One way of looking at it is as a compliment. We’re the fastest people on the planet. Yaaay! But seriously, six sprinters? All black? That’s just asking for it.
What do you think?
Intel withdraw the ad and posted an apology on their blog, (yes even companies have blogs which are increasingly being used for PR and marketing purposes).
(hat-tip: AfricanLoft)
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Racist? I wouldn’t call it racist, simply because the six guys are intended to look like replicas. Which is to say, to symbolize multi-tasking.. Had the six (and I think they ARE the same guy, really) been, say, white, would this be racist as well? Or would folks not pay much attention to it at all?
Or do we have to make it a multicultural ad, politically correct, which in this case means losing the entire point?
Is there a stereotype here, maybe? Did they use a black sprinter because of the black=athlete stereotype? *that* would be somewhat stupid.
But if the point was to pick just one guy, then sort of replicate him, he could have easily been of any other color or shape or whatever. In fact, I suspect it would have worked just fine if they deliberately *didn’t* use a black man for the commercial, but instead used a John Q. Whitie.
Although, then somebody would have probably complained that minorities aren’t represented enough in the media…
You really can’t please everyone.
How can you tell the sprinters are black? They could as well be tanned white people for all I can tell.
But then again, you hunams all look the same to me
LOL!
Roman, the reason some black folks thought it was racist is because the sprinters look as if they’re kneeling before the white dude in the middle and worshiping him. Weird, I know.
But then again, companies should interpret such ads from all different angles before releasing them.
The first thing I saw was indeed the black guys kneeling in front of the white “Sahib”.
I agree with Drima on this one.
I think it would have been alright if the “boss” hadn’t been in the picture. Seems like the imagery is unfortunate, even if boss man hadn’t been white.
Ah, I see. I just saw the usual starting position before they start to run. Kneeling for worship looks different.
But oh well. As Craig said, it probably would have worked out fine if the boss wasn’t in the picture at all. He just looks redundant, anyway.
Racist ?!? You betcha! Surely you noticed the 6 clones who do all the menial office work… are BALD ! While the boss man has a head full of hair….
It’s just another example of big business humiliating baldheads…. but one day, our patience will come to an end, mark my words.
What ? Bald is not a race ? I’m too enraged to notice. Now excuse me while I go out and buy a heap of Intel processors to stomp on.
Stampeeeede !!!
To me, it just looks like they’re about to run into each other, which, as their sprinters, will hurt.
Oh, and the guy standing up with his arms crossed really, really, REALLY needs to be slapped.
Not sure what it has to do with CPUs though …
LOOL @ Raccoon and halalhippie…but I have to agree with Roman Kalik. When I first saw it, I didn’t really feel it was racist. However, I was just confused about what the white man was doing in the middle, and how does this relate to what they are trying to advertise for.
No, I don’t think this is racist at all. But I can see how people would think this way - if someone points out to them that the sprinters are all black, that they are not at the start line but kneeling in front of the while guy, and blah blah blah. Basically, any act or picture can be labeled as racist with some creative thinking.
In such cases, think about the purpose of the act/picture. Is it an ad for computers? Or is it the ad for WMD?
Hahahaa… it’s true, it would be better if the sprinters would face the other way around
LOL Tse, I swear you always come up with the funniest shit ever.
I don’t know how old you are but you’re definitely young at heart.
So ya how old are you? 48? 60?
Basically, any act or picture can be labeled as racist with some creative thinking.
Bingo, seems to me like some obsession of blacks to see everything as racist. Same way feminists consider everything to be degrading and North Korean regime consider everything to be an act of war.
I know some black people and this obsession is really funny, once I asked why they all have their heads shaved, I was just curious whether it is something cultural or a custom or religion, but they started mumbling something about racism. French anthem is racist if you didn’t know, because it contains “sang impur” (impure blood). Once I was as courageous as to greet one of them I know best “Hello nigga”.
Nigga:”Don’t say that!”
White pig:”Why? You call that each other.”
Nigga:”Yes, but you can not.”
White pig:”That’s racist.”
Yes, there’s a historical burden between us, but gosh, I don’t like this history just like you, I wish that this history never happened just like you, and I wish we could bury the animosity and proceed to some higher level of relations.
Hhiiiii - I’m not giving out that information, Drima. I’d feel obliged to behave like it and that’s something I just am unable to do
humble simpleton,
I am not sure that the french anthem was ment the way you interpreted it : at the time the “Marseillaise” was created, there were no black colonies in Africa ; there were mostly “comptoirs” for merchands
the “sang impur” was ment for the rhymes of the sentences, because we only were at war against the blue blooded royalists (the chouans) and may-be Austrians, Marie-Antoinette was Austrian and sipposed to conspire against the the french kingdom.
my interpretation of the picture : whatever the goal of this advertising is, they took the image of the perfection of black sprinters, because they won most of the long distances races without drugs (really ?)
uhe, sprinters with long distances ? well black people are the best for these both sorts of races
Overtly racist, no, but in a society with a history of racial indifference and discrimination, you have to take heed. That past is not that long ago, and it’s not completely resolved. Stupid move on intell’s part, but they responded quickly, and apolegized, that should be the end of it.
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