Backlash ensues over Amica Chips commercial starring nun

A controversial potato chip commercial featuring a nun munching on chips during communion has sparked outrage in Italy. The advertisement, created by Amica Chips, shows a nun being served a chip instead of the traditional wafer during Catholic mass, leading to accusations of blasphemy and disrespect towards the Catholic faith.

The commercial, which was intended to be humorous and targeted at younger viewers with “strong British irony,” quickly received backlash from Catholic organizations and viewers. Giovanni Baggio, the leader of an association of Catholic television viewers, condemned the ad for offending the sensitivity of millions of practicing Catholics.

The Catholic newspaper, Avvenire, also criticized the commercial, stating that it reduced Christ to a mere potato chip and vilified him in a disrespectful manner.

As a result of the intense backlash, Italy’s advertising standards authority has ordered the commercial to be pulled. However, Amica Chips has the option to appeal the decision and keep the ad on air for seven more days.

The marketing company behind the controversial ad, Lorenzo Marini Group, defended the commercial as a hyperbolic way to express the crunchiness of Amica Chips. Despite the company’s explanation, the ad continues to face criticism for its disrespectful portrayal of communion and the Catholic faith.