Actress in Pete Hoekstra ad accused of racism and stereotypes issues an apology

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The actress who starred in a political attack ad accused of promoting racial stereotypes has apologized.
Lisa Chan called her participation in the commercial “a mistake” on her Facebook page.
“I am deeply sorry for any pain that the character I portrayed brought to my communities,” Chan wrote.
In the 30-second spot, which aired during the Super Bowl and served as a campaign ad for GOP Senate hopeful Pete Hoekstra, Chan was seen riding a bicycle through a field of rice paddies, as ancient Chinese music played in the background.

“We take your jobs,” she told viewers in broken English.
The ad was attacking Hoekstra’s opponent and incumbent, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, for spending and borrowing money from China.
It sparked a media firestorm and drew criticism from fellow politicians as well as Asian-American groups, who said the ad promoted anti-Asian stereotypes.
This is what prompted Chan to issue an apology, which was first reported by the blog Angry Asian Man.
“As a recent college grad who has spent time working to improve communities and empower those without a voice, this role is not in any way representative of who I am,” she wrote on Facebook.
“It was absolutely a mistake on my part and one that, over time, I hope can be forgiven. I feel horrible about my participation and I am determined to resolve my actions.”
Despite Chan’s regrets, Hoekstra had stood by his decision to run the ad.

“The only group of people that this ad is ‘anti’ — it’s anti-Debbie Stabenow, it’s anti-Barack Obama, the spending policies of the liberal left,” he told Fox News.
“There’s nothing in here that has a racial tint at all.”

Chinese American Citizens Alliance Condemns Pete Hoekstra’s Ad

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA–The Chinese American Citizens Alliance condemns the campaign ad broadcast over Michigan stations during the Super Bowl this past Sunday by U. S. Senate hopeful Pete Hoekstra. The ad depicts an Asian woman pedaling her bicycle down a dirt road surrounded by rice fields with Chinese instruments comprising the soundtrack. As she speaks in broken English, the Asian actor, complete with a cone, straw hat, boastfully gloats to the audience that the strong economy in China due to our insatiable appetite for debt is the reason for our weak economy and the loss of American jobs.

In a state that has witnessed its share of Asian bashing such as in the 1980’s when Japanese cars were singled out for vandalism and destruction and young Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death in 1982 by two unemployed autoworkers angry about the influx of Japanese cars (purchased by any and all of us as American consumers), the Alliance believes Hoekstra and his team should know better than to incite others with this inflammatory message. Though his rival, incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow is the target, the irresponsible rhetoric of the ad only creates divisiveness and finger pointing at Asian Americans among those who view Asian Americans not as U.S. citizens but somehow as representatives of China.
The Alliance is well aware of the economic hardships but steadfast fortitude of the citizens of the state of Michigan and their importance to our overall economy as the state and nation recover. Side-by-side on assembly lines in Michigan’s automotive plants, hardworking people of all races, including Asian Americans, are found. The Alliance asks that the citizens of Michigan immediately reject this type of racial stereotyping, race baiting and bullying that this type of campaign message could incite and seriously question the wisdom of electing someone who could occupy one of the 100 most revered and respected seats in the U.S. Senate chambers, yet displays little understanding and knowledge of the harmful effects of discrimination and racism.

Harmony Korine's Weird, Racist Ad for Fashion Designer Proenza Schouler

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This short-film ad spot for designer Proenza Schouler is probably the most racist, disturbing, and bizarre thing I’ve seen in a long time.
Designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough took a trip through the southwest and came up with their fall line of clothing inspired, apparently, by Native Americans they had seen on the road.
Then they asked indie-filmmaker Harmony Korine – of Kids fame - to produce a short film promoting the new designs, and Korine came up with this:

Maybe it’s just me – maybe I just don’t get pretentious art-house avant garde indie films or something, but the whole thing creeps me out. I know a lot of Native Americans, and I would feel really uncomfortable watching this with them – I feel uncomfortable watching this anyways, and would even without the blatant racism.
This is the opposite of advertising. Not sure what you call it when a company sets out to chase customers away, but whatever it’s called this is it.

Vogue in Hot Water for 'Slave Earrings' Ad

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Fashion magazine Vogue's Italian Edition, which ran a picture ad under the title "Slave earrings," is facing heavy criticism from internet community which calls it "disgraceful" to "glamorize slavery," and is demanding an apology from Vogue to black women.

