The ginger beer campaign tells parents of ginger-haired children to trade them in. Photo / Supplied
Parents who are "unfortunately cursed enough" to have "ginger spawn" are being told to trade them for free ginger beer.
Local company Hakanoa Ginger Beer's campaign has caused outrage, with an anti-bullying helpline saying the campaign's aim is to boost sales based on controversy.
"If they're consciously using the pain
of some people in order to market a product, I really think that's crossing a certain line," Youthline chief executive Stephen Bell said.
The press release that was sent to media about the campaign for the Auckland company, which refers to red-haired children as "ginger spawn", says: "They say children are a blessing, but it's fair to say no parent sets out wanting a ginger child.
"So ginger-beer maker Hakanoa has given those parents unfortunate enough to be cursed with ginger children the opportunity to swap them for something they will want."
