Jamaica-theme Super Bowl ad: Racist?

[Dolphins9954]

I vote best commercial without even seeing the rest yet.

[Statler Waldorf]

It's obviously racist - but not for the reasons cited.

There are plenty of actors who grew up in that culture and naturally speak that dialect and could have been cast in the commercial. The implication is that a person with dark skin would never have a job in a professional setting.

In addition, there's only ONE person with the characteristics of a "native Jamaican" cast in the entire commercial ... and that person is located at the front right of the elevator where the elevator operator would be in the past. The obvious implication that the only job in building suitable for a person with dark skin is pushing buttons on the elevator. I'm almost surprised that the producers did not have that actress in dread locks and wearing a bellhop type uniform.

I suppose if the script called for the commercial to be filmed after the office was closed for the day then the racist writers would have had a janitor in the background.

Hahahaha, you’re really good at spotting all of that “hidden racism”, are you sure you’re not a closet liberal my friend? :-P

[phinfan3411]

Yeah, I was watching it, and reading the text from the story, and I was saying to myself, well, here's another place where I don't see eye to eye with the rest of the forum, I don't think it's racist, I think it is awesome.

[phins_4_ever]

Not sure why anybody would be offended by that. It was more of a compliment to Jamaicans rather than a racial dissing in any way shape or form. To understand that you actually had to be in Jamaica once. And I am not talking a few hours on cruise.
Jamaican's are laid back, easy going, and rather smile then frown. The ad implicates only one thing: if you drive a VW you enjoy life more.

[rob19]

FWIW

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- Jamaica is embracing a controversialSuper 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 fromVolkswagen 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.

quotes from youtube posters

Whats this Racist Bull****????? I'm Jamaican and I love this commercial, and every Jamaican I know does...

Love the advert. People who think it is racist have too much free time on their hands. Maybe they need to take a trips to Jamaica and see why We Jamaicans would this advert funny,

Hey I'm Jamaican and it made me smile! Whitey did great!

I'm Jamaican and I liked it. You Americans and Jamericans need to calm down with this racism foolishness and accept the commercial for what it is. Would have preferred if they gave him dreadlocks, weed and a 5mm pistol ? Kmt. Pipe down. Please and thanks.

I'm jamaican and this is awesome that my accent is recognized as a beacon of happiness and this says that jamaicans are happy inspite of what come our way....which is true....were rated as third world yet still every body wanna be us and live like us. I dont see anything wrong with, it's GREAT!!!

This is the epitome of white guilt. How in the hell could anyone consider this racist? They are simply implying that the people of Jamaica are happy and can see the enjoyment you should be getting out of life. That is an admirable trait to have and I don't understand why anyone would be offended by this.

One more Jamaican who loves this commercial..not offended AT ALL. PS...'Jamaican' is not a race. We have white Jamaicans and Jamaicans of all races. -_- How can this be racist? =S. I think I'm more offended that this is being called racist now that I think about it. lol

I'm Minnesotan and I'm super ****ing offended.

Also, Jimmy frickin' Cliff sings their theme song for god's sake.

[tylerdolphin]

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."

Wait, what? I dont even know how to make sense of this comment
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[Valandui]

These guys are aware that there are white people in Jamaica, right?

[Tunaphish429]

Pretty funny ****..

I love the fact that when dave chappelle dresses up like a white guy and talks all proper its not racist but god forbid a white person talk with a black guys tongue or dialect...we have movies like malibus most wanted and i never heard anyone call that movie racist even tho it does perpetuate stereotypes about blacks and white. Ppl who are offended by this ad are ****ing stupid. If your portraying a race in a negative light then its racist but if its positive who the **** cares? Stupid. Its really pathetic that we as a society cant look past this bs..we all need to stop being so hypersensitive and just laugh at ourselves.

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[PhinzN703]

Not racist IMO but is lamer than ****. A 1 minute car commercial? Just show the god damn car so we can see what it looks like. I don't need to see some white guy walking around acting like Doug E. Doug.

[qmar]

It's obviously racist - but not for the reasons cited.

There are plenty of actors who grew up in that culture and naturally speak that dialect and could have been cast in the commercial. The implication is that a person with dark skin would never have a job in a professional setting.

In addition, there's only ONE person with the characteristics of a "native Jamaican" cast in the entire commercial ... and that person is located at the front right of the elevator where the elevator operator would be in the past. The obvious implication that the only job in building suitable for a person with dark skin is pushing buttons on the elevator. I'm almost surprised that the producers did not have that actress in dread locks and wearing a bellhop type uniform.

I suppose if the script called for the commercial to be filmed after the office was closed for the day then the racist writers would have had a janitor in the background.

Are you being serious?