This Tone-Deaf Ad Ridicules “Freaks” Who Grow Their Own Vegetables

Apparently, nothing screams "weirdos" like people who grow their own vegetables, and one Australian grocery chain recently took those tuber-loving nutjobs to task in an advertisement for their own super-convenient frozen vegetables.

The mouthpiece for the ad was Michelle Bridges, one of those fitness guru/author/tv personality types, most notable for being a trainer on Australia's version of The Biggest Loser. In the ad for her Woolworths co-branded frozen meals, Bridges called people who grow their own vegetables "freaks."

Predictably, people were offended.

The ad starts in a garden, where Bridges, dressed in dirty overalls intended to make her look like a hippie, says, "Like everyone, I grow my own vegetables." She then grabs a handful of dirt and eats it, letting loose a sultry, "Mmmm… Now that's topsoil."

Cut to a modern kitchen, and Bridges has had enough of that garden crap. "It's time to get real. Eating healthier doesn't mean you have to act like a freak," she says, with an emphatic arm gesture and a roll of her crazy eyes. She then plugs her line of Delicious Nutritious Woolworths' microwaveable frozen meals, which feature "three serves of veggies." Take it from someone with sculpted abs and a workout program called Summer Booty Blitz.

A lot of people online, however, weren't feeling it, and they piled in on social media to post photos of their gardens or of themselves eating homegrown vegetables and sarcastically self-identifying as freaks.

So… if walking to my back yard for this makes me a #freak I'll wear the badge with honour #michellebridges pic.twitter.com/GT3jBL0nvB

— Sally Farrell (@Sally_Owl) November 6, 2015

Just confirming my freak status. #freaks #michellebridges pic.twitter.com/5FAAbkoOJI — Substandard & Poor (@64AnthonyP) November 6, 2015

Yeah, well - I may be a freak but Michelle Bridges appears to be a fool. pic.twitter.com/PKdUHeXSG8

— Denise C (@SpudBenBean) November 6, 2015

Woolworths has since pulled the ad, and Bridges apologized.

"As the fresh food people, we know how passionate our customers are about fresh food," Woolworths wrote in a statement on Facebook. "We share their passion and want everyone to eat healthily whether they grow their own or choose healthy foods from our supermarkets."

Bridges says the ad was meant to be satirical.

"Our intention with our ads for Delicious Nutritious were to poke fun at myself and what many see as my (completely fictional) perfect life," Bridges told Mumbrella. "As a fresh food grower myself and advocate for home cooking I have listened to your feedback and removed the posts which caused upset."

"As someone who works with many Australians, I understand that it's not always easy to cook from scratch every single meal."

It's even harder for people who live alone and are more likely to eat prepared meals. Encouraging healthy eating is a positive reminder, but maybe lay off the f-bombs. The social media crowd may make you eat dirt, along with your own words.