This print advertisement by Intel has been causing quite a stir of late [via Huffington Post]. It seems to convey the idea that owning an Intel chip will help you tackle the same amount of work as you could with a ship of slaves (while making you feel powerful):
I almost fell out of my seat when I saw Intel’s new advertising campaign. It shows six bowing African American athletes before a chino-clad, oxford-shirted white manager with the slug: “Maximize the power of your employees.” This ad reminds me of a slave-ship, and it’s hard to imagine the same imagery did not come to mind for the savvy ad exec that created it…Intel is not just promoting insensitive images, it’s also leading a signature drive for a California ballot measure that would eliminate class action lawsuits over civil rights issues. Intel’s board of directors have been sent 25,000 faxes calling upon the company to withdraw that pending ballot measure. [Link]
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p>There is also a YouTube clip capturing some people’s reaction to this ad:
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Here is the even more interesting part. When the ad was printed in Indian print media they replaced the white dude with a very light skinned Indian “massa'”:
It should be noted that Intel has apologized for and withdrawn these ads, but seeing the same ad in two different cultural contexts does reiterate just how much the idea of “white” putting black to work was a central part of the perceived “effectiveness” of this campaign. It’s rare that you are able to so completely unmask the subtle bigotry of many advertising campaigns.
Oof, that was way below the belt.
Camille, sarah: I agree that there is institutionalized racism in the US, but how do you explain some blacks who wrote on the Intel blog that they didn’t find it offensive? Are they uneducated/ignorant/unaware of dynamics/history, or don’t feel enabled to speak out, or don’t perceive the ad as racist? And if there are different opinions/perceptions, then how do we decide what’s racist and what’s not? If one person finds it racist and the rest don’t, does it still make it racist? Sorry if my questions come across as stupid, but I’m genuinely curious to read what you have to say.
For my part, I would stear clear of the essentializing implications of framing the question in this way (“is it…”) and rather say the fact is that it is being widely interpreted as racist by its audience. I don’t think anything can simply and unequivocably be racist independent of its perception; things are what we make them out to be.
Amit, I could round up a random sample of 20 people, and 5 could say they don’t find the ad offensive. That doesn’t mean that the ad is any less offensive to the other 15, though. That’s part of living in a diverse society, yes? 🙂 The color of someone’s skin does not validate or invalidate whether or not something’s racist (although I do see people use this excuse over and over again to invalidate the claim that something is racist). They could find it inoffensive for any number of reasons — it doesn’t necessarily make them ignorant. I think, in trying to figure out if something is racist, it’s useful to think of how it plays to, or does not play to, ideas of racial superiority or primacy. HMF and I have discussed this a lot, actually, and my definition may be more broad than it is for others, but I think racism, as an institution (in the U.S.) actively plays to maintaining a system of white supremacy. That said, anyone of any color could promote that idea or vision. In the context of this ad, it can easily be misread as black men crouching/kneeling before a white “overseer” kinda guy. Again, this was probably not Intel’s intent, but the impact is jarring, nonetheless, and such an interpretation certainly plays into a larger system of anti-Black racism.
Your question isn’t stupid. 🙂
There you go. Because you assume you live in a country that is systematically and institutionally racist, you immediatly jumped to the conclusion that the ad must be racist. But the fact is: they are dressed as sprinters, and that is the starting position of a sprinter. Oh, and the majority of sprinters in high competition are black. I looked at the ad, and immediately associated the sprinters as processing elements.
And processors–at least on my motherboard–are black, so…. Really, I’m still amazed that this ad ever went to press.
WOW – I have never seen this ad – guess they pulled it, but that made me rather angry and disappointed at the same time. If they had mixed the guys in the track-starter position, then I guess it would have been better, I dunno.
Thanks for posting and sharing.
I think it rather interesting since DELL tries to boast and promote diversity.
Looks like the REAL DELL “stood up”
No CiscoKid, I did not jump to this conclusion because I “assume” this country is systematically racist. I perceive the ad as racist because I am near-sighted (literally), and without reading the caption the ad looks remarkably like a photo of a slave ship, or of share-croppers kneeling in the fields. There is a clear racist interpretation to this ad, whether or not you saw these men as sprinters or as some other representative symbol.
If they’re sprinters, there is a racist assumption that black people are like animals — identical and physically “powerful” and sooo fast. Also, can we please take a moment to recognize the ignorance and racism associated with the idea that Black sprinters are somehow genetically hard-wired to be better sprinters? (Please see HMF’s comment on Jesse Owens for context around why this could be considered offensive).
If they’re seen as something besides sprinters, it is still offensive because of the positioning and body language of each character. I am not some crazy wing nut who looks for racist depictions as I walk around the street. I’m someone who, like everyone else, is conditioned by my environment and respond based on previous experiences or exposure — including exposure to historic photography and portraits of slavery and the American South (in the context of unequal black/white relations).
