Land Rover criticized by British tv viewers for 'racist' advertisement
A television advertisement for Land Rover's Discovery 3 (read: "LR3" in colonial English) has the British upscale SUV purveyor in hot water. Seventy-one viewers have filed complaints with the UK's Advertising Standards Authority for racist undertones vis-à-vis Inuit culture.
In the ad in question, an Disco pulls up to a sled-mushing Inuit. The sledder is distracted by the Rover, only to fall off his mount after running into a snowdrift. The Eskimo then runs off after his sledge, whose dogs have pulled it off into the distance.
Each of the 71 individuals filing grievances against the Green Oval have cited it for being 'racist' and maligning Inuit culture. Sixty also registered complaints over concern that Rover was harming the environment.In response, the UK's notoriously strict ASA has sloughed off the complaints, saying that it doesn't consider the ad racist or denigrating.
(More after the jump!)
Interestingly, this isn't the first time that Rover's creative television ads have been the source of controversy. In 2004, 350 viewers complained about one of the brand's spots depicting a wife getting a gun in an apparent bid to kill her husband (who is observed lounging inside his Freelander). During the course of the spot, it is revealed that the weapon is simply a starter gun.
Back in 2000, Land Rover was also accused of racism by the South African Advertising Standards Authority for a three-page print ad. The company relented, pulled the ad, and printed a mea culpa. The offending ad? A partially-clothed African woman in traditional garb has her breasts whipped sideways by a speeding Freelander.
From where this author sits, it sounds as if the first and the last ads exhibit some Western egotism (albeit in a playful tone), but the word 'racist' hardly comes to mind (let alone strike as something offensive enough to complain about). Of course, we haven't seen the ads, though Autoblog's faithful readership are encouraged to send in links to enlighten us!
What do you think? Have your say in the 'comments' field.
[Source: Brand Republic]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mike 1:35PM (3/09/2006)
I'm sure some would consider this insensitive, but I would consider the idea that the commercial is racist, simply rediculous. There have been many, many times in everyday life that I have seen something similiar happen. I had a friend walk into a stop sign while watching a car (it might have been the girl inside) drive by. I imagine they were simply trying to express that they were in a remote, off road location, showing the capability of the Rover. The Inuit person could have been thinking any number of things, but most likely "how did that get way out here?". That reinforces the idea of remoteness. Then, it adds a sense of humor, at the expense of the individual, and further at the expense of each of us that have done something similiar. It's just funny, not offensive.
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Joe 1:39PM (3/09/2006)
Personally, I see it at people who are too overly sensitive, i see no offense...
http://www.landrover.com/gb/en/_popups/Discovery_Sled.htm?route=_gb_en_Vehicles_Discovery_Discovery_overview@__link__GraphicPromo_3
Pick the music, scan the screen to the right, click on the dog sled, then choose video #2...
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Gunnar Heinrich 1:46PM (3/09/2006)
Those 71 people need to loosen up - lest they find themselves parodied one day.
http://www.automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com
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Glenn 1:58PM (3/09/2006)
Seems to me like way too much "PC-ness" exists in England and for too little "sense of humour".
But "I say, old CHAP, one MUST keep one's decorum, what? Stiff upper lip, and all, you kneow."
Idiots.
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Fazzster 2:01PM (3/09/2006)
Shut up all you obnoxious Politically Correct, Double Standard,Racist, Left Wing lunatics. Land Rover is not the perpetrator of racist undertones. Get a grip and take your own brand of racism elsewhere like Al Jazeera where they welcome haters of the West like your selves. There is a reason why Land Rover's are not built by the French. Because it takes real men from a real country to build one! I hope the next Range Rover that comes your way crushes your puny hybrid with reckless abandon!
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SUVCentral 2:08PM (3/09/2006)
When people complain about television shows that offend them the remark is always 'turn the channel' or 'turn it off' and don't watch it. Apply here. They're prbably these polymorist, eco-fanatic, suv-hating freaks that think all of us need to drive battery operated bread boxes or live in Europe where freedom allows its citizens to drive on assigned days and fuel costs $2/litre due to taxes.
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Matt B 2:16PM (3/09/2006)
That ad is racist? How is that racist? I think its funny? It doesn't demean them as a race in any way. It just makes a joke about them not paying attention. Jeez, these people need to lighten up.
