It's Not Just Pepsi: A Brief History of Racist Commercials And Ad Campaigns
The revolution will not be canned. That's what we learned recently when Pepsi removed a tone deaf protest-themed ad featuring Kendall Jenner after receiving widespread criticism. Many called out the advertisement exactly for what it was: an attempt to capitalize off socio-political liberation movements and gain a cut of the real work being done for, and primarily by, people of color — in particular, thanks to the clear connection between the ad's conclusion and the widely-shared image of Iesha Evans, a young black woman who was photographed last year while she was arrested by two police officers in riot gear during a Black Lives Matter protest in Baton Rouge.
Unfortunately, Pepsi is not the first multinational corporation to release racially charged and offensive advertisements. It probably won't be the last either. There is a long tradition of the advertising industry using lazy and derogatory stereotypes to promote products to large audiences. (Many also present whiteness as a trope for communities of color to aspire to.) Today, some of these racist archetypes are subtle — like, say, when Gap Kids included a young black girl as a passive token in a clothing ad — while some are a lot more overt. The following is a list of just some of the many racist advertisements that we've observed in recent years.
1. When Sony used a "white is coming" tagline.
Advertising a white-colored PlayStation Portable in Europe, Sony ran billboards showing a white woman dressed in white grabbing a black woman's face — basically assault, then. The white woman is positioned as powerful and determined, whereas the black woman looks docile and submissive (and blending in with the background, even).
Although a decade old, the ad made its rounds on the Internet last week after the Pepsi-motivated conversation about racist advertisements in media — in other words, a reminder that conversations about racism in media have not changed.
2. When Intel just, no, this is really bad why did it happen?!
Intel released an advertisement for a desktop processor in 2007 showing a business-attire dressed white male surrounded by six muscular black men — who are all bowing down in a sprinter's pose that is easily also read as one signifying servitude. The advertisement reads "maximize the power of your employees."
It did not take long for audiences to recognize the not-so-subtle reference to slavery this becomes particularly troubling when we consider the historical relationship between the slave trade and the ad industry, who worked in concert with one another in the commodification of black bodies as property to be bought and sold. The enslaved were either advertised in newspapers as purchasable property or identified as missing property when they escaped their slave masters. (By the way, Intel later apologized for its "insensitive" and "insulting" ad.)
3. When Dunkin' Donuts used blackface.
In promotion of a "charcoal donut" (which sounds awful?), Dunkin' Donuts aired commercials using blackface in Thailand in 2013. Despite criticism for an ode to a historically anti-black tradition in media, Dunkin' Donuts' chief ｅxecutive in Thailand initially publicly defended the campaign, though a spokesperson for Dunkin' Brands later gave a statement to The Guardian acknowledging the company's mistake:
"Dunkin' Donuts recognizes the insensitivity of this spot and on behalf of our Thailand franchisee and our company, we apologize for any offense it caused... We are working with our franchisee to immediately pull the television spot and to change the campaign."
4. And when PopChips used Brownface.
Remember PopChips' infamous 2012 advertisement with Ashton Kutcher playing "Raj", a Bollywood producer who is "looking for the most delicious thing on the planet"!? Instead of hiring an Indian or South Asian actor, PopChips painted Kutcher in brown face.
The $1.5 million ad was pulled after receiving backlash and an apology was issued to remind PopChips fans that the company "embrace[s] all types of shapes, flavors and colors, and appreciate all snackers, no matter their race or ethnicity."
5. When Burger King offended the Mexican government.
In 2009, Burger King released an ad for a new item to their menu: the "Texican Whopper." Guess how that worked out? The commercial showed a tall, lanky American cowboy and a petite Lucha libre wrestler sharing their new fave fast good— ostensibly an attempt to demonstrate a new cross-border relationship. The cowboy assists the Mexican around the kitchen, helping him reach high shelves, before the commercial's unidentified narrator says: "The taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican."
