Many of you may have seen this ad from the Super Bowl earlier this year, which involved an African American dealer attempting to sell a vehicle. Besides the Acura NSX hybrid concept featured, the ad seemed pretty uneventful until the entertainment show, TMZ, unveiled an ugly side of this commercial, which truly drudged-up old feelings of the colorline not only within the African American community, but in the majority community.
Check out this TMZ report, clicking here. Since this report was released, the folks from Acura have issued the following apology.
We apologize to anyone offended by the language on the casting sheet used in the selection of actors for one of our commercials.
We sought to cast an African-American in a prominent role in the commercial, and we made our selection based on the fact that he was the most talented actor.
The casting sheet was only now brought to our attention. We are taking appropriate measures to ensure that such language is not used again in association with any work performed on behalf of our brand.
This just further highlights the cultural insensitivity, when there is a lack of diversity within the marketing departments of these major companies. Just wondering: was America really ready for a Herman Cain? Or is President Obama easier for America to accept because of his skin color? Based upon the individuals who were the key drivers behind the Acura ad, we know what call they would have made.
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