Support NeoGAF

[SmokyDave]

The pink lipstick goes with the eye shadow. Together they mirror the colours in the company logo.

It ain't blackface, but the company should've known it would be taken that way anyway.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

All that aside, would like to try.

 

[KidGalactus]

The only problem here is expecting Thailand to be sensitive to 20the century issues regarding race relations in the US.

That ad is stereotypical/racist from a western standpoint. Meant to draw attention to the black skin, fetishize it, especially with the pink lips. It's blackface.

But to these people in Thailand it's probably the furthest thing from their intent. Remember, this is an ad meant to run in their country, for their people. So they don't know, don't show, or just plain don't care about what Americans will think. And the CEO defending it shows it. Ignorance at its best. They've probably never heard of 'birth of a nation', seen blackface before etc.

But in a globalized world, where ideas are shared and disseminated, it's good to bring things like this to light. The increased awareness will mean they will probably be more sensitive to it in the future.

Someone who is actually from Thailand dropped by earlier in the thread to explain that blackface is actually a stereotype that exists in Thailand, but that he would not classify this advertisement as such.

Black face does exist in Thai, but this isn't it.



I mean, Thailand is pretty race conscious. We have stereotypes of Chinese, Indian, Farangs, Blacks in mainstream media. but this isn't it. This is a model with the same color as donut.

 

[kyoya]

So, does this mean that the opening sequence of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (U.S. remake), is now open for ridicule? Can we go retro on this? <sigh>

Screen caps:

 

[Avixph]

So, does this mean that the opening sequence of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (U.S. remake), is now open for ridicule? Can we go retro on this? <sigh>

Screen caps:

No.

 

[Race to be King]

So, does this mean that the opening sequence of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (U.S. remake), is now open for ridicule? Can we go retro on this? <sigh>

Screen caps:

That reminds me of the episode of Star Trek TNG with the monster that eats Tasha Yar. Couldn't get to sleep after that one. *shudder*

 

[crozier]

It ain't blackface, but the company should've known it would be taken that way anyway.

Uh, why? They're Thai, not American.

Are you suggesting that all marketing employees need a deep understanding of American history and culture and that all marketing decisions need to be filtered through that lense, even if said marketing is never intended to reach an American audience?

 

[Avixph]

Uh, why? They're Thai, not American.

Are you suggesting that all marketing employees need a deep understanding of American history and culture and that all marketing decisions need to be filtered through that lense, even if said marketing is never intended to reach an American audience?

We live in a more globalized world so of coarse they have to because in a matter of time it would reach the other countries.

 

[Infinite]

Uh, why? They're Thai, not American.

Are you suggesting that all marketing employees need a deep understanding of American history and culture and that all marketing decisions need to be filtered through that lense, even if said marketing is never intended to reach an American audience?

Because black face doesn't exists in Thailand and the rest of Asia. And DD isn't a big global corporation

I'm being sarcastic if you couldn't tell

 

[crozier]

We live in a more globalized world so of coarse they have to because in a matter of time it would reach the other countries.

If everyone took an introductory level anthropology course and learned the definition of "cultural relativism" we wouldn't have to worry about such ads getting taken out of a particular cultural context and having people get inappropriately offended by them. Seems faster than intimately learning the personal history and culture of every country on the planet, then trying to filter marketing material through a hundred or more different cultural lenses to ensure it's PC-ready for any country with Youtube access.

 

[crozier]

And DD isn't a big global corporation

DD in Thailand is a completely separate entity from its US counterpart. Which should be obvious as this marketing campaign would have been shot down in two seconds flat.

 

[WanderingWind]

If everyone took an introductory level anthropology course and learned the definition of "cultural relativism" we wouldn't have to worry about such ads out of a particular cultural context and having people get inappropriately offended by them. Seems faster than intimately learning the personal history and culture of every country on the planet, then trying to filter marketing material through a hundred or more different cultural lenses to ensure it's PC-ready for any country with Youtube access.

Nah, not just every culture. Just America.

Apparently.

 

[Infinite]

DD in Thailand is a completely separate entity from its US counterpart. Which should be obvious as this marketing campaign would have been shot down in two seconds flat.

And DD Thai represents the DD brand as a whole. Point still stands

 

[TheRedMan]

I doubt there was any malicious intent behind it. I think it's actually a pretty effective ad, I'd definitely try one of those, looks delicious.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

So, does this mean that the opening sequence of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (U.S. remake), is now open for ridicule? Can we go retro on this? <sigh>

Screen caps:

I don't care if it can

Spoiler

no

; that looks pretty badass.

 

[Mushroomer25]

It makes sense from an artistic standpoint (obviously there's no racial motivation behind the ad) - but expecting this was going to go unnoticed was foolish.

 

[mrhGB]

It makes sense from an artistic standpoint (obviously there's no racial motivation behind the ad) - but expecting this was going to go unnoticed was foolish.

Yep, in this day and age you have to walk on eggshells in case you do or say something that can be made ugly, even if that wasn't your intention.

 

[Stet]

Yep, in this day and age you have to walk on eggshells in case you do or say something that can be made ugly, even if that wasn't your intention.

In all days and ages this has been true though.