VW Superbowl Ad

[Gregg]

Its that time of year again.... I caught a blip on the Today show this morning. They were interviewing a woman who was up in arms about how racist a new VW ad is. I didn't see the ad until later when I found it here. Even more curious (or maybe not) is that the woman who was complaining was a middle aged white woman. I thought the ad was cute and happy and fun. I see nothing in it that is even remotely racist. Am I missing something? I also voted in the poll on the Today site and as of that time only 7% thought it was offensive and 93% didn't. Some people just need to get a life.

[Alan]

I love that ad although I must confess that my wife drives that very car, although in black. It's a six speed turbo with a porsche like feel and when I drive it, I get happy mon.

[catherine]

I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing it. Makes me want to buy another VW Beetle! (we just sold the 2000 Beetle my daughter had since college--she had a hard time letting it go. Hope she doesn't watch the SuperBowl!)

[JaneV2.0]

Inoffensive but dopey, IMO. I wanted a red beetle years ago, and that one is very appealing.

[ToomuchStuff]

Uhm, racist?

I am not sure I understand how this is racist? I would ask, the woman that called this racist, isn't it racist to judge how someone talks?

Personally, I think this is a long way to go, to get to the drug induced hippie culture that grew up with the bug (although my family is from the baby boomer, to prebaby boomer generation and WWII generation that had them).

And I have a 71 Super and don't do drugs. (alcohol is a drug)

[redfox]

It's racist because it stereotypes & mocks Jamaicans, with a white perception of Jamaican culture. I found it obnoxiously racist.

[iris lily]

I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing it. Makes me want to buy another VW Beetle! (we just sold the 2000 Beetle my daughter had since college--she had a hard time letting it go. Hope she doesn't watch the SuperBowl!)

gosh well I guess that you are racist. Living in the epicenter of race politics as I do, I say: ok. whatever.

And I walk away from it. It's a waste of my time to debate anything in this arena.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Inoffensive but dopey, IMO.

+1

[Gregg]

It's racist because it stereotypes & mocks Jamaicans, with a white perception of Jamaican culture. I found it obnoxiously racist.

I just didn't get that out of the commercial redfox, but would like to understand why it strikes you that way. The only person I kind of know around here that is from Jamaica (she owns a place where I eat lunch fairly often) thought the ad was funny. I've been to Jamaica several times and have a really hard time picturing any of the people we've come to know being upset by this ad. It'd be kind of like rednecks being upset with Jeff Foxworthy. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so they say. I certainly see imitation in the ad, that's kind of the point, but I just don't see mocking which, to me, is imitation with some kind of negative intent. If that ad promotes a stereotype at all I suppose it would be the 'don't worry, be happy' version of island life. I don't know about anyone else, but DW and I are always looking forward to the next trip to the Caribbean for the specific reason of that attitude being so prevalent down there. If not for that we'd just go to Florida.

[catherine]

gosh well I guess that you are racist. Living in the epicenter of race politics as I do, I say: ok. whatever.

And I walk away from it. It's a waste of my time to debate anything in this arena.

Do I believe that I am inherently better than some groups of people because of my race? No, I do not. Not at all.

Do I believe that we all bring unique cultural differences to the human table for each of us to appreciate and learn from? Yes, I do. If that makes a racist, so be it.