Social media questions identity of Chicken Licken ad complainant

Chicken Licken representatives will be appearing before the Advertising Review Board (ARB) in an effort to appeal the recent ban on their Big John advert following complaints that the TV commercial was making light of the atrocities suffered by non-white people during colonialism.

In the wake of the ad ban, however, there has been mass outrage at the furore surrounding the ad.

https://twitter.com/Red__Mos/status/1075275469958844416

https://twitter.com/siphokandebele/status/1075092504582733824

Majority of public sentiment is that there is nothing wrong with the ad and many are shocked that it only took one complaint for the ad to be reviewed and banned, but it seems as though the original complainant, Sandile Cele, is not alone.

Some have even gone as far as calling for the latest Nando’s ad to be banned as well while others are calling for a boycott of the franchise because they believe it was trying to make light of colonialism.

Now that the Chicken Licken "Big John" ad has been pulled off the air, I hope the Nandos "you people" ad will follow. Its Racist, Racially stereotypical, prejudicial and contains generalisations and curse words. People are getting away with the most #smh pic.twitter.com/7sS7d1jRLB

— 🇿🇦NTHAPELENG🇿🇦 (@Nthapeleng__) December 19, 2018

The advert with colonialism undertones. It was so stupid

— Flo Letoaba (@floletoaba) December 18, 2018

Somebody said they are upset the chicken licken ad got banned because it was empowering & humourous… wtf!

What's so empowering about an ad? & it's a fluffy take on history nogal, something we all know is a lie…

— IG: @InTshepyITrust (@Tshepy_Khunou) December 19, 2018

However, those who see nothing wrong with the ad far outweigh those who do and they have even compared it to a previous ad which poked fun at the concept of post-94 doomsday preppers.

Whoever said the recent Chicken Licken ad is too spicy, did this one lack any spice ? pic.twitter.com/IYJg5TB6vP

— Tomi Rikhotso (@TomiRikhotso) December 18, 2018

In addition to trying to make the ad go viral online, some have made the allegation that the name of the complainant may be a pseudonym.

https://twitter.com/ThembaRumbu/status/1075097543690911744

The complainant on the chicken licken advert is a white guy who didn't like the Idea of Europe being colonised by a black person… #POWERDrive#ChickenLicken pic.twitter.com/aGdoLLd3aZ

Read more

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— Chair of Chairs. (@zienyce) December 18, 2018

This Big John Chicken Licken Advert showing reverse colonialism has been banned on TV because a faceless "Sandile Cele" complained, "the commercial makes a mockery of the struggles of the African people against colonisation.." 😕

Was Sandile Cele's identity fact-checked? pic.twitter.com/EOc6yuRnSI

— XOLI (@Mbhele_Xoli) December 18, 2018

Chicken Licken advert! Why u gotta try stop the fun? Who is the Sandile who allegedly supposedly got it banned? Why? Does he even exist?

— STOP ALBINISM KILLINGS (@kuliroberts) December 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/Letsopa/status/1075282921274126336

As the public awaits the appeal ruling, calls for the ad to be unbanned are streaming in.

I like the “big John” ad ya chicken licken. Think it’s quite funny.

— Dolsie 🌸 (@Kutlwiii_M) December 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/Roland_Williams/status/1075303422239432705

I liked the #chickenlicken big john advert, I don’t think it makes a mockery of black people’s struggles under colonialism at all but rather ridiculing the discovery of a pre existing land and people. Help me understand guys? #bigjohn

— Bame (@bamemodungwa) December 18, 2018

When I first saw that Chicken Licken 'Big John' ad I thought it was hilarious, never in a million years would I feel "traumatized", who's this lifeless person??

— Bongani… (@Bonganisway) December 19, 2018

READ NEXT: Nando’s fires back at fake dagga ad

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