Camille, I am not disputing that unconscious racism exists, merely that if we are to blame someone – Intel, their ad agency, the guy who created the image – we should come up with a standard of proof of what constitutes unconscious racism and what does not.
In an ideal world that would be right. But, practically speaking, some racist incidents provoke more outrage than others. It would probably be more productive to focus the public’s limited attention span on those incidents than the less obvious ones. And before the idealists start a mob looking for me, let me say that any instance of racism is equally deplorable. This is just an attempt to be a little realistic in the fight against racism.
To add my anecdotal account to the mix: My reactions were, in order – 1. More core, more processes, more threads. Old news. 2. Those black dudes look really ripped. Shit, I haven’t been out running for ages. Shit, I had a pizza for dinner again. 3. Why do tech guys have to be in wrinkled khakis all the time. Hmmm, maybe time to upgrade (or, wash) my trusty pair of jeans.
Racism did not occur to me after I saw the posting on SM.
Totally different issue. I’m not arguing that it should be ILLEGAL or that anyone should be thrown in jail for this ad! I’ll defend their right under the law to say stupid bullshit, absolutely. I’m criticizing your decision to defend its worth. It is possible to speak out against something you think is wrong without impinging upon freedom of speech, you know. To refresh your memory:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Freedom of speech doesn’t mean that nobody has the right to criticize your speech, or to apply social pressure to marginalize speech that is racist.
I re-read my first post and don’t quite see where I defended the ad’s worth. I just pointed out how a racially offensive image may have come about as a result of non-racially motivated decisions and incompetence. I am curious now how exactly you parsed my post.
Camille, can I just say that your posts rock? 🙂
Butterchicken/Ciscokid, I think your responses illustrate a dynamic that’s really common among white Americans when dealing with racism against African Americans– the immediate defensive ‘but I didn’t mean it that way, you’re just oversensitive!’ reaction. I think that if there are enough people who find this racist that the question has been brought up, it’s incumbent upon those who didn’t see the ad as racist the first time to take a second look and ask why so many people are offended by this ad. (And yes, I agree with Camille that if you’re familiar with images from slavery, this strikes an immediate chord.) I don’t think doing that a matter of censorship, just a sign of a genuine attempt at solidarity with African Americans, and general courtesy.
People are over-reacting.
That’s right Sarah! Preach it! Who would know better than you about the troubles of being a minority?
Oh, wait, you don’t. You are completely in the dark. It’s very easy for you as a white person to sit there and tell us how we should react, because you aren’t a brown man or woman trying to get ahead in a white world. I bet that latin american woman is not headed for middle management anytime soon, in fact I bet your respect is the only thing she got out of speaking up, and that’s not much.
I’m all for minorities taking a stand, but because we want to, not because some liberal poser white person told us we should. That’s just another form of the same type of oppression.
I’m sorry if I misread you, butter chicken. I did read it as a defense of commercial art in general, rather than this ad specifically.
So white people should sit quietly and not oppose racism? Would that be better?
Look, I’m not trying to tell anybody how to live, and if you think that I have I’m genuinely sorry. If you can tell me precisely what I said that offended you (if it’s not just that I’m white), or if others on this board have serious criticisms of what I’m saying here, I’ll listen seriously to what you have to say about it. But what makes you think I’m a liberal poser? I’m not an antiracist because I think it’s cool, I’m one because racism has had a huge impact on my life and the lives of the people I love, and because I don’t think women or sexual minorities or working class people (all of which I am) will ever be free unless we can end racism. It’s in my own self-interest to fight racism, and I’m not going to stop.
My Latina coworker, by the way, was in fact promoted to middle management, though she eventually left the company to go to law school. And as I said in that post, I would never ask or expect someone to stick their neck out in that way; that was her decision, and she thought it was worth doing.
Haha. That, I agree, is a good way to translate the ad.
Sure. I too think the picture (in itself, even without reference to its creator) is racist. Anway, just trying to make sure we’re calling it racist for the right reasons. For instance, I read a comment upthread about “what does it say about how employees are treated…”. It’s not about that. It’s more along the lines of what Areem quotes in #96. And it seemed like dude in khakis = manager was continuing as the working assumption of the thread…
I would forgive the ad-maker for coming up with a picture like that. But I wouldn’t easily forgive him/her for failing to see what impact it would have. Is this person a professional living in present-day America or has the ad-business been outsourced? I also wouldn’t forgive the company higher-ups who decided it’s OK. Were these people thinking at all? Anyway, the one redeeming point is that they withdrew it at least when they heard the outrage rather than go with some lame – “We didn’t mean it”/”We don’t find it offensive” therefore you should not.
If you can’t be civil, don’t comment.
