"we have established that a real monkey was used"
A Birmingham restaurant sparked controversy after a video featuring a baby monkey in its promotional content sparked concerns from animal welfare charities.
Eastern Jam, located in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, shared a video featuring a woman holding a young marmoset named Pablo, accompanied by the caption:
“Even the monkey had to see what the hype was about.”
The video shows the woman holding the monkey in a towel outside the restaurant before taking him inside, where he sits on her shoulder as she promotes the food. At one point, she lifts the animal into the air while talking about the restaurant.
After social media users raised concerns about the monkey’s involvement in the promotional video, Eastern Jam claimed the footage had been AI-generated.
However, the BBC concluded that the video did not appear to be AI-generated.
The restaurant subsequently said the video had been filmed by an external social media company, Influenceable, without management’s consent.
In a statement, an Eastern Jam spokesperson said the restaurant “did not authorise or commission a shoot involving a live monkey”.
“Our understanding was that the content being produced featured our approved model and food, and we had incorrectly assumed that any unusual elements were usually AI-generated.
“Due to online feedback from social media users, and in particular someone with experience in AI, we started an internal investigation… and we have established that a real monkey was used during part of the shoot, which does not belong to Eastern Jam.
“This particular element was arranged without the knowledge or specific authorisation of Eastern Jam’s management.”
Following the incident, Eastern Jam said it had terminated its contract with Influenceable “with immediate effect”.
The footage has also prompted concerns from primate welfare organisations about the impact of using young monkeys in commercial content, particularly in busy environments where the animals may experience stress.
The Primate Society of Great Britain said it was “fundamentally opposed to the use of living primates to produce online content for private or commercial gain”.
A spokesperson said: “It is likely that the animal in this video is experiencing significant stress, given the absence of its family members, and through being handled by unfamiliar individuals in a loud and overstimulating environment.
“Additionally, videos like this, whether real or AI-generated, can lead to the perception that primates are appropriate pets and suitable for possession in a domestic setting. This is not the case.
“Primates are undomesticated wild animals, which, if housed in human-made environments, require specialised professional care (e.g., within zoos or sanctuaries).
“The perception that primates are suitable pets is a key driver of illegal pet trades, which is a critical conservation threat for many primates (including marmosets), alongside broader habitat destruction.”
Nedim C Buyukmihci, veterinary adviser for Action for Primates, also criticised the use of the animal in the promotional footage:
“Using this infant marmoset for entertainment and as a prop for financial gain to advertise a restaurant is cruel and totally inappropriate.”
“The monkey is being subjected to a frightening and stressful situation and susceptible to the risk of disease transmission from human customers.
“Monkeys are sentient, intelligent, highly social and complex animals and they do not belong in this kind of domestic setting or in captivity to entertain people.”
The incident comes amid tighter restrictions on private primate ownership in England. In January, the government introduced more stringent legislation concerning the keeping of monkeys and other primates, having estimated that between 3,000 and 9,000 were being kept privately in the UK.
Eastern Jam said it had been advised that the marmoset featured in the video was licensed and being properly cared for, but stressed that it could not independently verify the information.
“We have been advised that the primate is licensed and well looked after. However, as we aren’t the owners, we can’t confirm this information ourselves.”
