Compare The Market pulls meerkat adverts following Ukraine invasion

Price comparison website Compare The Market has pulled its adverts featuring animated Russian meerkats Aleksandr and Sergei following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian billionaire Aleksandr Orlov and his meerkat friends and family first made their debut in 2009, and have since become an integral part of the company’s ‘Compare the Meerkat’ success.

Aleksandr’s catchphrase ‘simples’ became so widespread, in fact, that it was included in the Collins English Dictionary in 2010, The Guardian reports.

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However, all adverts featuring the beloved animated animals have now been pulled from the air, with Compare The Market saying it had reviewed its media plan to make sure they did not appear around content such as news bulletins on the Ukrainian conflict.

A spokesperson for the company said: “The Compare The Market meerkats are fictional characters. They have no association with Russia and the current situation.

“We are continually reviewing our advertising to ensure we’re being sensitive to the current situation.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put increasing pressure on Russian brands and businesses, with a number of them being dropped and boycotted altogether.

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Over the weekend, Arc Inspirations, which owns and operates Manchester venues such as Box, Manahatta and Banyan, announced that Russian manufactured vodka will no longer be served in any of its bars.

Sharing its announcement on Twitter, the leading hospitality group wrote: “To show our support to the people of Ukraine we will no longer be pouring any Russian vodka in any of our bars. #standwithukraine”.

Half of Europe, a nightlife advocacy network for eastern Europe, has also urged nightlife businesses and policy-makers to boycott Russian drinks and to decline any invitations to perform in Russia.