Will You Buy Into Stereotypes?

          As advertisers whose ads and commercials have potential to be widely viewed by the public of people of many diversities and backgrounds, I believe advertisers hold a unique responsibility when carrying out their ideas daily in their jobs. They hold ethical responsibilities when creating ads because while it is good to strongly promote an idea, this can and should be done without the cheap need of playing off of stereotypes. By ethically baring in mind that the audience can be offended from their advertisements, advertisers and companies not only will avoid major conflict and uproar, but they will also gain respect for creatively advertising without the use of stereotypes. While I admit some commercials that do play off strong stereotypes (such as Asians associated with being tech-savvy) can be entertaining and sometimes funny, they still have the potential for offending some. Yes, the media can’t shield individuals from every type of stereotyping or offensive remark, but that does not mean advertisers should reinforce it either.

            Unfortunately, racism in advertising is certainly not a thing of the past, because it still currently exists in commercials today. An example is a Verizon commercial below that plays on the tech expert being the stereotypical Asian who is wise in technology in comparison to the clueless Caucasian teenager.

            This commercial reinforces the racial stereotype that Asians are the wisest and have expertise in technology in comparison to others. I personally have never seen a commercial or ad with a clueless Asian buying a device or seeking technology advice from another race. Although this stereotype of Asians being tech-savvy isn’t necessarily a negative one, it can put unnecessary pressure on Asians to be highly sufficient in technology.

            Another advertisement that I found was a Chicago-Lake Liquor ad that used the racial stereotype of African Americans as hip hop gangsters. This commercial had Caucasian people acting out this stereotype by using slang, wearing grills, and doing fist pumps.

            While this commercial does have a humorous side to it since the people look pretty funny acting out this ridiculously over the top stereotype, it still is a stereotype nonetheless. I strongly believe that advertisers could have created a different idea to promote their product versus this approach that honestly doesn’t have strong connection to their own product. Why not promote the product more strongly instead of the poor stereotype? With our world becoming more diverse, it is shocking that advertising companies are still able to publicize these types of commercials and they are accepted and watched by the viewers.