Is the Volkswagen superbowl ad racist?

Is the Volkswagen ad (Jamaican accent) racist?

  • Of course it is, what were they thinking?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Not if Jamaicans don't think it's racist

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • No, it's just a funny ad

    Votes: 11 84.6%
  • Other (explain in thread)

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • Total voters
    13

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Do you think the ad is racist?

Would it make a difference if the actors were Jamaicans who where white vs. white American actors who were mimicing Jamaican accents?

[video=youtube;9H0xPWAtaa8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H0xPWAtaa8[/video]

Racist Super Bowl Ad: Jamaica Embraces Controversial Volkswagen Commercial By DAVID McFADDEN 01/30/13 06:37 PM ET EST
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KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Jamaica is embracing a controversial Super Bowl commercial that depicts a white office worker from the U.S. Midwest feigning the Caribbean island's lilting patois accent to display a cheerful, upbeat outlook.

Some U.S. critics have described the pregame Super Bowl ad from Volkswagen of America as offensive and culturally insensitive, apparently seeing the commercial that hit the web on Monday as an echo of segregation-era depictions of white people posing as happy-go-lucky black folk. Jamaica's population is predominantly black.

On NBC's "The Today Show," Barbara Lippert, editor-at-large at mediapost.com, said she believed the commercial was racist because it was "just saying that black people are happy." New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow said during an appearance on CNN that the advertisement was like "blackface with voices."

But the charged reaction has met with puzzlement in Jamaica, which has very visible white, Asian, Middle Eastern and mixed-race minorities that also often speak with the local accent.

The island's government has endorsed the commercial, which shows an ebullient white worker from the U.S. state of Minnesota trying to cheer up glum colleagues with a Jamaican patois accent because he is so happy with his Volkswagen. At the start of the commercial, he paraphrases the lyrics to late reggae icon Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" as he tells his co-workers: "No worries, mon. Everyting will be all right."

The company's website continues the theme, offering a clip of Jamaica's Jimmy Cliff singing "C'mon, get happy."

On Wednesday, opposition lawmaker Edmund Bartlett said the television ad "is a perfect illustration of Jamaican culture's global reach and our uncharacteristic penchant to be happy even in challenging situations."

Tourism Minister Wykeham McNeill said he believes the Super Bowl commercial has the potential to increase tourist arrivals.

"I think this is a very creative commercial which truly taps into the tremendous appeal that brand Jamaica and its hospitable people have globally," McNeill said in a late Tuesday statement.

At a Kingston bus stop, office assistant Jennifer Blake said she saw the Volkswagen advertisement online and thought it was amusing to see an American trying to speak patois.

"I'm not sure why people would think it was offensive or anything," she said Wednesday, adding that many of her friends have shared links to the commercial on social media.

Nearly all islanders, regardless of class, can speak and understand the country's patois. Jamaica's official language is standard English, but many people cannot speak it.

Those who speak standard English fluently, mostly people from the middle and upper classes, tend to use patois for emphasis or to affect a down-to-earth persona.

A representative for Volkswagen of America said Wednesday morning that the company has no plans to pull the Super Bowl spot.

"As of this morning, we received no consumer calls or complaints about our ad. In fact, we've only received positive endorsements," Scott Vazin, a company spokesman, said in an email.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...-jamaica-volkswagen-commercial_n_2583710.html
 
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If the demographic being imitated in the advertisement isn't offended, then who are we to be incensed?
Actually, I think I'm a little bit offended that a bunch of middle-class, white Americans would take it upon themselves to be offended on someone else's behalf.

Not to incite anything here, but I think, in a way, it's almost representative of the American exceptionalist attitude. "I don't like this, ergo you should not like this either."
 
It makes me almost disgusted to see the damage political correctness has done to racial acceptance in America. Racism and prejudice can only grow when even discussing the issue is almost taboo.

I'm not really sure why this ad was singled out. There has been an upsurge in Jamaican themed adverts recently.
 
This ad is awesome. Such a lovely accent!
 
It's a parody ... an exaggeration of life! It's no different than when I mimic my German SIL on things she says: "Jaaaahman skoools ared fa bettta dan Aahmeurcan skoools." They aren't meant to offend, they are meant to be funny.

Did you know Elmo's voice is that of a black man with a deep voice? The other puppets are pissed! :D
 
No, I think the huff p is making it racist so they can have something to write about.
 
Jamaica is not a race. Also, I'm sure I've acted like that man in the ad myself a few times. Why the Huff gotta be such a downer?
 
Voted "Other": Well, maybe not racist, but definitely promotes an ethnic stereotype. Sure, it's probably way more palatable because that stereotype is "positive". It's no huge surprise to me that the Jamaican government and the minister of tourism would embrace it, but I wouldn't go as far as to assume that this means all Jamaicans are cool with it any more than I would buy into the idea that all Jamaicans are happy and upbeat. Anyway, overall my impression is: "A superbowl commercial that's kind of ignorant??? Why, who ever heard of such a thing???" Ya know?
 
^ good point, who is looking to the Super Bowl for intelligence anyways?
 
I don't think it's racist. They show Jamaican culture in a positive light, it really isn't offensive.
 
Jamaica is not a race.

I've thought the same.
Besides, that's how us Minnesotans really talk when outsiders are not around doncha know.
lol.
 
I've thought the same.
Besides, that's how us Minnesotans really talk when outsiders are not around doncha know.
lol.

Bwahahahahahaha!!!!

Now this was worth watching the stupid commercial. :bounce:
 
i agree with horatio, jamaican is not a race. furthermore, stereotypes aren't usually based on fantasy; they come about because there is an obvious, discernable trend.
 
Do the same commercial with an actual Jamaican, and then what?

It's not racist. It's simply ironic to hear that come out of a white guy's mouth. It's humorous.

If anything the people calling it racist are the racists because they seem to believe that office workers should be relegated to being boring white dudes with boring white accents.

FUN IS ALLOWED, DAMIT!
 
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