The Xpanda Advert

[vieome]

So are we as South Africans perhaps too sensitive when it comes to such issues?

It could be called sensitive, but when ever the issue is brought up, it seems to be blacks pointing to perceived racist actions of whites. Yet calling every white word or action racist is really the black on white racism showing its ugly head. While racism is a serious issue, we now live in a SA where it is being used to silence a minority. In future even if a white man farts it will be marked as racist. White man is said to have unfair advantage because of past laws, yet laws which give blacks unfair advantage in New SA are not racist.
If I blame my faults on my parents, they can blame the fault I am blaming on them on their parents and etc all the way back to Adam and Eve.

But shouting racism without the full story is a terrible affliction that exist today. Lets imagine for a second that the actors campaigning for the part in the advert where black white and colored(ignoring other adverts they say they have done). And the advertising agency says hey we cant use a black man for the part because they will shout racism. So the poor actor loses out on a job opportunity.

Facts
Is the advertising agency white owned or black owned? If it is black owned is the advert still racist?
Is the madame white or black? If she is black is it still racist? Is the voice of the actor a black man or a white man speaking with a black voice? If it is a black owned advertising agency and they use a white man as central actor is it not racist against whites?


I am neither black or white.

[Dave A]

I'd say Xpanda are trying to pull a Nandos - except they don't have a track record for ads with humour so people are probably taking it more seriously than if Nandos had pulled a similar stunt.

They're getting the mileage they wanted, but will it convert to sales?
Time will tell, but...

Dunno. They stuck their head in this noose intentionally - let the chips fall where they may.

[pmbguy]

I'd say Xpanda are trying to pull a Nandos - except they don't have a track record for ads with humour so people are probably taking it more seriously than if Nandos had pulled a similar stunt.

They're getting the mileage they wanted, but will it convert to sales?
Time will tell, but...

Dunno. They stuck their head in this noose intentionally - let the chips fall where they may.

Yup

If they are pulling a Nandos, they are either very stupid or very very clever. I hope for their sake it does not backfire. No doubt, they are getting attention.....risky.... but Big rewards if it plays successfully.

I can only imagine the friction at the xpanda head office

eesh

[Dave A]

So are we as South Africans perhaps too sensitive when it comes to such issues?

In a way that's a trick question.

There is still enough racial sensitivity around to know we must be sensitive to the issue. Claiming it should be better (or that we've done very well) doesn't change where we are right now.

My philosophy is don't poke your finger in a wound you know hasn't healed yet. Let's rather spend our efforts on helping the healing.

[Citizen X]

I'd say Xpanda are trying to pull a Nandos - except they don't have a track record for ads with humour so people are probably taking it more seriously than if Nandos had pulled a similar stunt.

They're getting the mileage they wanted, but will it convert to sales?
Time will tell, but...

Dunno. They stuck their head in this noose intentionally - let the chips fall where they may.

They’ve got a budget for advertising, that’s for sure. So creating awareness is as important as it always was. Get free publicity; get that name into the subconscious. Even now, we giving them publicity.
Nandos does have an advertising reputation to uphold, in my opinion, they’ll be better off if they could just stick to letting people know what chicken special is on at any given time and nothing further.

[Citizen X]

In a way that's a trick question.

There is still enough racial sensitivity around to know we must be sensitive to the issue. Claiming it should be better (or that we've done very well) doesn't change where we are right now.

My philosophy is don't poke your finger in a wound you know hasn't healed yet. Let's rather spend our efforts on helping the healing.

This holds true. There are certain repugnant words that can never really be used again in SA. The healing philosophy is very sound. We need to promote healing of past wounds and move on. We also do need to be sensitive to what is deemed offensive to each other.

[Citizen X]

I am neither black or white.

I couldn't have said that better myself, I too am not anti any racial quarter or pro any racial quarter, I am for the human being
In South Africa we have more of a class struggle than a racial struggle. Poverty knows no discrimination, we have poor Whites, Blacks, Indians and Coloureds and their suffering is no less or no worse, they suffering equally as human beings

[Justloadit]

As usual, a storm in a tea cup.

It simply highlights that there is a chip, sorry a huge oak tree on some ones shoulder.

Anyway has anyone actually looked at the prices of these security systems?
Xpanda is cheaper than Trellidor which in my opinion is the best of all these type of security gates, so there is little choice in the market anyway.

[adrianh]

I watched a government ad last night where a terrible white guy tries to make an elderly black guy had over his pin to his pension card. Then there is an ad for some legalwise typew company that protects the black guy from the terrible white middle class car salesman.

Racism, what absolute rubbish, this country is so stuck on these silly terms that the people are unable to focus on the important issues. God forbid a white South African lands on the moon and God forbid a black South African lands on the moon...somewhere there will be a group that is totally p1$$ed off about it!

[Blurock]

Regardless of the ads being racist or not, the ads were badly made. The "story line" is not well thought out and the whole setup looks amateurish. The marketing manager should maybe reconsider going back to school. How could the board even approve ads like this which obviously cost them a package?!