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Scott Eaton 2:26PM (3/09/2006)
Reactionary right wing twits seem to turn EVERY single thread to TOTAL SHIT within four posts.
Autoblog, just disable posting for a few weeks please...
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alexander 2:32PM (3/09/2006)
I saw the video ad today. The ad is hardly racist. It doesn't demean Inuit people at all. The Innuit driver was shock by the power of the LR3 that he forgot to control the sled thus the dogs escape from him. There is no part in the video which demean Innuit people at all.
The poeple who file the complaint were just frivolous. They don't know how to judge a TV car ad at all. Why don't they wake up and look beyond their narrow view of the world.
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Yojimbo 2:35PM (3/09/2006)
I'm guessing none of the 71 complainers are members of the Inuit tribe. So who are they to say whether the ad is demeaning to Inuit? Typical patronizing by holier-than-thou, professionally sensitive bleeding hearts.
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JS 3:03PM (3/09/2006)
Inuit's have TV?
Hmmm, I didnt know cable companies ran their lines that far north. Learn something new everyday!
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Finished.Law.School 3:05PM (3/09/2006)
This is stupid. The people bitching are people who *look* for things to complain about. People like this should contract painful diseases and die horrible deaths.
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ANR 3:13PM (3/09/2006)
JR; it's called satelite!
And I doubt any of the 71 complaints originated from an Inuit. That advert is funny, though.
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Fazzster 3:15PM (3/09/2006)
Right on SUVCentral!!!! and Scott, clean up your choice of vocabulary. This is a family blog too...
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Richard Warren 3:37PM (3/09/2006)
They took offense with that? Hell any Monty Python show is worse than that, know wht I mean, eh, eh, a winks as good as a nod eh eh
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Corey W. 3:42PM (3/09/2006)
Hell, I love Free Speech, and if you want to be a RightWing-Nut-Job and make ridiculous statements that have no basis, knock yourself out.
But...my only request would be to KEEP YOUR COMMENTS RELEVANT TO THE BLOG ENTRY.
It's amazing, RightWingers defend Free Speech, until someone comes along and expresses a different view. Then all of a sudden they're "left wing, eco-fanatics, Al Jazeera watching, SUV hating, racist. Go spew that garbage somewhere else.
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Scott Eaton 3:50PM (3/09/2006)
Corey W., right on!
oh, and to #10, I love the idea that people THINK they have free speech rights on SOMEBODY ELSE'S blog. A blog is not bound by your local rights - it's the property of the publisher. Your Constitution does NOT APPLY here.
Weblogs, Inc. is under ZERO obligation to publish your comments. Why do you people not understand the basics? Now, you have the right to make your OWN blog or whatnot and put your opinions there, but other citizens are not required to oblige you -- that's done by choice, FYI.
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Fazzster 4:00PM (3/09/2006)
again...show some respect Scott. You too are free to take your left wing hatred to the hybrids-r-nice blog or the leftwingers-r-always right blog. While the rest of us discuss the business of cars. The Land Rover advertisement would not be a political issue if people like yourself did not make it one.
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buddy 4:45PM (3/09/2006)
I'm sorry Fazzster but you're contradicting yourself asking someone to show respect to your point of view when you call anyone who questions you a 'racist' or a 'hater of the west' right before expressing your own disdain for the French. I don't recall Scott calling you any names or hoping you're crushed to death...
Regarding the Commercials. I'm not Inuit, Native South African nor Female. With that said, I don't think Land Rover intended to offend anyone. Although I can't for a reason see these lawsuits as anything but frivolous, the need for advertisers to push the envelope and become 'edgy' to push their products is a worrisome trend.
Nothing worse than the average Sunday afternoon beer commercial here - but I do feel that advertisers more and more willing to denegrate a certain demographic to engender themselves to their core audience.
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Justin 5:05PM (3/09/2006)
Corey, you seem to have missed the point completely. They aren't dissing the left wing's ability to complain. They are dissing the left wing's ability to have free speech pulled from the market because the left wing doesn't like it.
Similar to the lawsuit to make FSU stop using the name Seminole. The Seminoles (ok, part of the Seminole Tribe) let them do so because they felt it was an honor. The white, espresso drinking, Prius driving nut-jobs couldn't handle that and made the NCAA threaten to take away their ability to play in the postseason unless they changed their name. Guess who lost this time.
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