Malaysian bank ad offends with goofy Filipina maid stereotype

Oddly, South China Post is calling this an example of "blackface":



Nonetheless, it is pretty racist. In a comedy bit that would be at home in the west in the 1960s, the unnamed Chinese actor plays both himself and his bumbling Filipina maid. It's an ad promoting advertisement "domestic helper insurance" from Malaysia’s Hong Leong Bank.

The ad, which ran in Hong Kong, was harshly criticized by advocates for migrant domestic workers:

“You are making comedy out of someone, out of a community,” said Eni Lestari, spokeswoman for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body. “For [Hongkongers] it’s funny, but what they don’t realise is what’s funny is actually racist.”

The bank, in turn, issued the standard non-apology:

“We regret that our recent advertisement … resulted in comments about the advertisement being racist,” said spokeswoman Norlina Yunus. “At no time did Hong Leong … intend to offend any person or be to any extent discriminatory on grounds of race, sex or otherwise.” 

No, maybe they didn't "intend" to, but insensitivity is not always an intentional offence. That said, it wouldn't hurt to say, "We are sorry for being so insensitive to the dignity of Filipinos, as well as to domestic workers of any ethnicity. We are taking steps to ensure that all of our advertising is more carefully reviewed against our corporate values, and a gesture we are contributing X to a fund to help make this right."

Black is evil, white is good in Malaysian whiteout ads

"Black and White Dualism" is well-established in the West, as well, but you would be unlikely to see these ads in the more multicultural parts. 

If we lived in a world without racism (or rather, ignorant of it) we could look at this as simply the product whiting out mistakes made in black ink. But since we don't live in that world, these portrayals by TBWA, Kuala Lumpur, are an irresponsible reinforcement of the myth of human colour and "goodness".

Source: Ads Of The World

The most honest ad you may read today

It's a job posting for "female escorts" that appeared on a Malaysian government job site managed by the Department of Works and Pensions, according to the Chronicle.

The Copywriter may not be great at English, but he or she is pretty clear about the job requirements: "go out with guys maybe for an evening or have full on sex."

Prostitution is not technically illegal in Malaysia, but soliciting sex is. After automatically posting, the ad was deemed "inappropriate" by government authorities, and promptly removed from the site.

A man speaking for the advertised company told press, "I put the advert up there because it’s a job site and it’s a job. I was a bit shocked they allowed it."

According to this source, Malaysia has one of the world's highest percentages of sex-workers, with 52 people per 10,000 in the trade. Many are trafficked foreigners, however, and the United States "Trafficking in Persons" program has the country on a watch list for human rights violations.                                                      

Do these weird SPCA ads send the wrong message?

These Malaysian SPCA ads by M&C Saatchi are easy enough to understand: Pets are more fun than toys.

But should the SPCA be pushing pet adoption in this way? Dogs and cats are not at all like the toys in these ads; they're a long-term commitment that can't be tossed aside like a gumball machine trinket.

Tip via Ads of The World.

Woman bites into something that oozes goo, gets a marriage proposal

No, really. That's what happens:



Found on Eater, this is an ad for Pizza Hut Malaysia's "Super Pan Pizza."

Eater also reports that the pizza's toppings include chicken chunks, chicken loaf, caramelized pineapples and peppers, two different sauces, cheese and something called "Garlic Napoli."

F'd Ad Fridays: Racism, homophobia and dirty old men... sell cookies?

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