A Gold Coast butcher has come under fire after sharing a controversial social media video that left viewers in shock. However, the business owner has since doubled down on the clip, claiming “people make assumptions” and defending it as a “humorous hook”.
The Controversial Video
Bowie Meat & Co, a family-run butcher owned by husband-and-wife duo Michael and Jade, told news.com.au they hired a third-party social media agency to create the content. In the video, a cameraman walks towards an older man sitting alone in a food court at Robina Town Centre, saying: “17 years old … 17 years old … Are you kidding me mate?”
The clip mimics a popular, highly viral online trend in which citizen vigilantes attempt to catch alleged predators by pretending to be underage girls online, then ambushing them at a physical meetup spot. In the butcher’s video, the man looks worried as the cameraman approaches, getting out of his chair and running away.
“Get back here!” the filmer yells. “Oi, 17 years old.” The man, who turns out to be a butcher named Ian who works in the shop, then turns around once he’s inside the store and delivers the punchline: “Yeah, that’s right, 17 years old. That’s when I started my butchering. Been a butcher all my life.”
Public Reaction
The clip has racked up nearly 1.5 million views across social media, sparking a massive divide in the comment section. Many viewers were outraged by the marketing tactic. “This is absolutely F***ED advertising,” one user wrote. “Who told you that a child predator skit would make a good marketing video?” another asked. “Honestly, not the best ad for your company,” a third added, while a fourth wrote: “Wow, I’d never buy meat at your business because of this.” Others found the clip uncomfortable, writing, “This is a really odd marketing tactic,” and “This isn’t funny”.
However, another section of the internet praised the ad’s audacity. “Brilliant marketing,” one user wrote. “This has to be the best ad I’ve ever seen,” another commented, while others labelled the move “ballsy” and “the riskiest hook in modern history”.
Owner’s Defense
Speaking to news.com.au, owner Michael defended the video and said the backlash was simply a symptom of “woke” culture. “It’s just a humorous hook. He is talking about his career; that’s the joke,” Michael said. He emphasised that the video never explicitly states the man was pretending to be a predator, suggesting viewers are projecting their own interpretations. “People are going to have an opinion one way or the other; I can’t police how people think,” he said. “It seems to be the age of woke and lack of humour … Free speech to me is very important, and I think people should have a right to express themselves in the way they want.”
“As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing in that video that could be seen as offensive … Only the words ‘17 years old’. It’s a person’s assumption on what that could mean,” Michael continued. Ultimately, the business owner believes that any publicity is good publicity for a young brand. “I don’t care if people get offended at my content, but I don’t go out there to harm anyone or make anyone upset intentionally,” Michael said. “But at the end of the day, if people are talking about you, does it matter if it’s bad or it’s good? I’ve only been in business for three years, so for people to know who we are now, it can’t be too bad of a thing.”
