National Baking Company withdraws controversial ad

Public outcry from some Jamaicans has forced the National Baking Company to withdraw and apologize for a new ad campaign for its sandwich cookies.  
   
The ad, which is a still image of a television commercial, features an older man standing behind a young boy who is holding a pack of cookies.
   
The man’s hand is outstretched as he attempts to snatch the cookies from the boy’s grasp.   
   
Concerns have been raised by some persons that the advertisement conjures images of child abuse.
   
Gary "Butch" Hendrickson, Chief Executive Officer of the Continental Baking Company, says he understands the backlash.
   
He says the company has agreed to pull the ad from all platforms including its vehicles and billboards.
   
"When it came out yesterday, a good friend sent a message saying it wasn't good and another one came in (saying) it wasn't good and it took about an hour-and-a-half for us to go and take them off the vehicles and to pull them from everywhere else," he recalled.

He said violence against children is too serious an issue to be ignored and must be treated with sensitivity.

Mr. Hendrickson, in the meantime, said the company is prepared to bear the costs associated with the blunder.

"That's the price we pay for being in business, and additionally, it's the price we pay for bad judgement. Everything in life has a price to it," he declared. 

But he apologised for the ad, saying, "it's not our culture" to "put up anything that is offensive to any individual or groups of individuals".

He was unable to say how much it will cost the company to withdraw the advertisement.