The next ban: Vaseline and Hellman's Mayonnaise

I was initially not going to post about this, but the story has now taken an interesting twist, so I thought I would mention it.

Recently, the beginning of the week, Unilever brought in some internationally recognized DJ/model Nicci Belucci to host a promotional campaign for one of their products, AXE deodorants. It seems that she is a very provocative model and, true to her reputation, she ran the promotion while topless (no I do not have a video link for this).

The Haredim heard about it and threatened to boycott Unilever. That would be major, and probably impossible, as Unilever is a major importer and manufacturer, one of the largest, of basic products such as AXE, Vaseline, foods such as cereals, chocolates, pretzels, margarines, mayonaisse, soaps, detergents, etc. Basic items used by everybody, many of them with a Badat'z hechsher.

The various committees demanded apologies saying things such as from Mottka Bloi (the guy who ran the bans on MBD and Shweckey a while back) "we should not have to hear about this type of outrage", "bring an abonimation to Eretz Yisrael", "the gedolim have to consider a boycott" etc. From Goldknopff (the guy running the threat of boycott against Shefa Shuk and ran the boycott against El Al and others) we have things like, "Every product has an alternative", "if things are not immediately repaired, people should not buy products from them", "people who want to work with us have to know we have our sensitivities", etc. From Shmuel Peppenheim, the former spokesperson for the Eida Haredis and current representative of the Eidah hechsher, we have quotes like, "Obviously we are considering removing our hechsher", "we cannot allow this to pass quietly" etc.

Unilever Israel issued an apology to the Haredi comunity, saying AXE is an international brand following an international advertising policy set by the company, the event was private, Unilever respects all its customers, including the Haredi customers, we apologize, blah blah blah...

The interesting thing is the next part of the story. After Unilever issued its apology yesterday, Peppenheim from the Eidah Haredis has responded again. This time, he says, the apology is not enough. According to TheMarker, Peppenheim said to them, "Originally the apology would have been enough. But now [RG: I have no idea what changed], the Badatz has decided to demand that Unilever issue an apology in the secular media as well, because they have hurt the secular people no less than they have hurt us." .

So from this story it comes out that, aside from banning Hellman's Mayonnaise, the Badatz is concerned about, and looks after the welfare, of secular Israelis, and not just the identity of Haredi Judaism, as they generally claim. I just thought that was an interesting twist I would share with you.