9.26.2008

insensitive ads.

remember when I wrote that blog post about cultural insensitivity
I bet you all thought I was overreacting and being all Malcom X-like on you. Didn't you? I also always write posts about how fashion ads dont try hard enough. Well... this time...jewlery designers, Handan, tried really really hard. And this was the end result. 

The jewlery is hand made....apparenlty by little black children.  The agency that created this is Alice/BBDO, Istanbul. I know....Istanbul...a country that most likely has no idea of the racial history and implecations of evil America. But the fact is...BBDO's name is tacked to it. There is no way that this should have been approved. As a fellow blogger so eliquanlty put it:

"....It's just the blatant demeaning objectification of black people. Black people as jewelry....'it seems to say 'poor black children made them just for you, because you're worth it' or 'the ultimate in fashion is now 'wearable n=words.' ... I think we just got a little pysche peep here."

And much like him. I am not angry. This is a cultural lapse. This agency in Istanbul, under the umbrella company of BBDO simply does not see anything wrong here. And that's the sad part. 


PS In that first ad...doesn't the kid's hand look like an alien is grabbing for your ankle? One could wonder if ET isn't in some sweat shop somewhere making jewelry. Hmmmm......

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