Everyone is welcome to read, lurk and speak here. There are ways to voice disagreement or concerns which don’t involve being disrespectful.
hillside, I really think that was an unnecessary attack. Particularly because sarah is not alone in saying this was racist — how many other (brown) posters felt the same? A large enough number that your lashing out at her seems strange and unwarranted.
sarah, back atcha 🙂
butter chicken, Jack Glaserover the Goldman School does some really interesting work around metrics re: “unconscious racism” and social psychology. Harvard also has that great online test and series of papers. Let me see if I can dig up the references (although they’re both referenced in Malcolm Gladwell’s blink).
Oh, and with respect to “ideal world,” are you referencing the idea of political capital (i.e. that you can leverage public opinion in 1-2 instances, but if you do it continually you start wearing out grassroots support)? I’m just trying to understand 🙂
Alas, you did misread me.
.. and here too. My first reaction to the ad was not this-is-racist, not because I don’t believe racism does not exist in America (hey, I am brown after all), but because the technology cues overwhelmed the slave-ship cues in the half second I looked at it. I do understand, in an analytical sense, how so many are offended by the image.
hmmm? why apologize sarah? You tell me how to live, I tell you. go for it. after all, when you choose for yourself, you choose for others, to paraphrase sartre. so there’s no way out. boss away.
Sarah, have you heard of Tim Wise?
but the criteria for determining which incidents to fight against shouldn’t be whether intel intended it or not, it should be a concensus as to the severity and damage. I think online discussion & email campaigns are an appropriate response, that this kind of behavior will not go unchecked.
An all out boycott of intel? well, the intel core 2 duo is used in the new iMac. They’d have to pull a Kramer for me to even consider boycotting that.
My goodness, I can’t spell for crap.
butterchicken, no worries. It’s just different cues based on what we’re exposed to that frames how we interpret the image. 🙂
kurma, thanks! I’m with you, especially re: the favorite response these days, “Sorry if we hurt your feelings” (which is, in my opinion, a non-apology. At least Intel had the decency to issue a full apology). It doesn’t seem like it was some intentional moment of bigotry, but it was stupid.
Again, I just wanted to apologize to all if my tone comes off combative — I don’t mean it to be. I think vehement and calm (is that an oxymoron?) is what I’m going for 🙂
Fair enough, butterchicken. I saw the “but I didn’t mean it that way, you’re just oversensitive!” dynamic play out twice today in my office (no, I wasn’t involved) so maybe I just have my hackles up today!
Still trying to figure out where I bossed, though… hillside, if you’re going to attack anonymously like that, a quote or two might help. To be honest, I was afraid of precisely this reaction when I de-lurked on this site. I wasn’t sure if a white ally would be welcomed or seen as an interloper in a brown space.
Camille, that sums up nicely what I was hinting at.
regarding white privilege in the workplace. POC need to step up and grow some balls. if you think something is racist, say it. if you get fired your probably better off anyway. you can always get another job. this isn’t cuba. this economy is so dynamic there are always opportunites. illegal immigrants come here and start their own business (contracting, cutting lawns, flooring, etc) so you can too.
stop being so afraid. learn for the jews on wall st who outplayed their wasp oppressors at their own game.
HMF, I’m getting a 404 when I follow your link…
One reaction doesn’t speak for everyone. We welcome all allies or interested parties. And I’d say that no matter what color you are. I intervened after I saw his comment, because I wanted to prevent precisely this reaction in you.
sarah, don’t leave. I think hillside’s reaction was unwarranted and certainly inappropriate. And I like Tim Wise (hat-tip, HMF). And I like your commentary. Stick around 🙂
I agree that this is an enormous, up-to-here, goof, but at most it is a condemnation of the racial blindness and deafness of their marketing and ad copy guys. No small thing of course, but what really bothers me also is their stance against the civil rights class action suits. And how the hell does a corporation get involved in ballot initiatives, anyway? Would appreciate if anyone who knows more posts some background and details.
Ah. the individual idealist. It’s not that simple. A lot of people don’t have this luxury, the only recourse is somehow framing it to be bad for the companies image. Not any kind of moral requirements for erasing racism.
POC do have to do this job you speak of, they always have and always will. But this doesn’t absolve white responsibility, and the race card many whites play of ‘denial’
They also did this by slowly but surely becoming white. most of their early businesses were in black neighborhoods.
Thank you, guys! I don’t want to make this about me, but I do appreciate it and have felt welcomed by the vast majority of SM’ers. I’m not about to leave 🙂
Googled Tim Wise and found the site… thank you, HMF! This looks really good.
So, blacks should not be shown in advertisments as athletes because it is racist. And why? Because in your mind, athletes are animals. The prejudice seems to be on your side. People glorify athletes, it requires a lot of preparation and hardwork. And they earn a lot more money than the nerd standing there.
