Well, a fledgling hipster ad agency, Rhett & Link, has taken that idea to the next level. In an online ad for a local North Carolina furniture shop, the Red House, the company used race as the focal point of its marketing message.
The ad has gone viral as an awkward Internet marketing sensation. ...
This ad has generated some controversy by linking furniture sales to a discussion of racial reconciliation. Personally, I love the ad. I think it's always good when an ad or any other public event triggers a broad discussion about how our ideas on race play out. Rhett & Link go on to explain:
For those of you who think this video is racist, we'd like you to distinguish between "racist" and "racial." Racism is "hatred or intolerance of another race or other races." Racial is "of, relating to, or based on a race." This video is very obviously racial as opposed to racist. This video doesn't promote or feature hatred or intolerance. Rather, it's the very opposite. This commercial promotes inclusion and reconciliation, if not in a comical way. To point out the obvious, the irony in this video is that it's completely ridiculous for people to relate furniture to their race. People of all colors are welcome at the Red House, which is something that is taken for granted today, but there was a time in the not-so-recent past during which things as simple as a water fountain were NOT for everyone. Source: Rhett & Link
Okay, if you didn't like that commercial, allow me to present quite possibly the best, quirkiest furniture commercial ever!
Vintage Racist Advertising
Top left LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 1: Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav present onstage at the VH1 - Big in '04 on December 1, 2004 at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Top right: 1899 -- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by © CORBIS; Bottom right: 1930s AC spark plugs ad in The Saturday Evening Post -- Photo by The Authentic History Center; Bottom left: This cartoon image provided by the New York Post appeared in the Post's Page Six Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009. The cartoon, which refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police in Stamford, Conn. on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner, drew criticism Wednesday on media Web sites and from civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton. (AP Photo/New York Post) ** NO SALES ** Credit: Getty Images / Corbi / Authentic History Center / AP
Getty Images / Corbi / Authentic History Center / AP
Advertisement for an African-American slave sale.
Although the enslavement of mankind in general has been recorded as early as 1200 BC; the first African slaves were reportedly transported to the 'New World' in 1517. This is 76 years after the first black slaves were captured and taken to Portugal.
Bettmann / Corbis
African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising c.1880s Tin of Nigger Hair Tobacco
For decades this product was sold in stores as chewing tobacco or for smoking. It was advertised as 'pure, unadulterated, fine old burley leaf.'
Photo Source: The Authentic History Center
The Authentic History Center
1888 -- Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster -- Image by © Swim Ink 2, LLC/CORBIS Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster
Swim Ink 2, LLC / Corbis
ca. 1890 -- Zoulou Powder Poster (French advertisement)
Because offensive advertising was permeated throughout the world for many years, (and still is, as you will see in a few upcoming slides) it should come as no surprise that in more modern times 'racism has become the scourge of European soccer stadiums.'
Swim Ink 2, LLC / Corbis
ca. 1899 --- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by © CORBIS Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Topsy was a stereotypical pickaninny character in the book, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.' Uncle Tom was a slave in the book. The term 'Uncle Tom' is recognized to be offensive and a derogatory name for a black man who is abjectly servile and deferential to whites.
Corbis
ca. 1899 --- George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster --- Image by © CORBIS George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster
Early definition of minstrel: a medieval poet and musician who sang or recited while accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, either as a member of a noble household or as an itinerant troubadour.
The black-face minstrel act was a very popular form of entertainment in 19th-century America. White audiences were receptive to the portrayals of Blacks as singing, dancing, grinning fools. T.D. 'Daddy' Rice, the original Jim Crow, became rich and famous because of his skills as a minstrel. Interestingly though, when he died in New York on September 19, 1860, he was broke.
Corbis
African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising 1899 Durkee's Salad Dressing advertisement, Harpers Magazine
Notice the broken English purportedly spoken by black Americans, 'We're gwine ter live high ter-night ...'
Photo Source: The Authentic History Centerr
The Authentic History Center
Advertisement for Clarence Brooks and Co.'s Fine Coach Varnishes uses racist stereotypes to depict a group of African-American adults and children as they cheer and watch two shirtless boxers, one of whom appears unconscious, accompanied by the text "the Championship Fight, Sullivan Wins," late 1800s. The Sullivan in the text is a reference to boxer John L. Sullivan, who fought bare-knuckled in several famous bouts.
Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images
Advertisement for the St. Louis Beef Canning Company features an illustration of a stereotyped African-American character sitting on a can of beef, accompanied by phonetically rendered, stereotypical dialect-style text that reads: 'No Sah! dont jine no Exodus so as dis Beef lasts,' late 1800s.
Showing blacks to massacre the English language, further perpetuated the false idea that African Americans were somehow unable to be educated.
Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images
Comments: (200)
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By: Bigdaddy Ray on 5/20/2009 10:07AM
I think it's pointless. You don't need to say whether you're black, white, red, or brown. This ad doesn't make alot of sense to me. Unless someone NEEDS to show that they are tolerant of other ethnic groups for another reason.
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By: That Girl on 5/21/2009 10:52AM
It is by Rhett & Link! They aren't an ad agency - they are a couple youtubers!! Get your facts straight AOL!!
I was WTFing the whole way through the video, until I saw Rhett & Link and started ROLLING!!! LMAO!
