Maypole apologises for ‘sexy’ bread visual following social media outcry

The management of the Maypole bakery, one of Malta’s largest foodstuff retailers, has apologised for having caused offence with a visual for the LIV brand that features a naked woman holding a slice of brown bread to her heart.

Facebook was once again the stage for an onslaught of criticism from various voices who said the company was objectifying women for the sole reason of selling bread.

In a statement posted on its Facebook wall, referring to the photo of one of vehicles featuring the marketing visual, Maypole said the LIV bread campaign was originally launched by the Zeelandia group.

Zeelandia provides the raw material used to produce LIV bread, a bread mix formulated by the company’s scientists who say they have managed to obtain the ‘rare article 14 health claim’ – where consuming LIV reduces cholesterol levels.

The campaign also features a man with bare torso, holding a slice of bread to his heart, with the tagline ‘Bread that wins your heart’.

“By making use of the marketing visuals provided by the mother company, it was in no way Maypole’s intention to objectify either woman or man in this campaign. The international campaign also features a shirtless male model, which is present on the other side of Maypole’s vehicle,” the company said.

“Following the number of comments we have received in the last few hours through the company’s social media page, it has become evident that the visual was interpreted as misogynist by some members of the public. In this regard, the company will be discussing an alternative campaign with its international supplier Zeelandia.”