Sarah,
Please don’t let one obnoxious comment chase you away.Your perspective is always interesting and I am sure the majority here do not consider any non-brown an interloper in any way, shape or form
spot on.
Amen!
CiscoKid, the sportswriter Dave Zirin writes a lot about just this subject… how black athletes are both glorified and treated like animals at the same time, sometimes by the same people. He’s incisive and quite funny, you might enjoy checking out his archives.
Oh chachaji, do you really want to know? (I only ask b/c I’ve worked on 4 different CA ballot initiatives and could easily right a fairly cogent rant on how the California initiative process has been hijacked by wealthy and corporate elites, both historically and more recently).
CiscoKid, at this point I’m not going to continue to entertain a discussion with you if you are going to continually misquote and misrepresent what I’ve written. I do not think athletes are animals, but thanks for trying to attribute vitriolic and hateful ideas to me. That’s really mature and helpful for a constructive dialogue. [and lest that be misinterpreted, that was sarcasm]
“Googled Tim Wise and found the site… thank you, HMF! This looks really good.”
well, i did link directly to his site, to save you that effort.. but you’re welcome. In my view, he’s one of the most eloquent white anti-racists out there. There’s a great debate of his against Dinesh D’souza, where, IMO, he more or less makes mincemeat of him.
I’m just wondering if an enterprising, whistle-blowing kind of employee actually passed this ad to shine light on Intel’s class-action lawsuit regarding civil rights, knowing very well how it would play out….
chachaji, is your question about this specific incident, or corporations in general getting involved in politics? If latter, then The Corporation is a good start. Excellent movie.
sarah, no need to leave. Your comments and perspective are welcome.
becming white? do you mean like barcak obama and cory booker not being black enough? In order to be successful, we may have to drop aspects of our culture that have held us back, though these things may have become intricately linked to our culture, like say nehruvian socialism and IST. but that’s white privilege, they are allowed to adopt any behavior without their authenticity being questioned. we should demand the same privilege.
now goldman sachs and lehman were set up because jews couldn’t make partner at morgan or drexel or kidder (very telling that the last 2 are no longer around). i’m not familiar with them doing business in black neighborhoods but i know they did business with other jews to start. by becoming white, if you mean they mimicked some of the business practices of the more successful wasp firms, they yeah, they became white. nothing wrong with that, the laws of economics don’t change with ethnicity. cultural imperialism works both ways. all ideas are open to colonisation.
come one hmf, where’s the malcolm x in you.
Yes, I notice the bandwagon effect. I wonder how many people thought it was a racist attack before actually reading that you are suppose to interpret the black sprinters (forget what they are dressing) as black slaves.
Divya, Thought of your advice to “Desi boyz” way back when when I read this:
Courtship compliance: The effect of touch on women’s behavior
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/%20content~content=a778855605~db=all~jumptype=rss
i should think through these things more…geez…
Not politics in general, but specifically ballot initiatives, and this one in particular. One of the reasons ballot initiatives came along was that the traditional legislative process was thoroughly dominated by lobbyists – mostly for corporations. So I was looking for some enlightenment on how Intel, of all companies would get in on this one, and what the background to the initiative was, and how they got involved.
I like Manju’s approach best. I don’t think jewish economic success in America had much to do with becoming white, HMF. If anything, I think the order was reversed (first the economic success, then applying that economic power for social success). Consider desi americans in contrast to a variety of ethnic whites -desis are probably outperforming most of them. Same with some other groups –and yet those ethnic whites have access to whiteness privilege that some of us do not. So I think economic success and social success in America are separable.
HMF, for some reason your link went back to SM, as follows: http://www.sepiamutiny.com/www.timwise.org, which is prob why sarah had to google him 🙂
i think it takes a few generations off being rich someplace for economic success to translate into social success. implant the idea in peoples heads. these guys are f-cking rich.
He didn’t put in the “http”.
The problem is.. white privilege only exists when there’s someone else to be “privileged over”. The jews were able to turn that animosity against the “other” onto blacks and other non-whites.
http://jewishtribalreview.org/exploit.htm
no, I mean they were no longer ‘othered’ because another group assumed that role.
But that is exactly what you are doing. You are assuming that other people associate being an athlete to an animal, so that when they see a black as an athlete, then automatically think of him as an animal. That is why you said the ad is racist. If you don’t like people to attribute such ideas to you, then you should not assume others think that way. Granted, there is a small minority of people who think blacks, indians and other non-whites are inferior than whites, but I don’t think this ad will make any difference.
Next thing you know, watching NBA is also racist… because people will create this dispecable stereotype that most basketball players are black. And non-racists will look at this Intel ad, and create this stereotype that most sprinters and professional athletes are in fact black… and forget all the great white sprinters out there.