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In this post-racial America, the Obama effect extends everywhere, and the world of TV commercials is no different. While I love seeing black families included in ads, this one admittedly rubs me the wrong way. I can’t exactly say why though.
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Just don’t know how to feel about this one. What do ya’ll think?
Question: Is this commercial racist for objectifying the black woman, or is it actually sorta refreshing to see a black woman (albeit not a real one) the object of desire?
Is the new Old Navy commercial racist? [DailyVoice]
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
So funny that you post this, I’m actually doing research now on blacks in advertisements. The commercial is racist, but I guess we should be grateful that 1. there is a black man in the scene with her and 2. they’re actually married. A step forward and a step back in 30 seconds.
AH! Someone beat me to this!
I thought I was the only one who felt that internal sting of offense when I saw this commercial. I thought it was extremely tasteless and pointless.
i saw this commercial and then began to twit (because I twitt about EVERYTHING) about how RETARDED it was. I mean, dang, why does a mannequin have to be naked, let alone the black one? people kill me….
This commercial is a hottttt mess. When I saw it a few weeks ago, I was so confused because I didn’t see a point, I’m not sure how they could have done the commercial differently. If the white woman would’ve been naked and the white man would’ve told the black man to stop looking at his wife, then that would probably have been a problem too. So i dunno. Maybe no one should have been naked and Old Navy should just stick to their cheesy performance fleece commercials. This one is tasteless.
I felt this commercial was definitely racist. This Black mannequin had her dress violently snatched off in front of her child and other people; which, i felt was a form of violation. In addition, Her husband was showed as not being able to protect her, via was not able to shield her because his fingers would not close. Its a dirty (mind) game they playing.
RACIST!!!! I’m disgusted!
OK, maybe they shouldn’t have snatched it off but……they were just trying to make a statement as to how the dressed won’t last because there “nice”!!!! Maybe it should have been done a different way but as far as being “racist” I just don’t see it!!!!
Are you kidding me? People are so PATHETIC these days! It sickens me at how PC America and the rest of the world has become, it is people like the you that actively hunt and honestly TRY to make almost anything have a racial tone. If if happened to one of the white mannequins, or the black man, then you could also say it was racist. Basically, any way they could have gone you would have called the race card, there is no way out when compared to your ridiculous logic.
@Anonymous, Anonymous will probably never see this, but…
One: Would it be racist to whites if it were a white mannequin’s clothes *forcefully snatched from her body* with a black male onlooker saying, “Sweet!”?
Two: What was “politically correct” about a commercial where a black woman (represented by a mannequin) has her clothing *forcefully snatched from her body* in a public department store, exposing her whole body to not only the public, but a voice from the background (that happens to be white) crying “Sweet!”? And let’s pay mind to the husband of the black mannequin who said, “Hey, keep your eyes off of my *WIFE*”, and the response of the white mannequin who said, “I can’t, your fingers don’t close”.
Sure, some people don’t think this commercial is racist, but there are multitudes of African-Americans who still feel offended by being misrepresented by tactless media outlets INCLUDING music videos. Just because it doesn’t offend Anonymous over here, doesn’t mean that it should not offend another person.
I don’t know about racist… but DEFINITELY tasteless. Why is it necessary for her to get her clothes snatched off of her in front of mixed company? Company that includes her child and other children?
OLD NAVY, you need to SAT DOWN and think about your life space for that one.
Clearly Racist, black women, sex object, white writers, old navy…they wouldn’t dare give even the thought of a naked white person in an old navy commercial
This was one of the first commercials that launched and introduced the “supermodelquins” I actually work for Old Navy, and I did find this particular commercial a little risque. But In the whole scheme, the Married couple is AA, and defies the stereotype that AA’s cant have a stable family. Racist, no… Tasteless, Yes.
I would just like to that having worked in retail, especially dressing mannequins, I thought this commercial was hilarious. I used to deal with people ripping clothes off the mannequins like all the time. And YES they would snatch them off and leave the mannequins naked.
I would Also like to point out that it is the smart black boy who sets the dumb white girl straight with the math.
Yeah you being offended makes some sense. If everyone is in a public place with clothes on, why the world is she is in a public place naked?
As for the race card being supposedly thrown by blacks, the race card was thrown by whites creating or green lighting this mess in the first place? So there. If the situation was reverse with a black man pulling off the dress of white woman, would you still be spewing the drivel of people being too politically correct? Seriously, dare to be honest! But even with this being just mannequins and even excusing the racial angle, what important well meaning point is being made snatching off the dress of a woman in public period? Do feel free to riddle me that!
Please.
If it were filmed reversed (a black male mannequin gawking at an unclad while female mannequin), the race card would still be played by those who feel “wronged”. If it were all black or all white, *everyone* of the left-out race would complain about the lack of mix. Everyone just needs to get over themselves. Not everything is racist, but everyone wants to make it seem that way.
Bloody conceited idiots.
…and how many African Americans are going to boycott Old Navy because of this commercial? Probably not enough to make a drastic impact on their sales figures.
Mainstream has been promoting false, objectifying images of Black women for years. This is just another example and someone has pointed it out.