Dunkin’ Donuts Ad in Thailand Causes Uproar
However, at least in the campaign’s intended market, the ad appears to be a smash hit. Nadim Salhani, CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts Thailand told the AP that donut sales have gone up 50% since the ad launched — an increase he credits to interest in the company’s new marketing. The CEO was also unapologetic, insisting that criticism of the ad was merely ”paranoid American thinking. ”I’m sorry,” said Salhani, “but this is a marketing campaign, and it’s working very well for us.”
“Charcoal Donut” is certainly not the first Thai ad to be called racist. The country has been home to a brand of mops called “Black Man,” featuring the titular character in a tuxedo as its logo. Another Thai product — a skin whitening cream — advertises that lighter skinned people are more attractive to employers, and a black herbal toothpaste maker has run television commercials with the tagline “Appearance can be deceiving.” Another ad by the same company stated, “It’s black, but it’s good.”
The cultural insensitivity extends even beyond race. In July, students at Chulalongkorn University apologized for a banner that placed Adolf Hitler in between superheroes like Batman and Captain America. The schools dean removed the banner, explaining that ”Hitler was supposed to serve as a conceptual paradox to the superheroes.” Hitler was also prominently featured on a billboard for one of the nation’s wax museums.
Despite these examples, Human Rights Watch reports that offensive advertising in Thailand is in a gradual decline. As Robertson told the Los Angeles Times, this donut ad is a relic of an earlier era. The broad trend has been to move away from this kind of racist type advertising,” explained Robertson. “Unfortunately, this advertisement seems to be a bit of a throwback.”
Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/08/31/dunkin-donuts-ad-causes-uproar-in-thailand/#ixzz2dfshqVlL