Is it just me or is anyone else even slightly offended by some of the covertly racist or at the very least, stereotypical commercials on TV lately?
Example 1: The Progressive Insurance commercial with the black couple and the dancing money.
I don’t want to make a bigger deal of this than it is folks but com’on…Really?
Can somebody please explain to me why “Flo” the Progressive Sales Rep has to show the black people who are looking to save some money, the dancing money with funky music playing in the background? Only to have the black man state that “Yeah, that will certainly stick with me!” Why because you’re a black man and you can remember anything that involves music and dancing? Maybe they should have given the dancing money some chicken and watermelon to munch on while he was dancing!
And what about the State Farm commercial with the 3 black guys having a discussion about “dap”?
Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw_zlMwjDaE
In this commercial, the State Farm spokesman overhears a conversation between three friends. They say hello and two of them give each other a special "dap", leaving out the 3rd friend. He wants to know “What is that…How come my dap wasn’t like that?” The two friends explain that it’s an “us” thing.”
Just FYI…a dap is a greeting used at times to signal familiar closeness. It’s a handshake, but it usually includes a series of hand/body gestures, with the gestures being performed in a specific and choreographed order.
I’m guessing that the 3rd guy stands there looking confused and feeling left out because he doesn’t know the “State Farm” dap shared by his two friends. Really? Is it that serious?
And who can forget all of the McDonald’s commercial that show black people dancing, singing and even rapping? Unfortunately I can’t!
Example 3: McNuggets Love
Example 4: Dollar Menu Van
Example 5: McCafe Shuffle with Cupid
Example 6: McCafe Cool vs. Hot with Dwele
Finally, take a look at this one.
Example 7: 2010 Kia Soul Hamster Commercial | Black Sheep Kia Hamsters Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJnqbudMzs
Sooooo is Kia comparing those who live in urban settings to hamsters (members of the rat family)? When is the last time you saw a hamster sporting a fat gold chain, baggy jeans and a hoody? Is this creativity or Blaxploitation, reminiscent of the 60’s film genre? WTF?
Look, I’m not mad at anybody getting a pay check but dayum… are singing and dancing, dapping and rapping the only talents we have? Is that the only way advertisers feel they can get our attention?
Some of you probably think I am preoccupied with or hyper-sensitive to race, based on my blog content. You could be right. I’ve had to ask myself the same question at times. But it’s hard to NOT be “pre-occupied” with it when it’s so in your face…every freak’n day! Could it be that some of the issues I write about have been down played in other media because it makes people uncomfortable to broach the subject of race? Could it be that it’s the “elephant in the room” that I refuse to ignore even if everybody else in the room does?
No matter what your opinion of me is, know that I simply want to ask the questions and spark a meaningful dialogue. If I seem preoccupied it’s because some days (most days) I see or hear disturbing images and portrayals of people like me and I just can’t take it anymore. I may not be able to change anyone’s opinions but I can bring awareness. This blog is MY way of relaxing, relating and releasing.
I want to bring attention to and discuss things that hit a certain nerve or that in my opinion, things that scream racism, injustice, misogyny, double standards, etc., instead of simply dismissing them as if they don’t exist. I want to educate myself and others when possible. And I would like to give people, companies, organizations the benefit of the doubt and hope that the color of my skin is as inconsequential for them as it is for me. But I admit, there are times that I cannot and will not deny what I see in the mirror. Not only is my skin dark and lovely, but the history of oppression that can accompany my brown/black skin can be difficult to ignore at times.
“Ads subtly perpetuate and reinforce societal beliefs and expectations concerning gender and race through both their images and texts (McLaughlin & Goulet, 1999). And the texts and images presented in the media directly reflect the values and interests of the advertisers, who are usually White men (Colfax & Sternberg, 1972). As a result, people who are not White or male tend to be portrayed in a stereotypical and unfavorable light. Unfortunately, these images and texts become a part of the culture of a society and become the basis on which new images and words are created (Baker, 2005). In this way, the dominant ideology of White supremacy maintains and legitimates the power of White males over females and other races in our society (Bristor, Lee, & Hunt, 1995). These texts and images are often internalized by members of society and thus have a large influence on people’s views and attitudes concerning people of a particular gender or race, as well as on people’s views and attitudes concerning themselves as members of a particular gender and race (Baker, 2005; McLaughlin & Goulet, 1999).
Ads perpetuate and reinforce traditional gender roles and gender inequality by portraying how ideal men and women act and present themselves (Baker, 2005). In our society, ideal men are dominant, strong, successful, and sexually appealing. Ideal women are physically beautiful, submissive, and sexual objects (Baker, 2005).”
And if you don’t know, now you know! You can get with this or you can get with that..the choice is yours!
Footnotes:
Baker, C. N. (2005). Images of women’s sexuality in advertisements: A content analysis of Black- and White-oriented women’s and men’s magazines. Sex Roles, 52, 13-27.
Bristor, J., Lee, R., & Hunt, M. (1995). Race and ideology: African American images in television advertising. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 14, 48-59.
Colfax, J. D., & Sternberg, S. F. (1972). The perpetuation of racial stereotypes: Blacks in mass circulation magazine advertisements. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 36, 8-18.
McLaughlin, T., & Goulet, N. (1999). Gender advertisements in magazines aimed at African Americans: A comparison to their occurrence in magazines aimed at Caucasians. Sex Roles,40, 61-71.
i agree, most commercials have a deeper meaning behind the message they are "trying" to convey, example 7 to me only says we hood rats, how bad do we want to be accepted?
ReplyDeleteDid you see the new subway commercial,OMG its gay as hell, some guy is at the club and approches some woman to dance, but he has quote-unquote two extra hands(actually another guy in back of him)cause he has a subway sandwich in his real hands as the other guy gestures as he talks to the woman,the gay part to me is when he starts dancing with the woman and sure nuff the other guy is up on his ass, it looks like a threesome
ReplyDeleteMY BAD IT WAS BURGER KING'S COMMERCIAL
ReplyDelete