The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) declared that it had taken a breast cancer awareness advertisement off of Metro trains after receiving a lot of criticism for it being in “bad taste.” With the words “check your oranges” put at the bottom of the poster, the advertising in question aimed to increase awareness of breast cancer.
Issuing a statement over the issue on Thursday, the DMRC said, “This is in reference to the photograph of an advertisement on Breast Cancer Awareness, which was installed inside a Delhi Metro train. DMRC authorities found the content inappropriate and immediately took serious cognizance of the matter.”
According to the corporation, the contentious advertisement was taken down on Wednesday, October 23, at approximately 7:45 p.m., when it was discovered to be shown inside just one train.
“DMRC always strives to be sensitive to public sentiments and doesn’t encourage any sort of campaign/activity/display advertising which is not in good taste or in defiance of prevalent guidelines of advertising in public places. The Delhi Metro will endeavor to ensure that such incidents of inappropriate advertising don’t take place in its premises,” it said.
The public condemned the breast cancer awareness advertisement, which was part of the campaign organised by cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s non-profit YouWeCan Foundation, for calling breasts “oranges.”
In an effort to increase awareness of early breast cancer screening, one of the posters asked women to ‘check their oranges’ once a month. A young woman carrying two oranges is seen on the poster standing in a bus with a number of elderly women seating. One of the older women is carrying an orange container.
“Have you checked your oranges lately?” was the subject of another YouWeCan Foundation breast cancer awareness message that was shown within the Delhi metro’s Yellow Line.
Calling the ad “shameful and embarassing”, a social media user posted on X, “How will a country raise Breast Cancer Awareness is we can’t even call breasts what they are. Saw this at Delhi Metro and like what the hell? Check your oranges? Who makes these campaigns, who approves them? Are we governed by such dumb people that they let this poster become public?”
