2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[Willow]

I know I'm in danger of getting all daily mail outraged but I was just appalled by Cadbury's advert http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1392182/Naomi-Campbells-outrage-racist-advert-likens-chocolate-bar.html

 

I am no fan of Naomi Campbell but I hope she does sue them. How could they not see that this is racist ? They must use focus groups before running ads - who exactly do they have in these focus groups if no one could see that this ad is racist - as well as being a rather snide personal attack

[Charlottechicken]

I haven't seen the actual ad (and I believe it has now been pulled?) just the article, but honestly thought it named her because she is, allegedly, a well known diva. Maybe, on reflection, they should have gone with Elton John

 

I see your point though, and you would think Cadbury's would have lawyers looking at things from all angles to make sure their advertising doesn't contain anything which could be misinterpreted (if of course this has been).

[Sam]

Is it just that poster at the bottom or was there an advert? If I saw it without the article I wouldn't have thought it was racist at all, just like Charlottechicken said, I thought they chose her because shes a diva

[Willow]

Assuming the ad was meant innocently yes they could have selected her because he is well known to be a diva

 

But putting her name in an ad was a bit personal surrounding it with uncut diamonds was a bit of a snide comment (much as I disapproved of her accepting uncut 'blood' diamonds it isn't something to use to advertise chocolate) and how they can not have had anyone notice the racist connotations before they ran the ads is beyond me.

[abwsco]

Can't say it struck me as racist either and thought the diamonds were just there for "bling" Didn't notice them to be honest first time of looking as I just saw the chocolate.

[HarrisonFamily]

Really cannot see anything wrong with the advert either.....

[Omletina Kyckling]

I'm with the others on this, just saw it as being a reference to her being such a diva. She's just using it to cash in and get publicity as ever IMHO.

[Lavenders_Blue]

It's only racist if you want it to be.

If someone hadn't suggested to me that this could be racist, the thought would not have crossed my mind.

It's fairly evident that 'Naomi' refers to Naomi Campbell, but it's not actually explicit.

My cynical nature is telling me she is looking for a way to get more publicity and more money

[Chucky Mama]

It's only racist if you want it to be.

I agree. Nowt wrong in my opinion. The ad doesn't liken her to a chocolate bar, it just states the new chocolate bar 'Bliss' is the new diva. There is no 'Naomi' chocolate mentioned As someone said, they should have used Elton

[WarrensWorld]

What on earth do you expect from an American company that makes 'plastic cheese'......

[beach chick]

erm, I think its a case of Naomi "the big I am" making a chocolate mountain out of a molehill.

[Henchanted]

Patricia I'm with you on this.

 

I think Cadbury-Kraft new exactly what they were doing and they have got more free publicity over this stunt than their sweaty little hands would ever pull out of their own pockets to pay for.

 

While I have no liking or regard for Naomi Campbell, I believe it is customary to ask permission from (and probably pay for the use of) celebrities in advertising campaigns.

 

Many instantly recognized this personal slur/joke on Ms Campbell. It did not take the rest of us long to catch on to the reference to her divaness nor the scandalous diamond connection, (she admitted accepting illegal/blood diamonds from the Liberian warlord Charles Taylor at his trial) So her name is used (we all know its her) without her permission and she is compared or equated to chocolate. Really witty Daft-Crakbury you must be so proud.

 

Guess what, I am white, but like anyone who went to school with black or asian kids knows that chocolate/coco drop/chocolate bar etc were (maybe still are) used as a racial taunts and even specific bars like milky way was used to insult someone of mixed heritage. These insults are not imaginary they are real and if anyone who suffered them tells you that this advert is insulting to them then who are you to argue. This not just about Ms Campbell, what if this affected your relative or friend wouldn't you be offended

 

Please do not be confused by the Milky Bar Kid, that was a character who gave out the sweets, he was not likened to the chocolate bar itself - not the same thing.

 

Kabfury-"Ooops, word censored!"t are really s"Ooops, word censored!"ing the barrel, I hope that the money they saved on advertising (now pulled) can be used to compensate the poor workforce that were duped into accepting Krafts takeover because Kraft mislead them into thinking they would keep the Keynsham plant open and then closed it only months after the takeover.

 

Shameful behaviour on both counts.

[Egluntyne]

I believe it is customary to ask permission from (and probably pay for the use of) celebrities in advertising campaigns.

If this is going to be her tack in court, she is going to have to work hard to prove that Cadbury meant her .... after all there is more than one Naomi in the world, and as there is no surname or image of her used, she may end up looking pretty daft.

[Henchanted]

I believe it is customary to ask permission from (and probably pay for the use of) celebrities in advertising campaigns.

If this is going to be her tack in court, she is going to have to work hard to prove that Cadbury meant her .... after all there is more than one Naomi in the world, and as there is no surname or image of her used, she may end up looking pretty daft.

 

List all the Naomis you know. How many of those have been in the news several times about temper tantrums and over the Liberian diamonds- war crimes affair. And how many of those are black?

