Vodka Brand Accused of Anti-Semitism With Ad: 'Christmas Quality, Hanukkah Pricing'
The Wodka Vodka brand has sparked controversy over its latest billboard with some claiming it is offensive and others saying it's anti-Semitic.
The billboard in question reads, "Christmas Quality, Hanukkah Pricing," and has drawn the ire of Jewish groups who say the ad banks on the stereotype of Jews being cheap.
The creator of the sign, Brian Gordon, said he's Jewish and didn't mean to be offensive. He wanted to only reinforce that Hanukkah was an "understated" holiday.
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Located in New York, the billboard was taken down after they received complaints from the Anti-Defamation League.
TMZ contacted a rep from ADL and they said, "In a crude and offensive way of 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."
He also said it "reinforces anti-Semitic stereotypes.”
The Christian Post asked readers to sound off on whether they thought the billboard was inappropriate with most agreeing in was.
Clothing entrepreneur of Are Easy, Raul Rez Barquet, said of the billboard, "The guy who wrote it is an idiot first of all he misses the point, but yes it can be offensive."
He then adds, "There are a lot of conservative Christians that would be pissed if it were the other way around."
Jasmina Elnahal, a college student, said, "I dont think it has to do with hanukkah being a 'lesser, cheaper' holiday in comparison to christmas. i think it's playing on the 'stingy, greedy' stereotype of jewish people. so yes it is offensive.”
College student Doug Adams felt "if it was the other way around it wouldnt be news."
While law student Jessica Voto thought people should lighten up. "Just for the record, stereotypes exist for a reason, and that billboard is hysterical, and christians do not make nearly as big a stink about people disrespecting their religion as jewish people do."
How do you feel about the sign? Is it offensive, did they go too far?
