Why are people of color included in advertising aimed at mostly white people?
1. To associate the product with a racial stereotype.
2. To give a product “color” or “flavor.”
3. To invoke ideas of “hipness,” “modernity,” “progressive” politics and other related ideas.
4. To trigger the idea of human variation itself.
And, 5., as these ads show, to make you think that the company cares about diversity and racial/ethnic equality (whether they do or not).
(found here)
Text: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” (found here)
Next up: How people of color are included, starting with “white-washing.”
Comments 15
mordicai — October 3, 2008
I'm curious what makes these advertisements aimed at white people? Do only white people buy dove soap? Or is it based on the magazines the campaign was included in? A lot of this series I've found interesting & spot on, but I've also found a lot of unsubstantiated claims which undercut the real points.
Fernando — October 3, 2008
Okay, let's be critical. So it is a bad thing to segregate in advertisement. But... it is also a bad thing not to? I'm sorry but I don't see where this is going.
Besides, the one from UCB, you should get to know more about it. They used to ran a controversial campaign with photos from Oliviero Toscani, and had a lot of advertisement talking about racial issues. I mean.. I think it is positive, it is better than most things we see there. Just because the intent is to draw attention to the brand, and of course sell more, doesn't means that it is inheretly evil, and that whatever it does is never positive.
Lazercat — October 3, 2008
I think the point this post is trying to make is that when a person of colour is included, they should be portrayed in the same way as would a white person, not just as something "exotic" or "colourful", or as an explicit reminder of racial diversity.
This is not to say that I support the idea that race doesn't exist (aka "colourblindness") - just that, when models of colour are used, they should be portrayed just as people, and not necessarily have their ethnicity played upon every time.
OP Minded — October 3, 2008
I'd imagine alot of times the thought is "this is too white, let's get someone of color in here". It's mostly done to stave off criticism. I don't think there is much more to it than that.
Fernando — October 3, 2008
Well, I don't think that in those specific examples that is the case. In fact, I can't think of many examples where they are shown as exotic. And if you are having people of different colors in a comercial, how it won't be "colorful"? In that dove ad, the women are all acting and dressing the same. I don't see how any of them is not being portrayed as a person. And if it is "colorful", what is the problem with that?
Oh, and the United Colors of Benetton example is a whole different thing. Like I said before, it was a very long campaign that touched on several different controversial issues, racism included. It wasn't with the intention of having all-race comercials, it was with the intent of discussing racism.
Fernando — October 3, 2008
By the way my comment was directed to Lazercat.
lily — October 4, 2008
Is it an american thing to assume that if someone who isn't caucasian is in an advert, that it must be for some hidden agenda? Here in the U.K people just don't think like that, it is just showing different types of beauty, not different types of skin colour
po — October 5, 2008
Lily, I guess it is a "British thing" to assume that all Americans think alike just because one blogger has her own opinion.
Sociological Images » HOW AND WHY PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE INCLUDED IN ADVERTISING: 4TH IN A SERIES — November 30, 2008
[...] up: Including people of color so as to suggest that the company is concerned with racial equality. addthis_url = [...]
e. — December 30, 2008
what strikes me about this series is that when a few "white" people are displayed they are usually of a slightly different tone and of course hair colour. the "coloured" people displayed are, as has been pointed out, usually the minority. i wonder why the diversity of different skin tones among "coloured" people isnt shown as well. i like to see all kinds of people with all kinds of skin colours.
i also thought that in most of these ads the "coloured" people look fairly light. ive seen a lot of people with much darker skin.
Sociological Images » HOW AND WHY PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE INCLUDED IN ADVERTISING: 8TH IN A SERIES — March 7, 2009
[...] Also in this series: (1) Including people of color so as to associate the product with the racial stereotype. (2) Including people of color to invoke (literally) the idea of “color” or “flavor.” (3) To suggest ideas like “hipness,” “modernity,” and “progress.” (4) To trigger the idea of human diversity. (5) To suggest that the company cares about diversity. [...]
Sociological Images » MARKETING WITH MULTICULTURALISM — March 11, 2009
[...] set of ads that associate people of color with “progress” and related ideas, this set that associates the product with racial tolerance and harmony, and, arguably, this ad for Skittles and these ads co-opting Obama’s [...]
HOW AND WHY PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE INCLUDED IN ADVERTISING: 7TH IN A SERIES » Sociological Images — March 25, 2010
[...] Also in this series: (1) Including people of color so as to associate the product with the racial stereotype. (2) Including people of color to invoke (literally) the idea of “color” or “flavor.” (3) To suggest ideas like “hipness,” “modernity,” and “progress.” (4) To trigger the idea of human diversity. (5) To suggest that the company cares about diversity. [...]
ZOMG GMOZ — August 19, 2016
"PEOPLE OF COLOR"??!?!!?!?!?!!?!?
ALL I SEE IS BROWN, BROWNER AND BROWNEST.