Globalised Racism?

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Karjalan
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Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 09 Jan 2010, 18:21

http://trueslant.com/saralibby/2010/01/ ... st-kfc-ad/

So I'm not sure if anyone has noticed this, but apparently a KFC cricketing ad in Australia has taken a lot of heat from America for being overtly racist.... according to American racial sterotypes. The problem with all the 'who ha' the media appears to be kicking up is that the aforementioned racist stereotype is not a well recognized one amongst Australians.
This is the 'offensive' ad...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FygfaYGdaQc

The Ironic thing about the American reaction towards the ad, is how they misconstrue a generalized sporting situation and turn it into racist matter. The fact that they think the add is racist, is itself racist. The ad is about SPORT, aired during a SPORTing event showing people at the game from both teams. The general outline is, a guy gets stuck with a seat that has him surrounded by opposition supporters who are playing loud instruments, waving flags and dancing all around him and he is not enjoying himself.... So to try and calm them down and get them to sit down so he can see the game he gives them a bucket of KFC chicken.

The way it is being portrayed by some American news networks, it sounds like they think would have been less racist to do the exact same ad, but replace all the West Indian supporters with white people, even though the majority in the Windies are black. O.o... if you did the same add again now, with the Pakistan team over here and had him surrounded by similar Pakistani fans, would the ad be equally as "racist"?
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Vampirial » 11 Jan 2010, 13:05

I think its funny cos on some news channels they interview west indians who said they in no way think its racist and just said americans don't understand cricket.
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 11 Jan 2010, 13:24

Exactly, it's not racist, it's a sporting thing, it's not even solely cricket related.... it's like a dude sitting amongst some red socks fans who is a yankee supporter and they're all in his face...... etc. etc.

It just is another one of those "wow... Americans can't wait to fall over each other to prove how ignorant and stupid they can be". With no offense to all Americans. I love you guys, It just seems like, to me, when something THIS retarded comes up... it came from the US >.<

On a side note, anyone else see that fox news anchor say "my religion is better than your religion" In regards to Tiger Woods?
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by dukkha » 11 Jan 2010, 13:48

While I'd agree (in an Australian context) that it's not racist, KFC is a southern US company, so they should perhaps be a little more careful at a depiction that from American eyes really is clear-cut racism (deep-fried chicken calming black people...). Of course, I'm sure this ad was developed by the Australian branch and an Australian ad company, so it's not really relevant, but it is a consideration a (US-based) company may need to make these days.

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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 11 Jan 2010, 14:25

dukkha wrote:While I'd agree (in an Australian context) that it's not racist, KFC is a southern US company, so they should perhaps be a little more careful at a depiction that from American eyes really is clear-cut racism (deep-fried chicken calming black people...). Of course, I'm sure this ad was developed by the Australian branch and an Australian ad company, so it's not really relevant, but it is a consideration a (US-based) company may need to make these days.
I guess... but considering no one in america plays/watches cricket and the ones that do are often people who have emigrated from the sub continent/windies.... AND that it was only shown in the middle of an australia/windies test match...

I can understand it if it was intended to be viewed in america, say, in a soccer context.... but in it's current context, that's just going out of your way, to look for something to get offended at. I mean... imagine how offended they'll get when they realise the NZ rugby team is called the All Blacks >.<
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Johnnyrico » 11 Jan 2010, 14:37

Australian advertisers have no fucking clue about what there doing, not even suprised with this non-sense to be honest.
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Xact » 11 Jan 2010, 15:04

There are over 16 Million people in the United states who come from major cricketing countries (India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, Engliand, Caribbean, etc) so there is televised games of cricket in the US (presumably on cable) so the fact there was exposure isn't a massive surprise to see that this has happened, and the that the issue has arisen from the US.

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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 11 Jan 2010, 15:09

Johnnyrico wrote:Australian advertisers have no fucking clue about what there doing, not even suprised with this non-sense to be honest.
Hmmm I can't really fault the Australian advertisers. If this exact scene happened with the Pakistani crowd during this current test series... no one would care.... I saw the add come on live while the windies were here and didn't even slightly suspect racism. Apparently they did a survey and even after seeing the American report on it being racist, 80ish% still couldn't see what was so racist about it.
It just leads the question... does every country have to pay attention to every OTHER countries racist stereotypes, so as not to offend them with a product that is not intended to be seen by that country etc.

To me it falls under the same scenario as that danish dude that made a comic about the prophet Mohammed.... Should you're right to express yourself in you're own country (according to your countries laws/social norms) even if it would be found offensive to others?

The sterotype "black people <3 fried chicken" is pretty much solely an American one... so why should an add for a sponsor of a sports team, that is not widely viewed or played in America, in a situation where it would never be seen in America (unless KFC Aus wanted to advertise in the US for some odd reason) have to change it?
To me, thinking of it as a "racist" add is a racist act in of itself. Racism is a mindset, it's largely down to personal perception.
Example? Lets say you are racist towards Asians (in general) or subscribe to the "Asian's can't drive" theory.. You drive down a long stretch of road and pass 100 cars. 50 are White drivers, 50 are Asian. You see 10 really bad white drivers, but you disregard them, you see 49 really good Asian drivers and disregard them... you see ONE bad one and all of a sudden "oh bloody Asian drivers" etc.etc.... I don't know what it's called, but it's when you exclusively use one minor piece of information to support your claims as "proven", yet you completely ignore any counter arguments. Makes me think of the hardcore anti-global warming people.
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 11 Jan 2010, 15:11

Xact wrote:There are over 16 Million people in the United states who come from major cricketing countries (India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, Engliand, Caribbean, etc) so there is televised games of cricket in the US (presumably on cable) so the fact there was exposure isn't a massive surprise to see that this has happened, and the that the issue has arisen from the US.
Yes but American Television Networks wouldn't exactly play Australian adds... they don't even play adds from the same city as the one right next to them, all of their revenue comes from local companies paying to play THEIR adds... and I doubt KFC Aus would pay to play an Aus add in the US where they have the ORIGINAL KFC. The only way they would have seen it would have been from someone seeing it on the interweb and ALERTIN' THE AUTHORITAH's
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Xact » 11 Jan 2010, 15:14

Hit the fucking nail on the head with the earlier post karj.

In regards to advertisement, I beg to differ, when I was in The Philippines on Melb. Cup day we sat down and watched "The Australian Channel", all ads where the same as we see here in Australia as it was a live feed, there is no time to chop out the ads and put in region specific ads to a live feed, it is quiet possible that the earlier test matches were indeed a live feed as well(well 10s delay?), thus eliminating the possibility to change the advertisements to region specific ones.

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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 11 Jan 2010, 15:27

Hmm I didn't know about live streams, I mean I know you can get them on the Internet, but didn't realize on normal/cable TV as well.
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Xact » 11 Jan 2010, 15:29

Yeah in the Philippines on the Aus channel it was a direct stream of Channel 7 and their Melbourne Cup coverage. We were on the phone back home to put some bets on and it was around 8-10second delay from the feed on T.V. here.

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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Tassia » 11 Jan 2010, 16:04

Karjalan wrote:Makes me think of the hardcore anti-global warming people.
Image
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Karjalan » 11 Jan 2010, 16:18

I fail to see the association.
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Re: Globalised Racism?

Post by Tassia » 11 Jan 2010, 16:20

Karjalan wrote:I fail to see the association.
Exactly my point.
Ghostcrawler wrote:Adding poisons to FoK is actually a pretty hefty buff.
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