Damn, Chinese advertising has really crossed the line on this one. Very recently, a detergent company in Shanghai began airing a new, blatantly racist ad. The clip portrays a black-skinned male who is shoved into a washing machine with the brand's detergent, only to come out seconds later a "clean," light-skinned Chinese man. (Go ahead and watch the video for yourself below)
Regardless of your culture or what part of the world you're from, the ad is clearly giving Chinese men the image of being cleaner and super to dark-skinned men. While I don't live in Chinese society, I've still tried to understand the various techniques and appeals being targeted by the detergent company. There is definitely a need for sex present, as suggested by the good-looking young people, along with the whistling and almost kissing. This ad may be suggesting that the product will enable men to achieve some sort of cleanliness that will attract women. I wonder how Chinese civilians view this ad, as opposed to people of foreign countires and cultures. There is definitely a snob appeal that targets not class, but bias towards ethnicity and skin color. I wonder if people in China find the black man being "cleaned" into a good-looking Chinese man is humorous. Although it is impossible for a detergent to change skin color, the ad makes it seem like using the product is a simple solution for women to make their partners become more attractive.
Surprisingly, especially for an ad in China, the clip seems to be empowering women. The fact that the girl had the ability to change the man's appearance, and dominantly force him into a washing machine, provides female viewers with a sense of liberating strength. In a society such as China's that is notorious for sexist discrimination, such an advertisement will undoubtedly win over female customers.
During a press conference, Chinese Foreign spokeswoman Hua Chunying claimed that the ad was not at all racist, nor did it intend any discrimination toward Africans. She said that foreign media is "overamplifying" the advertisement, and making it more of an issue than it needs to be. While countries and governments do maintain different beliefs, views, policies, etc. from one another, I still believe that the image of a dark-skinned male being "cleaned" into a pale-skinned male will inevitably ignite racial tensions. I'm very interested to see how the controversy over this ad will continue to grow over the media, and how different countries may react to it.
If I'm being honest, Asians who live in Asian countries are very racist. In other words, people who grow up in the environments offered in countries like China and Korea tend to be very racist because their parents are and taught them to be also. Personally, many members of my family are racist and they don't mean to be. It's just a norm that everyone just looks over.
This ad may seem very racist in America, but it's not much if you see in the eyes of the Asian people. I can't say it's the same for Chinese people, but for true Koreans, there's minimal racism for every group: the Chinese, Vietnamese, Mong, Mexicans, Africans, Europeans. Small remarks and comments are kept to themselves unless provoked to say them out loud, and only serious racism applies when it comes to marriage. Many Korean parents will allow their children to date someone of a different heritage, but their spouse must be Korean.
The things Americans find racist are pretty common and overlooked in Asian countries because it is a norm. It's how we communicate about foreign things.
China's ad was a bit severe even in my opinion because most of the racist comments are kept under people's breaths. Asian countries usually don't broadcast those things on commercials because there are modernized people who take offense to these things.
If I'm being honest, Asians who live in Asian countries are very racist. In other words, people who grow up in the environments offered in countries like China and Korea tend to be very racist because their parents are and taught them to be also. Personally, many members of my family are racist and they don't mean to be. It's just a norm that everyone just looks over.
ReplyDeleteThis ad may seem very racist in America, but it's not much if you see in the eyes of the Asian people. I can't say it's the same for Chinese people, but for true Koreans, there's minimal racism for every group: the Chinese, Vietnamese, Mong, Mexicans, Africans, Europeans. Small remarks and comments are kept to themselves unless provoked to say them out loud, and only serious racism applies when it comes to marriage. Many Korean parents will allow their children to date someone of a different heritage, but their spouse must be Korean.
The things Americans find racist are pretty common and overlooked in Asian countries because it is a norm. It's how we communicate about foreign things.
China's ad was a bit severe even in my opinion because most of the racist comments are kept under people's breaths. Asian countries usually don't broadcast those things on commercials because there are modernized people who take offense to these things.