"Respec, boss man" - VW and Stereotypes

The recent VW Superbowl commercial is one of the most racially controversial commercials in recent memory. The highly visible commercial has been heralded by Jamaica as a boost to their tourism industry.

But is this positive or negative stereotyping. Is it racially ethical? Is it wrong to promote someone else's culture through stereotypes? If so is it wrong to promote one's own culture through stereotypes? The actor in this ad, Erik Nicolaisen, attempted to downplay the controversy:

"I am an actor, I was hired two days before this commercial was made. It was written long before. I am just an actor, I was just out there representing an accent that I can do. As for the controversy, I am not in a position to affirm or deny how it makes people feel. Race is an issue, but racism is a part of American history and you can't discount it... But personally, from my end, as a fan of reggae music and Jamaican culture and also international reggae culture, I am familiar with people of all different cultures and origins, speaking in patois or singing reggae music."

We can all agree that negative stereotyping is bad and has no place in modern society. I think the issue with positive stereotyping in advertisements is that although the actors or company might say they are trying to positively portray a culture or lifestyle BUT they are ultimately selling a product. VW and all advertisers have an ethical responsibility to make their advertising inclusive and to not promote negative societal aspects like racism. Advertisers are trendsetters and tastemakers and need to be ethically conscience to what they are promoting. One opinion is that this ad wouldn't make sense to a society that doesn't have the preconceived stereotypical context that tells us all Jamaicans talk like that, that VW has the right to free speech and therefore has no ethical responsibilities. Does VW have the right to play off racial stereotypes in their ad? Yes. Is society to blame for having the stereotypical context? Yes partially. But advertisers are to blame for the perpetuation of these stereotypes from generation to generation. This is their ethical responsibility just as it is our ethical responsibility as a society to speak out against racism and stereotype in the aspects we have control over: our workplace, our children, our friends. Advertisers have to be conscience about their impact and the areas they have control and attempt to be ethical in their decisions.

Big Bowl of Brand Flakes

Me

I think what frustrates most people about brands and being anti-brand is that there is a certain level of hypocrisy in everyone. Take clothing for example. I personally try to avoid brand name clothing, however that doesn't mean that I completely avoid brands in other aspects of my life. My personal clothing preference is to buy cheap comfortable essentials (plain t-shirts and sweatshirts usually from "cheap" stores or wholesalers). My closet also includes many shirts made by local artists and anything Sharks, Giants, or Niners.  For me individuality is an important quality. That's why I tend to avoid fashion trends and anything "swag",  "in", or "hip".

Judgement and Stereotypes

Whether you like it or not people judge you based on your appearance, on the brands you are wearing, the kind of car you drive, the way you carry yourself. That's why it is important to study, understand, manage, and embrace the stereotypes that are associated with you. Brands are reliant on stereotypes, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, stereotypes exist to help define us in good ways too. We can use stereotypes to our advantage to create a interesting and individual narrative to help advertise yourself.

DJ attire:
 
Hipster Fashion:
 
Anglophile dress code:

Lumberjack uniform:
   
And finally....me.

An Experiment

In one afternoon write down every brand name you consume or use. Whether it is the GQ magazine on your table, the Coke your drinking or the Xbox your playing. Then next to it write down the first word that comes to mind when you think of that brand.
Mine looks like this:
Coke can - Thirsty
GQ Magazine - Men's Fashion (Beyonce was a close 2nd)
Xbox - Bored
MacBook - Work
Honda - Drive
Apple earphones - Sound
etc.

Now imagine you are wearing a suit with all those brands on it, like this guy:

When I realized that there were cheaper alternatives to get my thirst/fashion/boredom/sound/working/driving fix, I truly understood the amazing power of brands. The majority of these brands I only consumed because of the lifestyle and ideals associated with their advertising campaigns.

The most egregious yet understandable of these illogical choices is my recent purchase of a new MacBook.
Reasons for purchase: Designer, Ease of use, Rebellious
Cost: $1,800
Hell there is a Samsung laptop for only 1/3 the cost with almost the exact specs. And yet Apple has done a great job of marketing so I believe Apple products are more reliable, powerful, and cool and I'm willing to pay for that belief.