Wrigley’s has pulled a dancing banana from its chewing gum advertising campaign after farmers threatened a day of protest at what they say is the sullying of the fruit’s name.

The TVC and internet ad included an animated banana, coffee, donut and soft drink with the slogan ‘they are really nasty little things that cause plaque’.

According to a report that appeared in The Age, the ad outraged banana growers who lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) in a bid to have the banana removed.

“In no way shape or form is the banana part of that family, or that group of what I see as bad foods, of course it is exactly the opposite,” explained Horticulture Australia’s David Chenu.

As a result Wrigley announced it will drop the banana from its future campaigns, even though the ASB dismissed the complaint.

“It is for this reason that we have decided to remove the character from the campaign, as a gesture of goodwill,” said company spokeswoman Catherine Pemberton.