Read : Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev dies; ‘rare leader’, says Biden
The ad showed a number of Russians discussing politics while sitting at a Pizza Hut. Gorbachev was seated at a corner of the shop and after noticing him, they started discussing his political legacy.
“Because of him, we have economic confusion!” one person said.
Old Pizza Hut ad, that reflects Russia’s divided opinion on #MikhailGorbachev, goes viral after former Soviet leader’s death.
Gorbachev had starred in the ad to raise money for his foundation.
William Taubman, Professor Emeritus, Amherst College, looks back at Gorbachev’s life pic.twitter.com/VnAnHKqgpC
— WION (@WIONews) August 31, 2022
“Because of him, we have opportunity!” the other responded.
“Because of him, we have political instability,” the first man said.
“Because of him, we have many things … like Pizza Hut,” an elderly lady interjected while all of them said “Hail Gorbachev!” and the narrator spoke about how “pizza brought everyone together”.
It was a rare occurrence at that time for a former president to feature in an ad and according to Foreign Policy, Gorbachev actually had a clause in his contract that he will not eat pizza during the shoot. The report also said that the former president received a handsome fee for his appearance. He featured in advertisement campaigns for Western brands to raise money his charity foundation.
While there was criticism regarding his participation in the ad, Gorbachev said that “pizza is for everyone.”
“It’s not only consumption,” the Russian leader said according to Business Insider. “It’s also socialising.”
