Adani Wilmar halts Fortune oil ads featuring Sourav Ganguly

Three days after former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly suffered a mild heart attack, Adani Wilmar has halted all advertisements of its Fortune Rice Bran cooking oil featuring the cricketing legend.

The decision comes in the wake of criticism by social media users who ridiculed the company's ad campaigns that claim its oil is healthy for the heart. "The advertising featuring Ganguly has been removed across platforms," The Economic Times reported citing a person closely working on the campaign.

The former India cricket star was appointed as the brand ambassador of Fortune Rice Bran cooking oil in January 2020. The brand campaign, created by an agency Ogilvy & Mather during lockdown, promoted Fortune oil was healthy for the heart.

Meanwhile, Adani Wilmar has defended the Fortune brand, saying it's the healthiest and that it'll continue to work with Saurav. Adani Wilmar said it has taken a temporary break from commercial and will be back soon.

"It contains natural antioxidants. Gamma Oryzonal present in rice bran oil reduces bad cholesterol and improves lipid profile. The rice bran oil is not a medicine but only a cooking oil. There are several factors which affect heart ailments, including dietary and hereditary issues. We shall continue to work with Saurav and he will continue to be our brand ambassador. We have only taken a temporary break in our TV commercial till we again sit with Saurav and take things forward. This is a very unfortunate incident and can happen with anyone," a company spokesperson said.

Also read: Saurav Ganguly regains consciousness after angioplasty; condition stable

Ganguly was rushed to the hospital at around 1:00 pm on Saturday last week after the cricketer complained of chest discomfort while at his home gym in Kolkata.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president is now stable and will be discharged soon, the Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata said on Monday. Ganguly received a stent and is in a stable condition following the surgery.

Many even suggested Saurav to choose products for branding wisely. Some said people should be wiser after the Ganguly episode, while others called out Adani Wilmar for immediately removing the ad campaigns associated with Saurav Ganguly.

"What an irony!!You tout something as a heart healthy alternative & your brand ambassador gets a heart attack!! Again look at how you react, immediately pull your ads with d said personality!! Pure corporate greed! At least wish him well, before pulling the ad!" a Twitter user tweeted.

"Halting Saurav Ganguly ads will hurt brand Fortune more than continuing with him," said another user. "Dada @SGanguly99 get well soon. Always promote tested and tried products. Be self-conscious and careful. God bless," tweeted former cricketer Kirti Azad tweeted.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital after suffering mild cardiac arrest