Nigerians have condemned a recent Easter advert by Sterling Bank comparing Jesus Christ's resurrection with Agege bread
The advert which was released by the Bank on Easter Sunday was seen as a direct affront on Christaindom by the bank
A Public Relations expert Chido Nwakanma has this to say on the advert
"STERLING BANK SHOULD REMOVE ITS CORPORATE COMMS TEAM
Unless they are equally complicit, the Management of Sterling Bank should clear its Corporate Comms team on Tuesday. Everyone involved in preparing and placing that obnoxious ad that pokes noxious fingers into the eyes of all Christians in Nigeria should not be involved in communications one day extra.
Have you seen the obnoxious and insulting ad? A corporate entity such as Sterling Bank signs off on an ad that compares the basis of the Christian faith to Agege Bread. It is the height of idiocy! It is an offensive joke.
The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of our faith as Christians. Blaze comparisons in the name of creativity are offensive.
Then Sterling Bank worsens the offence by offering a non-apology. The uninformed copy asks us to “Forgive in the Spirit of Easter” but confirms they are not sorry. It states, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone”. Foolishness!
“For our recent errors, we sincerely apologize. We humbly celebrate his resurrection, the defeat of death and the hope of salvation”.
(Please prefer “apologise” with an S for UK English in Nigeria!)
Which dullards did this? Is it because Christians have few bomb-throwers and arsonists?
Note that it would be compounding the offence to reproduce the offensive ad.
Remember that Sterling Bank committed a similar offence in 2018 with its "In shooting for the moon, men become stars" ad. It similarly apologised. Is that the Sterling Bank tradition? Put two feet in the mouth and then say sorry? Not good at all.
APCON should check. Did the Advertising Standards Panel approve this ad?"