Vicar And Imam Star In Amazon Christmas Ad
Amazon Prime's latest advert features a Church of England vicar and a Muslim imam exchanging gifts as part of interfaith week.
The ad will be first shown in the UK during Coronation Street on Wednesday night and comes amid rising religious tensions after Brexit and Donald Trump's victory in the US Presidential election.
The video shows a real vicar – Rev Gary Bradley from Parish of Little Venice – with an imam played by Zubeir Hassam, the principal of the Muslim School Oadby in Leicester. The pair enjoy a drink together before ordering each other knee pads using Amazon's service.
Bradley told Christian Today the ad had "a very important message, particularly at this time of year". He said in his parish "we have people of all faiths sharing the area and it is important that we understand and relate to each other".
He added: "For the last 15 years people of different faiths have come together, with their faith leaders, to celebrate united worship before Christmas, worship which focuses on peace and the need to strive for unity."
The two plan to meet regularly after filming together. Bradley said it was a particular pleasure "to consolidate the pastoral and theological concerns which bind us together".
Simon Morris, director of advertising at Amazon, said it was an "authentic and charming story" adding he had consulted the Church of England, the Muslim Council of Britain and the Christian Muslim Forum before filming.
"It is about selflessness and thinking of other people," he said.
"We wanted to get the story right because we were aware it might seem a sensitive subject to some people," said Morris. "We have gone to great lengths. It has taken us months to develop it. We wanted to do it well and be respectful to the religions who are featured in it."
The advert was released during interfaith week, an initiative designed to improve relations between people of different religions.
A Church of England spokesman said: "Fostering interfaith dialogue and community cohesion is a daily part of our work. In many parts of the country the Church of England is the guarantor and convenor of much interfaith dialogue, and this advert reflects that reality."
Harun Khan, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "The video from Amazon Prime is a brilliant advert highlighting an example of the strong friendships that exist between many Christians and Muslims across the country. The symbolism of gift-giving adds to the advert's power, especially during seasonal festivities."
Amazon has come under fire recently after a BBC investigation discovered delivery drivers were exploited. An Inside Out programme found agency drivers for Amazon Logistics were put under such extreme pressure they had to drive dangerously to keep to schedule. The investigation also alleged that some drivers earn less than the national minimum wage.