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The "Erzeni" company scandal/ The artist reacts: It's a shame that elements of iso-polyphony are being misused

2026-05-28 19:08:00, Aktualitet CNA

The "Erzeni" company scandal/ The artist reacts: It's a shame

Nazif Çela, the well-known Albanian iso-polyphony artist, has reacted to the scandal of the "Erzeni" company, which, through an advertisement for the products it produces and markets, has misused the image of these groups that represent the country's tradition.

Through a post on social media, Çela expresses that it is shameful and disappointing that they used elements of tradition without any kind of sensitivity.

The artist emphasizes that not every idea can be used for marketing, especially as in this specific case, when it violates the culture, pride, and authenticity of Albania.

"It is disappointing when a company uses elements of Albanian cultural heritage only for clicks and banal marketing, without any aesthetic, moral or professional sensitivity. Labe iso-polyphony is not TikTok decor nor a means to sell milk with figures of cows dressed in folk costumes in a grotesque manner. It is one of the rarest Albanian cultural assets, recognized by UNESCO, linked to the history, pain, pride and identity of southern Albania. Reducing this heritage to a mediocre advertisement, with forced humor and artificial aesthetics, is not only a lack of professionalism, but also a lack of respect for culture and the public. When a company reaches the point of using national symbolism in such a shallow way, it shows that it has neither creative vision, nor ethical standards, nor understanding of the responsibility that public communication has," says Çela.

According to Çela, besides the ugly advertising, the problem lies in the wrong mentality, which turns folklore into an object of ridicule.

"The problem is not just the "ugly" advertisement. The problem is the mentality behind it: the idea that anything can be used for marketing, even when it deforms tradition and turns folklore into a caricature. Instead of promoting Albanian culture with dignity, authenticity and finesse, they have chosen an approach that seems amateurish, exaggerated and without artistic identity. A serious company invests in real creativity, in the message, in aesthetics and in respect for heritage. Here it seems as if the entire advertisement is built on sensation and absurdity, without thinking at all about the impact it creates. Using iso-polyphony in this way does not make you "modern" or "viral"; it makes you seem like you do not understand either the culture you are using or the audience you are trying to convince," the artist emphasizes.

In the end, the iso-polyphonist Çela underlines that this case of trivializing one of the Albanian prides should not go unnoticed by the competent authorities.

"It is unfortunate that instead of a dignified presentation of Albanian products, we see weak attempts at attention, where cultural heritage is used as a circus backdrop. This is not national pride, it is its trivialization. For this public denigration of the figure of Nazif Çela and the inappropriate use of iso-polyphony, we will address the competent bodies and institutions responsible for the protection of cultural heritage and the rights of artists. SHAME!", - writes Çela. /CNA





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