I can’t even count all the stereotypes these ads contain: cannibalism, eating domestic animals, spear-chucking, squatting, etc.
The underlying message in all of these representations is the smug celebration of the supposedly inherent superiority of whiteness and “Western” culture. It’s unbelievable to me that this still flies unchecked in 2006. I guess just because Zagar is light-brown and doesn’t have a bone through his nose, it didn’t racist enough to raise a red flag at theAnheuser Busch headquarters.
The "Zagar and Steve" website is down, so the campaign may be over. But the criticism continues!
4 comments:
I have to say I've never seen one of these ads. I'll also repeat what I said earlier about the "Capitol One" credit card ad (the one with the cavemen at a dinner table) as an example of how to do such an ad campaign with "primitives" the RIGHT way and have it be very funny.
Bud should stick with the frogs.
You can find a link to the Bud Light videos on my Zagar page.
I haven't seen the Capitol One commercials or I'd comment on them.
Writerfella here --
As mentioned earlier, the ads featuring cavemen are for Geico Insurance, not Capitol One. There was a new one today, in which cavemen are being interviewed about their adverse reactions to their being stereotyped. It ended with a reporter saying, "Souns like someone got up on the wrong side of the rock." Insurance joke, to be sure...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
PS: the first time I sent this, a screen came up saying that there was a Blogger problem on the server. So, if it pops up twice, delete one. RB
Sorry, I was confusing the hillarious Capitol One pillagers (remember the filthy barbarian serving ice cream) with Geico!
The new one you mention (caveman, not pillagers) sounds even more relevant.
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