Colour television
I watched a bit of television over the weekend.
I hasten to add that my viewing deliberately avoided that rocky horror show they call Eurovision. I’m delighted to say I never saw even a scrap of it thereby retaining some of my sanity.
What caught my interest was the advertisements. We were watching one of those satellite channels that is just adverisements with the occasional break to show us a snippet of the actual programme. Now normally I have a mental switch that allows me to blank out all ads and will only register when the programme restarts. This time however I started watching the ads themselves.
I did a little survey – one of those surveys so beloved of researchers that sound impressive but in reality is just done on the back of a fag packet. I counted the adverts in one break and the total was ten. The content of those ten surprised me a little but in the context of the modern world I wasn’t that surprised. In nine of the adverts at least one if not all of the human participants had a skin colour I can only describe as distinctly non-white.
The ads were varied but I learned that Maltesers are only purchased solely by entire families consisting of “people of colour”. The same goes for healthcare, skin creams, holidays, Lucozade and even Guinness [though in fairness there were a few Caucasians amongst the latter’s imbibers].
When did Ireland become so black – or at the very least 75% so? In my little corner of the world black skin is an extreme rarity and always denotes a tourist or other wayward visitor. Are we a little backwater that has somehow avoided this predominantly black tide? Would I be the only White if I were careless enough to find myself in Dublin? I noticed in the Guinness ad, it started its location in a pub just up the back road to Dublin so this tide of blackness isn’t too far away.
As I have stated in the past, I have nothing against black skin. I take people as I find them and the only thing I ask of people is to speak fluently enough that I can understand them. I don’t think that’s too much to ask?
Incidentally, when our programme ended I let the channel run to see what was on next. It transpired to be a “comedy” featuring young people.
Every single cast member was black.
Grandad,
And same sex relationships are starting to sneak into advertising.
As for diversity, I guess you’re familiar with the BBC Pidgin site? Free for them – paid for buy us…
https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cq53d3lllq0o
Holy shit! Is that for real or is someone taking the piss?
It seems watching BBC etc that 50% of our population is now black, not even Asian. I guess it will be soon if they let many more in.
I have also noticed a significant increase [pardon the pun] in the girth of female participants. There is an ad on here for sanitary towels or something and it involves a [black] female with an enormous arse which is wiggled at us. The sight quite puts me off my dinner.
Why does Guinness even have to advertise in Ireland?
Is the Murphy’s sneaking in by not advertising, rather depending on common sense and taste?
By the the way ‘n’ that, do the black actors have a nice creamy white head?
I honestly don’t know. I don’t listen to ads and normally let them pass in a blur so they may be advertising alcohol free Guinness or some such abomination
Cotton Traders get my business beause their brochure has the correct ratio of ‘models’! Most of the other firms don’t and lose our business and goodwill!
I’m not that familiar with Cotton Traders [though I know we have bought stuff off them]. What is the correct ratio? Does it include all nationalities and the correct number of genders and body sizes?
It’s not just in Ireland, down here in Australia apparently every second family is African American or African if the television adds are to be believed. What I find ironic is that Australians of Aboriginal descent are rarely included in TV adds!!
I blame that BLM thing. People are too scared now of being called racist so they have gone overboard to placate the Mob. Then they have to be PC when it comes to hhe gender crowd. Where will it end?
I am not not usually in favour of regulations but a case could be made that the proportion of races shown in adverts should be in broady in proportion (+/- 20%) to that in the general populace.
This could be based on what’s shown at prime time over several hours, not per advert. This would force the advert makers to give balance. It would also give non-black actors more jobs. This rule could be extended to all free TV.
Welcome Joe! I too am against regulation where possible. A far more effective solution is to just avoid the product that’s advertised?
P.S. Are you the Joa Soap that everyone is talking about?