Don't ever press the red button! - Posted by Josh

It looks like my professional colleagues at a certain large New York based advertising firm were paid way too much money by Doritos to create a series of ads that do not heed Daffy Duck's advice. "Don’t ever touch the red one". What is the red button of catastrophe that I speak of? It's the red button marketers push when they run out of ideas. In SUV advertising, it's convincing Mom that she's taking her kid's soccer team through the Alps to get to their game on time. Everyone knows that will never happen and yet SUVs are sold to people that never go off-road and may only be carrying two passengers.

Two Doritos commercials feature snake charmers in one spot, and bartering a dead otter for a woman's hand in marriage. Yikes! The commercial in both cases is complete with subtitles, gross stereotypes of South Asians all framed by actors using obvious Indian accents akin to Homer Simpson's friend and Quicky-Mart owner Apu. The agency could have done a lot more with the hundreds of creative staff at their disposal. The problem is that within the halls of certain agencies, I am sure the spots were seen as funny while addressing the constant complaint that television does not reflect North American diversity. The spots do not inspire me to buy the product. They do not project a positive light on Indian culture and quite frankly, if this is a theme put forward by the ad agent, which ethnic group is next? I could create a list of flavours and their respective matching ethnic group, but that would diminish the dignity of this post and the site. It is enough to say that these commercials took the path of least resistance. Why not take a bite of these chips and be transported to a luxurious resort on the coast of the Indian Ocean? One could be transported to the time of ancient kings. Instead of "peel me a grape, pass me a Doritos". If an SUV can get you over the mountains, why can't an exotic potato chip make you feel like a King? An affordable luxury.

When advertisers choose an ethnic group to highlight their product, they have to approach their stereotype with care. Notice that Calgon does not advertise their washing soap as "an Ancient Chinese secret" anymore. Why am I passionate that marketing portray the product and my neighbours in a positive light, because, I am reminded of the words of Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984). His poem has undergone many changes and his past was not squeaky clean, but his poem does guide me to not press the red button when building campaigns and to be sensitive when my neighbour is being marginalized.

As it relates to these ads, the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards section 14 refers to "Unacceptable depictions and portrayals". These commercials may fall under this category.


New England Holocaust Memorial

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.