Cairo: An Egyptian beer manufacturer on Wednesday removed a Facebook advertisement deemed offensive to the army after enraged consumers threatened to boycott the company’s products.
Birell Egypt, a producer of non-alcoholic beers in the mostly Muslim country, apologised for the ad and said it had been uploaded without approval from senior managers. Its parent company, Al Ahram Beverages Company, produces alcohol
The contested ad shows an invisible person holding what appears to be a military service-exemption certificate with a caption reading: “This is the drink of those dreaming of obtaining an exemption from the army”.
Military service is compulsory for young men in Egypt, with exemption only granted under very restricted conditions.
“Birell Company confirms its profound apology for the post that had been published without following relevant administrative measures,” the firm said in a statement. “It [the ad] completely contradicts the company’s policy that does not mix between advertising campaigns and any of the state institutions.”
It vowed to take “drastic” measures against the wrongdoer.
There was no official comment in Egypt on the row.
Alcohol is prohibited under Sharia, which is the main source of legislation in Egypt under the constitution.
However, alcohol is served in hotels and bars in the country.
The Birell ad had brought the company under scathing online criticism. Critics set up a trending hashtag calling for boycotting Birell products.
“Be a man and join the army so that I can love you,” a female critic, calling herself Marwa Refaat said in a post, subscribing to the campaign.
The controversy comes days after the Egyptian army said that 12 soldiers were killed in an attack by Islamist militants in North Sinai, a hotbed for extremist insurgents. The attack prompted the army to mount a series of deadly air strikes against radical gatherings in the largely desert area.
Egyptian security forces have been the target of attacks by hardline Islamists since the army deposed Islamist president Mohammad Mursi in 2013 following mass protests against his rule.