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By: starchildx31 on 5/21/2009 2:35PM
intolorent is the word that your looking for
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By: Common Sense on 5/21/2009 4:00PM
Actually if you think about it you do HAVE to show you are tolerant everyday,at least the POLITICALLY CORRECT LI
BERAL PEOPLE DO....IF you haven't experienced the DOUBLE STANDARDS that we all face daily then you should just STFU because you have no clue(this would be RICH LEFTISTS,they are so far detached from a normal life they feel everyone that looks like them are in the same boat as them and should feel guilty for being as RICH as they are)Guess what,most of us are all in the same boat and just try and get along with everyone we meet and live together in perfect harmony.This doesn't happen because too many Politically Correct people are so apt to see racism in anything a white( or ANYONE that is not far left liberal)does. Look at that video as harmless and inclusive as it is and silly still 9% said it is racist and get rid of it.They got really upset about it.These are the super EXTREMES that the rest of us deal with everyday but the % is far greater then that and most of them are in the MEDIA or in GOVERNMENT positions now and really do anything they can to screw any of us that don't agree with their fascist ways.So yes sometimes you have to show you are tolerant go out of your way to treat groups better then everyone else gets treated.The EEOC and tons of frauduelent lawsuits foster this kind of idiocy.They make it so protected groups get treated better on a job then other people and it is royally unfair and discriminatory.What is worse is that when stuff like that happens the minority group that is elevated laughs at the others and knows they are getting treated better and some of them will throw it in the other guys faces.DO you wonder where HATE comes from? You wouldn't want someone of the majority laughing in your face if you were getting mistreated would you??? MOST common sense understanding moral people would be AGAINST that.Why then would you want to be treated better then others and then mock the others that are getting mistreated?? I am speaking to those in Black Voices that routinely spew racist comments about others no matter what color you are. WHY is this in BLACK VOICES ANYWAYS? WHY IS THEIR A BLACK VOICES ANYWAYS.Right their just like this commercial you are seperating people or making a special group for one group that keeps them from being inclusive of other groups(this is discriminatory and a bit racist in and of itself btw seeing as even MEDIA outlets that admit say 80% of MEDIA is liberal and most black people tend to go liberal so most media would be their side of the aisle so what would the need for a SEGREGATED GROUP FOR ONLY THEM BE?? Puzzling very puzzling the 20% the MEDIA DOES not represent would be the more honest group that would have a reason for having a MINORITY BLOG on AOL or TV. This is where we come back to DOUBLE STANDARDS which is wrong wrong and wrong and WHY DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT???PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE in the past and now YOU want to put more injustice on others by discriminating against them and HATING them?? If you think this targets YOU then I guess the shoe fits(it probably fits a lot more people but they are the truly blind that think no matter what they do or who they hurt or how they treat others that are different from them it is OK, because the MEDIA DOESN'T and WON'T say it is WRONG AND HATEFUL AND BIGOTED.) Again if you think this is against you,then you probably fall among those that treat others discriminatory and are hateful to other that do not look like you or think like you as the far left liberals like to do.-----AS the first guy asked about in my opinion NO their is in a GOOD,HONEST,LOVING world their is no REASON to mention color in the ad or even to SEE color differences in what we do in life but this world is not like that and DIDN"T WE JUST MAKE A BIG HOOPLA AND VOTE SOMEONE INTO OFFICE AND MAKE HIS COLOR A FOCAL POINT AND MANY EVEN ADMITTED TO VOTING FOR HIM BASED ON COLOR INCLUDING NETWORKS NBC AND SUCH??? THIS WAS WRONG AND RACIST TOO TO DO AS THEY DID NO MATTER IF YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST ANYONE -----RACE SHOULD NOT BE A PLUS OR MINUS AND THAT IS ALL THE NETWORKS HYPED AND ALL THE CONTINUE TO DO(Especially if someone disagrees with him tey attack them(the networks are INTOLERANT of others BECAUSE OF HIS COLOR!!!! HOW IS THIS NOT RACIST AND DISCRIMINATORY???? IF you are honest you know it is and it is wrong. THE NETWORKS AND MEDIA do not want people not seeing color,neither does the current government, it is easier to control US if we are divided and not looking at where the real Problems are..THE POWER GRABS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA'S CONSTANT TWISTING OF THINGS AND DIVIDING THE COUNTRY. IF YOU REALLY CARED YOU COULDAND WOULD FOLLOW THE COLLAPSE of the economy to the media's fear mongering the people causing it to collapse(THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SCARED EVERYONE INTO PULLING MONEY OUT OF THE BANKS THAT ENDED UP FAILING BECAUSE OF THAT AND SHORTING THE STOCKS OF THOSE COMPANIES MAKING THEM ULTIMATELY WORTHLESS AND NO CHANCE TO RECOVER SO THE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR BUDDIES END UP OWNING THE BANKS FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR AND THE REST OF US ARE LEFT WITH NOTHING IN OUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS WE WORKED HARD FOR FOR MANY MANY YEARS) so they have more control of the rest of us. NAH most of you do not care and wil just turn on your Propaganda BILL MAHRER or JOHN STEWART and repeat whatever they say. SO SAD such hatred spewed all over.
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By: Carolyn on 5/21/2009 4:00PM
regionally speaking --
they may well need to.
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By: KANZABOY on 5/21/2009 11:45PM
Y'ALLS BLACK FOLK NEED TO GET WITH IT! sINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE OBAMANATION, Y'ALLS THINKS EVERYTHIN' IS RACIST.
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By: j on 5/21/2009 4:37PM
didn't have much to choose in the vote. didn't think it was that funny, but didn't think it was racist either. did think it was funny that they did it.
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By: Showtime on 5/21/2009 5:13PM
That's because you're an idiot.
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By: moe on 5/21/2009 5:20PM
I think it is just a beyond stupid commercial! I wouldn't buy furniture because it seems "class - less"
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By: Alex on 5/21/2009 5:26PM
They did this as a joke. They noticed that there were a lot of stupid ads for local businesses and they wanted to make some of their own as a joke.
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