This Snapple Ad Pitting An Asian Man vs. A Black Man In A Battle For Superiority While Two White Men Watch Makes Me VERY Uncomfortable
Okay. So lemme get this straight.
The yellow man is (yellow) lemonade, and the black man is (black) tea.
They disagree on which one is superior.
So they duke it out while two white men look on approvingly as spectators?
Is this Snapple ad promoting tea or a race war? Seriously, I can’t tell.
[via Feminist Philosophers]
Thanks, Sara and BB for your thoughts!
Filed under: Advertising, Badvertising, Ice Tea, Iced Tea, Pitting Minorities Against One Another, Questionable Ads, Race Wars, Snapple, Snapple Iced Tea, Snapple Tea, WTF?
the producers probably thought they were being good guys (or gals) by including actors of Asian, African and Honkian backgrounds. however they didn’t think it through, and they definitely are not readers of disgrasian.com, or they would have known that you’d be waiting in the wings with a shillelagh.
Thank you. I’m glad it wasn’t just me. Two white guys enjoying the product as two minorities battle each other?
Probably not intentional, but lord…
Also, did you catch how the Asian man’s love of lemon had him in all yellow battling against the tea-loving black man dressed all in brown?
Yellow Ranger = Asian, Black Ranger = Black, and Pink Ranger = Girly Girl all over again.
The only way it could’ve been worse: if they had them compete on a basketball court.
Meh. I know I’m a white guy and the enemy here, but I think this might be pushing it a bit. They’re all recurring characters from the other Snapple Commercials. I mean, I guess its a bad sign that I know the commercials that well, but photographic memory is like that.
Anywho. I can see where the argument has a legit angle, but it might be digging too much into it.
Okay, I’ll got hang my head in shame now….
As a quick follow-up, that Asian dude is in a TON of commercials. I hope he eventually gets into other stuff, seems he’s pretty awesome in the commercials he’s been in (i.e. Rocking out to Kansas in that old Geico Commercial).
Okay, white guy out.
@aptkane You’re not “the enemy.” That’s absurd and you know it. This isn’t a white-bashing blog and never has been.
The first time I saw this commercial, I really didn’t see anything wrong with it. But there are a lot of weird racial overtones, undertones?, to it. They feel unplanned, accidental, not thought out. But if you step it out, they’re there.
I know Jen, I was kinda kidding about that “enemy” comment. I guess it sounded funnier in my head
Good point. Of course, who really drinks Snapple anyway, right? Lol. Kidding. *sigh*.
It’s all good. But who does really drink Snapple anyway???
Being the hip and liberal Hollywood-esque beverage faction that they are, I’m surprised they didn’t do the Asian guy+Black dude gay couple to mix-it-up the yellow lemonade+black tea flavors.
I agree, this commercial has a weird feel to it. None of its feels intentional, but still SOMEONE should have seen that during production.
I don’t know. I don’t think advertising agencies leave a lot to chance. I just can’t imagine that the fact that it’s only white males watching the from on high as the people of color duke it out in the pit below is just an unintentional coincidence.
I actually like Snapple drinks. I think I switched channels as soon as the commerical came on though. You see, I hate commercials. ANYWAYS, I’ve noticed thattons more ads anfdcommercials that use Asians now, especially in the college emails I get.
Wait…..what? I drink Snapple.
I’ve worked in the entertainment industry. I have also had exposure to the upper echelon. I can say with confidence – this was done on purpose.
It’s not just race. Some commercials actually even make fun of the demographic they are selling to. Can’t remember specific examples but I have seen it happen. You would think that Producers and Studio execs would be more liberal minded. Naaahhh, they all play golf at the same club man.
Read about Teddy Roosevelt. You’ll see what I mean.