impressions.

"This advertisement encourages the hazing and bullying of foreign visitors," said Mr. Marcos Rogerio (PDT-RO), author of the request passed in the House. In the Presidency, the Secretary of Human Rights will receive the recommendation.

The Commission also approved the holding of a public hearing to discuss the topic.

Translated by STEVE HUGHES

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