The ad with alleged racist undertones says that the latest interpretation of "Hoop earrings" is "pure freedom."

"Jewellery has always flirted with circular shapes, especially for use in making earrings. The most classic models are the slave and creole styles in gold hoops. If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of color who were brought to the southern Unites States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom. Colored stones, symbolic pendants and multiple spheres. And the evolution goes on," the Vogue ad read.

The ad became a hot topic of debate on Twitter after a fashion blogger wrote about it saying that "There is NOTHING humorous, fashionable, chic or stylish about slavery."

"Chalk it up to institutionalized racism and a lack of concern for offending anyone of color, oppression, or common sense. SO disgusted VOGUE, and I will consider ending my 15 + year relationship as a faithful subscriber if no apology is issued and this ridiculous article isn't taken down. There is NOTHING humorous, fashionable, chic or stylish about slavery. NOTHING. And no hoop earring, regardless of the price tag will represent "freedom" or liberation from oppression. Stop it with the racist marketing ploy, unless you want racist consumers as the new demographic," the blogger, Dawnavette wrote.

Twitterverse has resorted to act.ly, a Web site to bring in "tweet change" where one can sign and tweet a petition to the Italian Vogue.

The petition says "Ad agencies are clearly in dire need of consultation by Black Women and Men, as they routinely miss the mark in communicating with consumers. From the Summer's Eve to McDonald's to Vogue, the lack of tact, cultural relevance and basic intelligence is simply appalling."

Petitioners demand an apology from @Vogue_Italia and says, "In this latest example by Vogue Magazine, we want the ad removed IMMEDIATELY and we want a specific apology to Black women because Black womens' supposed slave narratives were used in the promulgation of the ad."

Nivea Makes Us Ask Again: Why Is It So Hard to Make Non-Racist Ads?

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Nivea Makes Us Ask Again: Why Is It So Hard to Make Non-Racist Ads?

If the advertising profession had its own equivalent of the Hippocratic oath, it would go something like this: “First, do not offend the person whose money you’re trying to get.” This being America, you could safely add “…especially with anything that might come across as racist or racially insensitive, since we’re all hyper-attuned to that kind of thing over here.”

Somehow, though, the handsomely compensated geniuses of Madison Avenue keep having trouble satisfying that rather simple-sounding mandate. The latest failure is an ad from Nivea instructing its target consumer, a notional black male, to “Re-Civilize Yourself” by trimming his bushy hair and shaving off his beard. Hmm, where have we heard language like that before? Oh, that’s right: 400 years of colonialism and slavery. Beiersdorf USA, which owns Nivea, has apologized for the ad, created by Draftfcb.

At least they have company in their shame. Just a few weeks ago, Summer’s Eve had to ditch a campaign that starred talking vagina hands with stereotyped ethnic personas. Confused by the previous sentence? The douche maker has pulled the spots all from YouTube, but you can watch them here.

Then there was a misguided ad that accidentally implied that Dove body wash can help black and Latina women achieve the smooth, even skin tone of a white person. That one, at least, seemed to be a genuine oversight rather than an instance of colossal bad judgment.

The irony here is that all of this represents progress, albeit in perverted form. Marketers are now taking pains to reach out to minority (and, yes, we do need a better term) consumers they were once content to ignore. Now it’s time for the ad industry to fix its well documented diversity problem so that next time some too-clever copywriter comes up with a campaign that puckishly plays on stereotypes or speaks to hypothetical urban or ethnic consumers “in their own voice,” there will be someone in the room who can tell him how bad his idea actually is.

Quebec bottled water company pulls ads after outcry

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Thursday Jul. 7, 2011 7:28 PM ET

A Quebec-based bottled water company is bringing its ad campaign to an early end following public criticism over its use of native imagery.
Jim Delsnyder, Eska Water's president and CEO, said in a statement Thursday that his firm "is bringing an immediate halt to its current advertising and marketing campaign" due to "concerns that have been expressed over the past few days."
The ads appeared on television and in print and featured three men wearing headdresses and war paint, and carrying spears and blow guns, who are said to be defending the purity of the company's product.
Those ads would be removed "as quickly as possible," Delsnyder said, adding that he "wishes to apologize to all those who may have found the campaign and its images disrespectful."
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