Compare The Market Insurance Meerkats Pulled From TV After Russian Invasion
Compare the Meerkat’s Aleksandr Orlov has been pulled from screens across the UK.
TV advertisements featuring Aleksandr Orlov, a fictional Russian meerkat, have been pulled from news bulletins in the UK, after concerns about about the sensitivity of the campaign as the war between Ukraine and Russia escalates.
The campaign featuring the Russian-born “businesskat” and his assistant Sergei was started by parent company BGL, as a promotional campaign for their insurance comparison website comparethemeerkat.com.
The website states that the mascot comes from a long line of furry oligarchs, quoting him as saying “I am handsome and success businesskat and have many claws in many pies. Despite being talent singer and actorkat, I follow in footsteps of my ancestors, and take over family business of compare meerkats.”
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine results in more international boycotts of Russian business and products, the mascot for Comparethemeerkat.com was pulled from TV advertisements in the UK over fears that the furry Russian billionaire would be given air time next to news bulletins of the war in Ukraine.
The company emphasised in a statement that “the meerkats are fictional characters,” as reported by the BBC.
“They have no association with Russia and the current situation. We are continually reviewing our advertising to ensure we’re being sensitive to the current situation.”
This hasn’t stopped commentators online from questioning the future of the fictional meerkat.
BREAKING: Compare the Meerkat’s Aleksandr Orlov tried at The Hague for war crimes pic.twitter.com/yjtMfJpzN4
— 𝔾𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕠 (@GeorgeHasler) February 28, 2022
I can only speculate that there is potentially a loud argument taking place in a corporate boardroom right now over the decision to write the meerkat as a Russian national, with fictional family members including an ex Kremlin spy.