7.03.2008

Obama portrayed as monkey in Japanese Cell Phone Ad

This is one of those weird ones... I'm not really sure how to feel. For one, Japan doesn't really have many black people, and I'm sure most Japanese have no idea describing a black person as a monkey is extremely offensive. Also, the company's previous commercials have featured the monkey, and it's a popular icon for them.

Then the other side of me thinks, how could they be so stupid? The ad would've been just as effective if they had not included the word change throughout. Barack Obama has come to embrace the word change in his campaign in the same sense as Bush took hold of the phrase compassionate conservatism. In this world of access to the rest of the world at a moment's notice, you would think this company would know better.

Then again, 30 years ago, this ad wouldn't even cause an uproar. And I'm not sure we're better off because our strong awareness of every creature's insensibilities. Have I fallen prey to the pussyfication of this country? I sure hope not.

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