Uttar Pradesh’s Prachi Nigam scored a whopping 98.5% in her class-10 board exams. But it wasn’t her exemplary academic performance that people were bothered about; it was her facial hair. To Prachi, her facial hair doesn’t matter. Her academic performance does and that’s where her full concentration seems to be at the moment. She doesn’t conform to societal standards of beauty. However, much of our society seems to think padhai vadhai toh thik hai, but she desperately needs some grooming.
Prachi Nigam was incessantly trolled online and Bombay Shaving Company, a personal care and grooming solutions brand, seemed to think that it was fitting to make an advertisement out of the situation. And not just any advertisement – a full front-page advertisement in a leading daily newspaper.
“Dear Prachi, they are trolling your hair today, they’ll applaud your A.I.R tomorrow. We hope you never get bullied into using our razor,” the advertisement read.
The girl is getting enough unnecessary and negative attention already on social media. With this advertisement, Bombay Shaving Company has not just used her harrowing experience to further their marketing agenda but also gave her more unnecessary attention. Several people online slammed the company for their insensitive advertisement and demanded an immediate apology from them.
Here’s a look at some of the reactions online to the advertisement:
The Team at Bombay Shaving Company actually thought it is a brilliant Ad Campaign. And they thought the line – We hope you never get bullied into using our razor – is a classic touch, without any sales push, to demonstrate whatever they thought it demonstrates about them pic.twitter.com/o5aKGqcEC5
— Joy (@Joydas) April 27, 2024
Absolutely inexplicable Ad in awful taste.
A poor girl is going through such a tough situation in her life, but Bombay Shaving Company will not leave her alone, trying to take mileage by selling their Razors, founder Shantanu posting this Ad on LinkedIn and praising their… pic.twitter.com/VKTBb0eqqs— Shajan Samuel (@IamShajanSamuel) April 27, 2024
Bombay Shaving Company does a full page ad for Prachi, The UP board topper, who was being trolled for facial hair.
Haven’t seen something this desperate.
This message goes to their own TG, not to the people who bullied her, hey pls remember to buy our razors while you shed a… pic.twitter.com/YWBDwgd6LU
— Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) April 27, 2024
Not just Bombay Shaving Company but so many other brands thrive on the insecurity of women.
Kudos to Prachi for not giving a F to societal expectations of how she must look. If this child can beat peer pressure at such young age, she is made for stars🌟
— Monica Verma (@TrulyMonica) April 27, 2024
Dear Bombay Shaving Company,
Using a child's trauma for moment marketing is a horrible move that doesn't deserve applause.
I hope you get bullied into taking down the ad and apologizing to the girl for this insensitive copy. pic.twitter.com/GGRLvI6MmI
— Deepansh Duggal (@Deepansh75) April 27, 2024
Bombay Shaving Company's front-page ad supporting Prachi, who faced social media trolling, ends with "we hope you never get bullied into using our razor." Seriously? How low and insensitive can a company stoop for advertising? 😞 pic.twitter.com/m9cYGBky6l
— Meru (@MeruBhaiya) April 27, 2024
Horrible attempt by Bombay Shaving Company. Make money out of someone's trolling. Wait for the founder's apology so he can get more mileage out of this controversy. Absolutely tone deaf. pic.twitter.com/ZGXZaD7cJN
— GDP (@gdpishere) April 27, 2024
have the Bombay Shaving company, founders and investors apologised for their abominable ad yet?
— finkrishna (@finkrishna) April 28, 2024
What a way to do sales.
The Bombay Shaving company using an unfortunate incident to get attention.
I am sure they didnt asked the victim as well.
Shameful pic.twitter.com/eq6WX7NNRB
— SK ( मोदी का परिवार) 🇮🇳 (@IndiaBottomline) April 27, 2024
Bombay Shaving Company owner is the same guy who said that freshers should work 12-13 hours on LinkedIn, I guess ?
Regularly says and does nonsensical things. https://t.co/sKST722SS3— Mc Adams Asli waale (@Balancing_Actor) April 27, 2024
What are your views about this incident?