While listening to the radio on my way to work this morning, the show hosts were discussing the commercials that aired during Super Bowl XLIV the previous night. One man called in to say he felt the Doritos ad featuring a black man visiting the home of his date (a single mother) was racist. The caller thought the commercial implied that the single mother was a "baby mama". I was like, "caller say what?!" because I saw the spot and didn't see the racist connotation. As a matter of fact, I found the commercial to be very funny. When I did some research on the web once I got home from work, I discovered that other people felt the same way as the gentleman who called into the radio show.
To assume that the woman's son was born out of wedlock is a reach to say the least. For all we know, the single mother could be a divorcée or a widow. She could also be a single mother via adoption. In jumping the gun and calling the spot racist, detractors are overlooking a couple of things. The performers are free of stereotypes (thankfully, the single mother did not look or sound as if she stepped off the set of B.A.P.S.) and the woman's home is immaculate.
By the way, props to the woman's son in the Doritos ad. Although I don't condone kids delivering smackdowns to adults, you have to respect a young man who protects his mama... and his Doritos!
Is the ad racist? You make the call.
17 comments:
Never occurred to me that the commercial could be construed as racist, and I am pretty enlightened! I respect the concerns of those offended, but really feel this is a bit of a stretch. There are a zillion scenarios as to why the "Mom" is having a date over. Would love to see the energy and awareness devoted to this ad be redirected in a better way for a more proactive approach.
Interesting. I don't see the racism at all in this one. I thought it was a funny ad (one of the best of the Super Bowl ads in my opinion). While I don't see the racism, I guess it doesn't surprise me that some people will find it in this ad. I think racism in this ad is a reach.
I don't see the commercial as being racist. I thought it was funny. It was nice to see a child stick up for his mom. It seems to me that people are wrongly drawing false conclusions or false assumptions about the ad.
Malcolm...you stole my post! LOL...
I was reading all day today the "controversy" surrounding this ad. And last night, when the commercial aired, there was a lot of talk about the message, blah, blah, blah.
I say get over it. You have to choose your battles and this is not one. It was a funny commercial; sometimes you have to remove the color and see things without trying to put it in a pigeonhole. I sometimes think that we can be our own biggest obstacles.
Ugh. I think its a waste of time to complain about this commercial. Plus, it completely distracts from other clearly defined racist agendas. I feel for the people offended by this, but it really makes me lift an eyebrow.
I think it was a hilarious commercial. And I appreciate that the little boy called that guy out on his disrespect. She raised her kid right!
No, way do I see this as racist, I can understand the sensitivty to it because apparently only black women have children out of wedlock. But this is one of these issues that happens to everybody. Plus as pointed out there wasnt the added stereotypes with it that would have sunked it like a filthy house, more then one kid, attitude from the woman and so on.
Nope this was clean.
No disrespect to those who feel differently but, no, I didn't see it as racist. I thought it was funny.
Doesn't look at all racist to me. Why Mom has a man coming over is besides the point. Why does it even matter? Since when is being a single mother a crime?
My hubby was offended by the kid slapping dude across the face, which I do think was a bit of a stretch. In whose house does this happen?
Me and the 5 other people I watched the game with all felt this was the funniest commercial of all! Our group consisted of 4 women and 2 men; 3 caucasian and 3 of mixed race. No one was offended and all of us laughed loud and long!
Teresa: Thanks for stopping by. When people claim racism for stuff like this, it creates a "Boy Who Cried Wolf" situation that causes naysayers to dismiss real acts of racism.
Dave: Good point because the dads on shows like According To Jim and Still Standing don't do you any favors. :-)
Sandy: I also felt this was one of the best ads to air during the Super Bowl.
Teresa: It was a funny ad, pure and simple.
Marvalus: You and I keep scooping each other, lol. If the commercial had made it obvious that the single mother was a "baby mama" then I'd take issue, but this "controversy" is all much ado about nothing.
I.Am.Spoken.Word: I appreciate you sharing your your thoughts on this topic. If people get upset by this, I can only imagine how they reacted to the Lil Monkey doll:
http://diversityink.blogspot.com/2009/10/costco-produces-lil-monkey-doll.html
Clnmike: I think the people who are calling this racist need to ask themselves what it is that makes them see this ad as racist.
Judi: Since this "controversy" didn't get a lot of traction nationally, I think most people see the commercial as simply being funny.
Lori: The kid slapping the man definitely made the commercial memorable, which is probably one reason it was put in there. The only instance I can see this happening in real life is if the household in question worships The Three Stooges.
Pjazzy: After the kid introduced his palm to the man's cheek, the man probably started addressing him as "sir".
Ann: It would have been interesting to be a "fly on the wall" and see how others reacted when people watched this and said it was racist.
The commercial isn't racist for all the reasons you mention. I think those calling it racist have bought into some stereotypes about black people.
That being said, the young lad giving an adult a smack, is rather troubling.
I'm offended that only clean-cut white men are criminals on those home security commercials. But that's another matter entirely. :P
And it's probably that way because someone shouted "racism!" when a black guy was used. lmao
To quote that little chubby English guy from Extras: Oh, for fff...
Cool ranch is definitely the best flavor! And if you like the nacho cheese, you're probably a racist.
Clifton: Thanks for stopping by. Although I found it funny, I was taken aback a little when the kid slapped the man. I hope that children who saw this commercial don't emulate the kid because they may wind up being slapped back into reality.
Josh: I would love to sit in on advertising meetings because I'll bet a lot of discussions are had regarding racial stereotypes and how to avoid them.
People are making a lot about the slap the kid gave the man but are forgetting several things.
1- This ad is during the superbowl a violent sport were injurying someone is a bonus.
2- This is an ad campaigns dream to get men to be watching in large numbers, the ads are going to lean that way.
3- A lot of superbowl ads lean toward violence because of the male viewership.
@ Malcolm
Yes. And to a degree that's plain laughable.
I've never worked in the haughty and hifalutin real-world advertizing industry, but I work in the online world with various dot-com campaigns.
You couldn't tell by some of the free-flowing, brisk and bold language on the web via places like YouTube and the blogosphere, but webmasters and site owners are petrified at coming across even the slightest bit insensitive.
Technically, there's no FCC-type body to answer to, nor are advertizers like Google, Clickbank and the like going to remove their pseudo-sponsorship at the behest of an upset bloc. But instant and equal print being able to slow traffic of the apparatus keeps them all toeing the line.
How Racist ? cm on, is just an ad.
Yep, an ad, an ad born of a simple idea pretending cause a laugh and consumption in the best way, just to have a nice time, the intention of create bla bla bla and bla come of third persons, others who wants rating or weell, is awsome
Luis: Thanks for stopping by and weighing in on this topic. It was a commercial, pure and simple, to me.
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