A seemingly accidental pro-Ukraine advertisement by the Estonian meat producer, Rannarootsi Lihatööstus, has sparked a little controversy and hurt the feelings of some of the local Russian apologists.
The company this week published an AI-produced ad on Facebook that depicted two men grilling meat on a beach with plumes of smoke rising in the background – much like the scenes we’re seeing every day from Ukraine. The men are wearing t-shirts bearing the Ukrainian flag, and the tagline of the ad says, “A proper barbecue turns the bitter onion sweet.”
The controversy that some of the Estonian Russian-apologetic politicians tried to stir, based on the ad, was built upon the fact that in some slang vernacular, the word “onion” could mean a Russian person. The slang meaning of the word is derived from the shape of the turrets of the Russian Orthodox churches – which remind some people of onions.
However, the ad is simply designed to sell a barbecue meat product by Rannarootsi that has caramelised onions in the marinade – or so the company maintains. The CEO of the meat producer, Karmo Aksel, told the Estonian Public Broadcasting that the company didn’t want to convey any political or hostile message.
“It’s directly about our product and its ingredient – caramelised onion,” Aksel told the public broadcasting, adding that he learned about the negative connotation of the word “onion” only after posting the ad.
“Adding fuel to the fire”
The CEO said the ad was inspired by today’s news feed. “The picture reflects today’s reality, what we see in the news. We’re seeing those plumes of smoke every day. That’s where the depiction is from,” Aksel added.
One of the people that the ad miffed was the chairman of the Centre Party and the former mayor of Tallinn, Mihhail Kõlvart.
“In today’s complex geopolitical situation where the security risks are greater than every before, there’s the inevitable question, in whose interest do provocations such as this exist? Whom does it benefit to add fuel to the fire at a time when the society already has so much distrust, animosity, pain and anger?” Kõlvart wrote on Facebook.
Jana Toom, a member of the European Parliament from the Centre Party, wrote on Facebook in Russian:, “And what’s that in the background there, dear sausage makers? Is the idea that everyone who buys your sausage should think they’re eating a charred enemy? Or am I somehow misunderstanding the language of marketing? What a bunch of idiots. It’s true what they say: for some, it’s war; for others, it’s their own mother.”
The final sentence is a Russian proverb that has no direct English equivalent. It roughly means, “One person’s tragedy is another person’s opportunity.”
“This meat is worth buying!”
On the other hand, many Estonian politicians and staunch allies of Ukraine called upon people to buy more of the Rannarootsi products.
“Remember that name: Ranna-Rootsi. Estonian. And buy it,” Jürgen Ligi, a Reform Party politician and the finance minister, said in a Facebook post. “I like Ranna-Rootsi products, trademark, attitude and now also the opportunity to see who was offended by it. Because these people are never annoyed by killing, raping, conquering, destroying, lying. Let’s always buy Ranna-Rootsi, but now more than ever!”
Eerik-Niiles Kross, a member of the Estonian parliament, also a member of the Reform Party, wrote on Facebook that, “It turns out the Finns had it right – a Russian is a Russian, even if you cook them in butter – unfortunately, Rannarootsi Lihatööstus isn’t right in hoping that coming to one’s senses is somehow possible. Onions aren’t getting any sweeter. This meat, however, is worth buying.”
Rannarootsi Lihatööstus is one of the largest meat producers in Estonia, making sausages, ham, bacon, barbecue meat and other meat products. It’s located in Lääne County and its products are sold throughout Estonia. It employs over 230 people.
It’s not planning to take down the ad.