The offensive ad received backlash from Mexico's government about the metaphorical size of the wrestler, but also the presence of Mexico's flag in the commercial.
6. And when eMobile offended the President.
Racist advertisements are not just US-centric, but rather, a transnational issue. In 2008, eMobile released a commercial in Japan that showed a monkey dressed in a suit at an election rally, standing amongst an audience that is holding multiple signs that say "Change" — a significant component of then-incumbent President Obama's campaign. The ad was later pulled after receiving backlash for its overt racism.
7. When KFC dabbled in very bad taste stereotypes.
Hoping to appeal to an Australian audience in 2010, KFC debuted a cricket-themed ad campaign. Wait no, it was also horribly racist though. The ads featured a visibly agitated white male cricket fan who is outnumbered by a crowd of black people (who, to be clear, also just wanted to watch some cricket).
Describing it as "an awkward situation," the white man pulls out a box of KFC chicken to feed the black people, before stating "too easy." A voiceover for the actor then calls KFC chicken a "crowd pleaser."
8. And when KFC did it again.
Unfortunately, KFC's ad team isn't too creative with their selection of racist stereotypes. KFC released an ad in 2014, ostensibly telling the story of a South African woman who relocates to Bangkok. As she navigates her way through the city and her new school, she's visibly displaced and disheartened — until at the courtyard of her new school she is approached by her colleague who, due to language barriers, licks three of her fingers. The two of them then run off together... to a KFC. The camera zooms in on the Black girl's face as we see her express delight for the first time as she enters into the restaurant and, alas, takes a bite of some chicken. Of course, the ad received backlash but was not removed.
9. When Qiaobi laundry detergent ads suggested black people could, literally, be cleaned of their ethnicity.
Qiaobi, a Chinese laundry brand, ran an ad in 2016 which featured an Asian woman and a black man (who appears to be playing a decorator, and is streaked in paint). After being called in for what seems like a kiss, the woman shoves a detergent pod into the man's mouth and puts him in her washing machine. After being washed and dried, he emerges — to the woman's delight — as an Asian man. Qiaobi later apologized.
10. And when Taco Bell literally ran an ad featuring a white man throwing trash at a black woman, come on now!?
A Deutsch ad for Taco Bell's Naked Chicken Chalupa in 2017 was edited after it received backlash for showing a white man throw garbage at a black woman walking down the street with a baby stroller.
The original version ignited enough criticism for TacoBell to issue an apology before releasing a second, edited version of the commercial. The company said they had "no intention of upsetting anyone" and apologized to those who were offended.
These age-old racist ideas are, seemingly, common sense (and commercial!) ideas to those who populate the room during ad campaign pitch meetings: white men. It's also the reason why only five percent of advertisements include people of color. How can advertisers write people of color into existence — and accurately at that — if there are no people of color occupying these spaces? This legacy of racism in the advertising industry can only possibly begin its end when we see radical changes to who has a seat at the table.
Article Source: http://www.delish.com/food/a52633/pepsi-campaign-racist-ad-commercials-media/
Image Source: https://jaroeducation.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/quang-cao-hay-khong-quang-cao-de-ban-san-pham-tot-hon-large.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Archetype (n.) ~ a very typical example of a certain person or thing
2. Overt (adj.) ~ done or shown openly plainly or readily apparent, not secret or hidden
3. Docile (adj.) ~ ready to accept control or instruction submissive
4. Backlash (n.) ~ a strong and adverse reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development
5. Dabble (v.) ~ take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way
6. Agitated (adj.) ~ feeling or appearing troubled or nervous
7. Shove (v.) ~ push (someone or something) roughly
8. Radical (adj.) ~ (especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something far-reaching or thorough
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Have you seen the pulled out Pepsi commercial? What is the theme of the ad?
2. What are the other examples of offensive advertisement mentioned in the article?
3. Have you seen any offensive commercial in Korea? If yes, why was it offensive?
