Dunkin' Donuts Thailand under fire for 'racist' ad campaign

[p_brownstone]

To Quote from Mr. Robertsons' Page on http://www.hrw.org/bios/phil-robertson

Prior to joining Human Rights Watch in 2009, he worked for more than a decade in Southeast Asia on human rights, labor rights, protection of migrant workers, and counter-human trafficking efforts with a variety of non-governmental organizations, international and regional trade union federations, and UN agencies. As program manager of the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP), he oversaw the successful negotiation of the first regional inter-governmental agreement on human trafficking in the greater Mekong sub-region. Prior to UNIAP, he led the Mainland Southeast Asia office of the AFL-CIO's Solidarity Center, working on trade union rights, democratic political reform, and rights of migrant workers, focusing primarily on Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand. A 1997 graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, he is fluent in Thai and Lao.

In other words a total "fluff" cv - no evidence at all of any significant contribution, only meaningless, verbose nonsense; just another NGO parasite looking for an issue to justify his continued stay here without to need to actually provide a solution.

Patrick

To add:

Lets not forget this chaps puerile Hashtag "#reaproy" - meaning "polite" or "respectful" in Thai.

Patrick

Edited August 31, 2013 by p_brownstone

[lomatopo]

I think it's only a matter of time before a local donut shop opens up:

Der Fuhrer's Donuts

Today's special: Black Forest with Bavarian Cream. You vill like it or else.

Order a 'Seig Heil Half-Dozen' (five donuts) with the secret signal, and get an extra donut.

No charcoal donuts available, ever.

Edited August 31, 2013 by lomatopo

[Jingthing]

I think it's only a matter of time before a local donut shop opens up:

Der Fuhrer's Donuts

Today's special: Black Forest with Bavarian Cream. You vill like it or else.

Order a 'Seig Heil Half-Dozen' (five donuts) with the secret signal, and get an extra donut.

No charcoal donuts available, ever.

Good idea.

And on the drinks menu ... no JUICE!

[ratcatcher]

<p>Dunkin' Donuts apologises for 'bizarre and racist' Thai advertPoster to promote new 'charcoal donut' featured Thailand chief executive's daughter in 'blackface"

Why is this so offensive.other than its not really that great of an advert, IMO.

As the resident African chief, I endorse that advert.

They should have used a real Nubian queen.

Good for you, MR.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, they used to sell delicious Robertsons Golliberry Jam in a little place called England.

And while people were eating their bread and Black berry jam, they'd be watching the Black and White Minstrel Show featuring a cast of white people pretending to be happy darkies from the "Old South".

Sometimes, people in business in this country are unaware that some things are now considered not acceptable, but as others have posted, there are thousands of Thai women waking up every day wondering if they can get their armpits even whiter. Sad really, when the majority of Thais have beautiful golden tan skin..

[mikemac]

If this black skin fashion trend takes off, does that mean the dirty old guy who sells the charcoal in our local market will become an overnight millionaire ?

[chooka]

This over reaction by The New York-based Human Rights Watch has even made the media in Australia.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/08/31/14/58/dunkin-donuts-apologises-for-blackface-ad

[Jingthing]

This over reaction by The New York-based Human Rights Watch has even made the media in Australia.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/08/31/14/58/dunkin-donuts-apologises-for-blackface-ad

They should be careful and save their complaints for stuff that is really WORTHY of complaining about.

[surangw]

free advertising for thai dunkin"

[thrilled]

Any black people that are offended, then quit going there. I doubt DD will see A decrease in business. I like the company.And every city/ town needs at least 1.

[Jingthing]

Nobody should eat donuts anywhere anyway except for cops. Total junk food. Sorry. Someone had to say it.

[Torrens54]

Okay, so Phil Robertson, self appointed member of the Asian Branch of the "Thought Police" has struck again.

What a load of brown-muck he has come up with this time. Anyway, the ad looks great to me and despite my Cholesterol, it has inspired me to go and Dunk a Doughnut/Donut (whichever way you want to spell it) just to show this half baked "Guardian of Asia's Morals" that his grizzles are unfounded and that he ought to go and get a real job.

I assume of course, that someone even more dipsy than he is, is paying him to be a lingering pain in our collective posterior. Maybe he could get a job Punching Holes in Donuts?

[Familyonthemove]

I really don't see the racist connection - chocolate is dark brown - end of story. What about the Lynx chocolate deoderant ad with the chocolate guy?

But I now have an urge to cover a girl in choclate and lick it off.

[JepSoDii]

<p>

Dunkin' Donuts apologises for 'bizarre and racist' Thai advert

Poster to promote new 'charcoal donut' featured Thailand chief executive's daughter in 'blackface"

Why is this so offensive.

other than its not really that great of an advert, IMO.

Might be the campaign slogan I suppose, racist implication being that something black usually cannot be delicious/desirable. Could be wrong though.

Well you are both wrong an right, but simply because the most offense taken is due to the fact that blackface is always considered racist in the west . . . no matter what. No discussion allowed. LOL. But of course you're also right about black not being desirable only adds to the racism.

[Trouble]

Sorry, I see nothing racist about it. If they had a pink donut and her face was pink with black lips would anyone think anything about it? I think Human Rights Watch has too much time on their hands if this is the best they can do.

[ChiangMai101]

Brown rice anyone?

[YeaBiGgiEs]

Really? Is this where Thailand is heading, just like the USA where people are now becoming offended over just about anything. What about those black monkey stuffed animals with the humungous red lips that were out some years ago.

