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Kids in blackface? What could go wrong? It’s hard to know where to even begin with these German UNICEF ads. Let’s start with the most basic question: What in the Schadenfreude were they thinking? Little white kids in blackface? Blackface made of mud?  This campaign was meant to raise support for schools in Africa, but even that part of the message is mangled by lines that sound like they’re condemning an entire continent: “In Africa, kids don’t come to school late, but not at all.” (You can see four executions over on Radar.) The campaign’s apparently been pulled after international criticism, although UNICEF notes that there was no “negative reaction from the German public after publication.” Well grand! Good to hear Germany’s finally overcome its touchy history with race relations. I just wish I could have seen the lines that didn’t make it into this campaign. I bet they had winners like: “Here, I hurl spitballs at girls. In Africa, kids hurl spears at lions.” —Posted by David Griner

August 17, 2007 in Griner | Permalink

Comments

Nothing says "quality creative" quite like condescension and being completely oblivious to 100 years of cultural implications, eh?

Your title sort of sums up the utter cluelessness nicely, I think.

Posted by: K. Beckham-French | Aug 17, 2007 10:22:46 AM

In the Netherlands, there are kids in black face every year for Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas day). As far as they're concerned, there's not a thing wrong with it!

Posted by: C. Taylor | Aug 17, 2007 11:32:58 AM

Well, I grew up in Germany and as I child I remember buying/ getting "Mohrenkuesse" or "Negerkuesse" (Negrokisses) a marshmellow snack inside a thin layer of chocolate. They actually had that name on the box and it took a few years before the various brands changed it to names like Schokokuesse (chocolate kisses).
Funny thing is, one of the brands I believe was Dickmann (Fatman).

Posted by: Herbert | Aug 17, 2007 1:07:27 PM

perhaps you guys want to realise that not everyone is as "culturally uptight" as you pathetic americans, and therefore A) black face is not seen as offensive, B) bring up "race relations" and Germany is just as bad, assuming a country has not progressed in 50 odd years...my word...your nation is stupid

Posted by: americansdoh | Aug 20, 2007 4:30:55 AM

So once again the Thought Police destroys an ad, depressing.

"[perhaps you guys want to realise that not everyone is as "culturally uptight" as you pathetic american"

---First of all, most Americans are not PC, it's a very loud vocal minority in the newspapers, TV stations and in the corporate world that is PC. It's the stupid lawyers with their endless lawsuit, and it's the cowardly masses that don't stand up to the pressures to be PC.

And before you start praising Europe, at least in America we don't put people in jail for denying the holocaust, or persecute groups we don't like. So don't call us patethic, unlike the brits, we don't have an Advertising Authority that can shut down our ads if they offend a few people.

America is a great country, and even if a PC newspaper won't publish your ad, there's always another publication willing to do it. If clients had more balls, they would seek controversy instead of trying to avoid it.

Posted by: Bobby | Aug 20, 2007 10:31:56 AM

americandoh:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/08/after_11000_mil.html

Posted by: Bad Aibling | Aug 20, 2007 4:05:40 PM

Good God, Bobby. Again? What is up with your redneck, racist, rants today? Did you just lose your job and get divorced? It seems you are looking for a bogeyman in your life to blame your wasted life on. Get a grip. PC means nothing. PC is your bogeyman. Dropping the PC is bad line, just gives you an excuse to showcase your ignorance. (Psst. Look out, there's a liberal/PC/Democrat/minority/lesbian, sneaking in your back door to beat you to death with the Sunday New York Times.

Posted by: Fortyver | Aug 21, 2007 10:53:19 AM

Aw Fortyver, I guess any opinion that isn't a progressive opinion must be a racist or redneck opinion.

Would you mind trying to debate the issues I raise or is that too hard for you?

You want an example of PC? Here it is.

"Following the death of a man who was allegedly attacked by a group of drunken teenagers, government ministers signaled a clampdown, including an investigation into whether alcoholic drinks are too cheap in Britain."

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200708/CUL20070821a.html

Go ahead, justify that. Tell me that the teenagers are not responsible and alcohol taxes must be raised. THAT'S how a liberal thinks. And if you can't debate that, you can't debate shit. You're just another stoner in the ad biz.

Think about that the next time you call me a redneck or a racist. And for the record, I've dated blacks, asians and arabs? So who's the fucking racist?

Posted by: Bobby | Aug 22, 2007 2:26:12 PM

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