 

While on the surface it is a personal insult to her it is not just her who have taken offense, therefore I do hope she sues and wins to make Daft-Crabkury pay for their cynical advertising stunt and if she has any scruples she should give the settlement/fine to a charity. But we live in hope

[Old Speckled Hen]

If this is going to be her tack in court, she is going to have to work hard to prove that Cadbury meant her .... after all there is more than one Naomi in the world, and as there is no surname or image of her used, she may end up looking pretty daft.

 

 

....a great deal of sense from our Yorkshire republican

 

Hasbeen looking for publicity.

Ms Campbell is far from lilywhite ............. sorry couldn't resist..........herself

 

PS....looking at that picture of her in the first link (those muscly legs so unbecoming in a woman) and adding in her history of aggressive behaviour, do you think she might really be a man?

[Cinnamon]

While I do see that Naomi would be insulted by the slur on her character (!) by this advert,I do not see it as racist in any way at all.

Cadbury have been ill advised to take out this campaign as it is defamatory,even though we all know she IS a diva

But racist? - I don't think so

[Henchanted]

I am white, but like anyone who went to school with black or asian kids knows that chocolate/coco drop/chocolate bar etc were (maybe still are) used as a racial taunts and even specific bars like milky way was used to insult someone of mixed heritage. These insults are not imaginary they are real and if anyone who suffered them tells you that this advert is insulting to them then who are you/we to argue.

[Cinnamon]

But the ad doesn't pertain to her being black,just to her being a diva

 

If the ad had said 'Move over Naomi,there is a new chocolate in town',that would be racist.

 

In my opinion she would be far better served to sue them for apparent deformation of character rather than a very tenuous link to skin colour/heritage.

[Old Speckled Hen]

The original post asks whether Cadbury considered the advert was racist and if it was, was it was run anyway.

Of course it's not racist but it is controversial.

Kraft (cadbury) is a very large company with considerable legal resources. I don't suppose for a minute they have organised this without proper consultation. I think it's actually very clever. The ad runs for a short time, is pulled and the chattering classes chatter for a while.....job done....yes, very clever. I quite admire it.

Oh, and even Ms Campbell gets publicity.....I wonder if she has shares in Kraft?

[Henchanted]

While it may be "clever" to get free advertising by causing a controversy over whether something is insulting, it it certainly isn't original and I for one do not admire people who rather cause offense than find a genuinely clever way of selling us something so many of us don't really need/want.

 

I find it fascinating how many people would rather deny the obviously implied rather than explicit racism than condemn those who do it.

[Old Speckled Hen]

It depends on how sensitive you are. If your sensitivities have been offended sufficiently will you buy Kraft products again?

There's the rub.

Oh, and free? Heaven's, I'm sure it's cost more than I could earn in a lifetime.

Molehills spring to mind.

[Chucky Mama]

I am white, but like anyone who went to school with black or asian kids knows that chocolate/coco drop/chocolate bar etc were (maybe still are) used as a racial taunts and even specific bars like milky way was used to insult someone of mixed heritage. These insults are not imaginary they are real and if anyone who suffered them tells you that this advert is insulting to them then who are you/we to argue.

 

I am of mixed race a took my fair share of racism at school and still do. Believe me, having a small child in the park say "your're black aren't you? - I hate black people' really isn't much fun. I actually don't find this advert racist. It is 'Naomi Cambellist' . I think that people searching for the racist angle on things sets the fight against racism back some way. By getting excited about something like this looses support and makes it look like people like me, on the sharp end of racism, look overly sensitive. My son was called aside by a teacher at school once and asked if he was offended by the books he was reading in the school reading scheme. He was flummoxed and asked why. She said there were no brown faces in the book and tried to make him feel it was an issue. He was happy with the school books yet someone wanted him to feel discriminated against. I thank those trying to fight racism on the behalf of the likes of me but I think that picking fights with the 'innocent' (yes, I know Cadbury is not really a company that I would necessary call innocent ) really doesn't help the cause.

[Old Speckled Hen]

You are so right. There is so much said about discriminatory issues by so many people who actually are not affected by them at all.

Do good?

Do no bad is better.

[Henchanted]

I did not say that all people of African decent, or otherwise, must be offended by its racial overtones, I merely pointed out (obviously not well enough) those that do should not be judged as sensitive or brushed aside with further insults about their looks or how they deserve it

 

Even if Naomi is the only other person who says it is offensive and racist, I can see her point and agree that it is in poor taste at best and intentionally offensive at worst.

 

The advertising industry has been around (and been successful) long enough to know exactly which buttons they were pushing. That is why it is a cheap trick to get maximum exposure for relatively little cost rather than spending time and money on something innovative. Cheap and nasty.

 

I do not buy Kadbury or Craft products anyway and I do not see myself as a do-gooder just someone who challenges wrongs, whatever they are. I can't help it

 

Yes Cadfurty-Krab have behaved badly (and not for the first time) and I hope they are made to pay from where it hurts, so just maybe they will think better of it next time.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Guest

[LuckyChickenLover-]

Removed.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Guest