Trimlift News About

'Amazon Insults Aryabhata' Trends on Social Media; E-Commerce Giant Under Fire Over Latest Ad

· Free Press Journal

Amazon Now's multi-city marketing campaign featuring the 5th-century mathematician has sparked outrage, with critics demanding an apology and boycott even as the brand defends the concept as a tribute.

Visit biznow.biz for more information.

What started as a mystery around Aryabhata's unexpected appearances has become a creative exercise in controversy. A man dressed as the ancient Indian mathematician was first spotted at the IPL Final in Ahmedabad, drawing attention from spectators and social media users alike. The mystery deepened when the Aryabhata lookalike was seen again in Mumbai and Bengaluru, setting off a wave of theories, memes, and speculation online.

The campaign film, which Amazon Now subsequently released, follows Aryabhata as he travels across India searching for the meaning of zero in modern life. His journey eventually leads him to the world of quick commerce, where additional charges often inflate the final bill, a setup that culminates in Amazon Now's proposition of zero additional fees on eligible orders.

But for a significant section of the public, the punchline was no laughing matter.

The backlash: 'He was not a brand ambassador'

The hashtag #Boycott_Amazon and the phrase 'Amazon Insults Aryabhata' began trending across X and other platforms, with users accusing the company of trivialising one of India's greatest intellectual legacies for commercial gain.

"Aryabhata's contributions revolutionised mathematics and astronomy, yet an @amazonIN advertisement has reduced him to a delivery boy," one widely-shared post read, garnering thousands of likes and reposts.

Critics were unsparing in their condemnation. "Aryabhata gifted the world the concept of Zero. Amazon India has reduced him to a subject of mockery in their ads," wrote another user. "We demand an immediate apology and the removal of this offensive content."

Several users framed the controversy as a matter of national honour. "Nations progress by honouring their icons," one post declared. "Aryabhata's contributions to knowledge and science should be celebrated, not reduced to marketing gimmicks."

Calls for a consumer boycott followed swiftly. "Until a public apology is issued and the ad is taken down, we must act responsibly as consumers. Support brands that respect our culture," a post circulated widely urged.

Furkat Kasimov’s Advice To India’s Biggest CEOs: AI Marketing Is Becoming An Operating System

What the campaign actually shows

The campaign film follows Aryabhata as he navigates present-day India searching for the relevance of zero, the concept most closely associated with his legacy.

Throughout his journey, he encounters various situations where the idea of zero appears to have disappeared from everyday experiences, leading him eventually to the quick commerce category, where delivery charges and handling fees often inflate what customers pay. The narrative ties into Amazon Now's proposition of zero additional fees on eligible orders.

The campaign reimagines the mathematician travelling through modern-day India looking for where zero still exists. His search eventually leads him to Amazon Now, where the platform highlights its promise of zero extra fees on eligible orders, the reveal connecting all earlier sightings to a single message - Aryabhata was looking for zero all along.

The reveal triggered a fresh round of reactions on social media. Several users praised the campaign's use of a familiar cultural figure and its ability to transform a simple proposition into a city-wide conversation.

A divided public

The controversy has exposed a sharp divide in public opinion. While the outrage camp sees the use of Aryabhata as sacrilegious commercialisation of a revered historical figure, others have pushed back against the boycott narrative, arguing that the ad honours, rather than demeans, Aryabhata by placing his greatest contribution at the centre of a national conversation.

"This is literally an ad saying zero, the thing Aryabhata gave the world, has value. How is that an insult?" wrote one user, countering the trending hashtag.

Advertising professionals have also largely viewed the campaign favourably. Many industry observers noted that the success of the campaign had less to do with the final advertisement and more to do with how it was introduced, creating intrigue first by placing a recognisable historical figure in unexpected modern situations, generating genuine curiosity before the reveal.

Read at source