The Anti-Defamation League released a press release today criticizing a current billboard advertising campaign run by Wodka brand vodka, a Polish brand which emphasizes its quality taste at value pricing. According to the ADL, the billboard, which touts the brand as having "Christmas quality, Hanukkah pricing," is "crude and offensive, and reinforces anti-Semitic stereotypes."
The billboards, at least one of which is visible on a high-traffic portion of the West Side Highway in Manhattan, is part of a larger campaign from Wodka juxtaposing related characteristics with an alleged "high-low" connection. Other slogans include "Movie Star quality, Reality TV pricing" and "Escort quality, hooker pricing." The implication of the campaign seems to be that the former example in each case is higher quality and traditionally expensive, while the latter is lower quality but traditionally inexpensive. The "Christmas/Hanukkah" billboard includes a photo of two dogs, a chihuahua wearing a Santa hat, and an Afghan wearing a yarmulke.
The vodka is, in fact, generally well regarded within the bartending community for possessing a quality flavor and production for a product that costs far less than premium vodkas, and has witnessed economic growth and increasing bar placement this past year.
According to the ADL release, in "...trying to make a point that their vodka is high quality and inexpensive, the billboards evoke a Jewish holiday to imply something that is cheap and of lesser value when compared to the higher value of a Christian holiday," according to Ron Meier, ADL New York Regional Director. The ADL cautions that the implication plays to long held "anti-Semitic stereotypes about Jews and money."
The ADL is requesting that Polmos Bialystock, the parent company for Wodka, remove the billboards. "To use the Jewish holiday in dealing with the issues of money is clearly insensitive and inappropriate."
An email to Wodka's publicist was answered with an email that an official response is forthcoming. This article will be updated as the information becomes available.
UPDATE(November 22 3:45 EST): According to a publicist who works with Wodka vodka, an official response is being prepared, but the publicist assured Examiner that the billboard in question ((Christmas/Hannukah") "is coming down."
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