Really the only reason it could be considered racial is because of the political boundaries that have been established by governments around the world which separates us from one another otherwise we all truly would be living together amongst each other.

[Jingthing]

I think the root of this silly complaint is that this junk food company is a famous AMERICAN brand and no, such an ad would never be run in the USA today, but it really doesn't carry the same meanings in Thailand.

[noitom]

For starters, pretty much EVERY culture/race is racist to some degree, INCLUDING those that like to scream RACIST the most at every opportunity.

And as MOST of you should already know, "white skin" in SEA is NOT so much of a racist matter as it is a SOCIAL CLASS matter. The "whiter" your skin, the higher up on the "social status" scale you may be. This dates back to ancient history long before "white men" ever came to Asia.

And as MOST of you should already know as well, in Thailand when 2 people meet for the first time, the "whiteness" of the skin (as well as attire, make-up, jewelry, etc) help determine who is "higher" on that social scale and who should be wai-ing first and lowest. That is the reason so many Thais (primarily women it seems) are so keen on having "white" skin, so that they can appear to be of a higher social status than they really are.

Dunkin Donuts biggest mistake perhaps was not marketing a white chocolate donut with a model done up in "white" face. Want to bet that if they did that you would not hear ONE SINGLE CLAIM of racism from ANYONE ?

But we all know that the Koreans, Japanese and Thais are all as racists as they come.

[teatree]

Using the same logic clowns are racist as their faces are paintes white.

[2unique]

Any black people that are offended, then quit going there. I doubt DD will see A decrease in business. I like the company.And every city/ town needs at least 1.

Don't be racist, white, brown and artificially lightened folk should be allowed to boycott DD also.

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[2unique]

The girl is cute even in black

Even?

You know that can be read as "despite being black" which I know wasn't your intention however not only are them PC police everywhere you should be aware of the following little known fact*

Black people find everything racist sad to say.

For the record i wanted to try one when i saw the ad but then again i laughed lots throughout Blazing Saddles and generally find myself too busy to find racism in every little thing.

*for fact see asinine sweeping generalisation

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[simonuk]

Pathetic, really pathetic.

Im all for coming down hard on racism where it exists but this is really stretching it.

[simonuk]

For starters, pretty much EVERY culture/race is racist to some degree, INCLUDING those that like to scream RACIST the most at every opportunity.

And as MOST of you should already know, "white skin" in SEA is NOT so much of a racist matter as it is a SOCIAL CLASS matter. The "whiter" your skin, the higher up on the "social status" scale you may be. This dates back to ancient history long before "white men" ever came to Asia.

And as MOST of you should already know as well, in Thailand when 2 people meet for the first time, the "whiteness" of the skin (as well as attire, make-up, jewelry, etc) help determine who is "higher" on that social scale and who should be wai-ing first and lowest. That is the reason so many Thais (primarily women it seems) are so keen on having "white" skin, so that they can appear to be of a higher social status than they really are.

Dunkin Donuts biggest mistake perhaps was not marketing a white chocolate donut with a model done up in "white" face. Want to bet that if they did that you would not hear ONE SINGLE CLAIM of racism from ANYONE ?

But we all know that the Koreans, Japanese and Thais are all as racists as they come.

Are they ?

Really? have you asked them all yourself ?

[Briandajew]

Dunkin' Donuts apologises for 'bizarre and racist' Thai advert

Poster to promote new 'charcoal donut' featured Thailand chief executive's daughter in 'blackface"

Why is this so offensive.

other than its not really that great of an advert, IMO.

Exactly - you will probably find that the people who complained from "Liberal Los Angeles" were some fat ugly white lesbians!

[2unique]

<p>

Dunkin' Donuts apologises for 'bizarre and racist' Thai advert

Poster to promote new 'charcoal donut' featured Thailand chief executive's daughter in 'blackface"

Why is this so offensive.

other than its not really that great of an advert, IMO.

Might be the campaign slogan I suppose, racist implication being that something black usually cannot be delicious/desirable. Could be wrong though.

Then could it not also just as easily be seen as supportive - and encouraging Thais to break from the stereotype of "whiter/lighter" is best

[bangkokheat]

thats not being racist, that is about the colour of the donut, what a bunch of dh, why not have a go at thailands racism, they dont have the balls to take on the countries behaviour, only a business, gutless

[Gonzo the Face]

I still don't want to eat a charcoal donut!

Gee JT, maybe its just a phycological hangup with the shape...... maybe its the hole in the donut that really bugs you. How about if it was more cureller shape ???

..... the devil made me do it..

[Gonzo the Face]

I would be on alert for a new ultra secret police group decreed and set up by the American group , "those who find some fault with something and everything". It will be called InterPooPol. You will be able to recognize them as the shadowy looking lumps of meat wearing sunglasses and hanging around all public toilets of the world. Their task will be to find out if something of improper color/colour is found in the toilets. Then the last user will be declared and branded as a racist.

[Thait Spot]

Political correctness gone mad.

Take the Gollywog off the marmalade jar? Sure, it was offensive.

Paint your face chocolate colour for an advert? Why the hell not!!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mania]

They should stop always holding Thailand to rules & traditions of other countries

I do not really think the ad had anything to do with racism

First thing I thought when i saw it was it looks like their two most popular doughnuts
( both of which I do not like as they taste like bubble gum )

But notice on the left which doughnuts sells the most?

Edited September 1, 2013 by mania