You've probably heard of Sabra Hummus ... and if you're pro-Palestine, you most definitely boycotted them as well.
Before we get into their latest fail of an advert #HowIMmus (mus means "to suck" in Arabic) during the Super Bowl, it's worth noting why the brand isn't so loved by Arabs.
The brand is jointly owned by PepsiCo and Strauss Group, and you're probably wondering why that matters. Well, the latter is actually an Israeli multinational corporation that invests and financially supports the Golani Brigade, part of Israel's military force. Sabra Hummus has been boycotted by thousands of people following campaigns by the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement. Thus, it doesn't sit on the good side with Arabs. That's not even taking into consideration the fact that it's butchered hummus by packaging the most Arab mezze there is ... and selling it in flavors (chocolate, roasted red pepper, etc) too.
The brand's first Super Bowl commercial aired on Sunday and it seemed pretty inclusive. After all, it featured drag queens Kim Chi and Miz Cracker, RuPaul's Drag Race alumni. It included people of different races and ethnicities, but of course, not one Arab (not that we'd want to be associated with the brand). In a parallel universe, the brand wouldn't have supported the Israeli military and would've attempted to reach out to an Arab, meaning they would've been made aware of the flaws in its campaign name. But we don't live in an ideal world, no, we luckily exist in a world full of trolls.
An extended cut of the advert was posted on Sabra Hummus' social media platforms. At the end of the video, viewers are encouraged to share how they 'mmus using the hashtag #HowIMmus.
Mmus means "to suck" in Arabic, so it's pretty fitting that the brand actually used it because it really does suck. It sucks because of its history and support to the Israeli military (that has killed Palestinians day in and day out). It sucks because even when putting that aside, it's hard to let go of the fact that it has appropriated a whole culture, has run an advert on that appropriation, and decided to exclude Arabs in their entirety. In a failed attempt to be "cute?", the brand got roasted just like its roasted red pepper hummus.