5 Overtly Racist Commercials That Are So Bad They’re Actually Funny!

No, racism is not funny! But when brands and marketers blatantly dish it out in their ad campaigns without putting an ounce of thought into how it might be perceived by the audience, it does leave you laughing, more at the creators than the ads. It makes you wonder what they were even thinking while creating the advert. The public backlash on such campaigns is almost certain and they always run the risk of being banned. So, what purpose do such campaigns serve other than featuring on our esteemed list of racist commercials?

Well, that’s for the marketers to think about. As for us, let’s take a look at these 5 overtly racist commercials and laugh– a bit at these adverts and more at the brands themselves!

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Just Be There

Try conjuring up the image of an adult Black man walking up to a young boy. What does that image tell you? Unless you are a racist of the highest degree and eager to drive to conclusions, you are highly unlikely to come up with a definite response to that question unless you have a complete picture.

The ad shows a Black man walking up to a young boy playing chess. The advert leads the audience to believe that the man is about to assault the young lad. But as it turns out, it was merely meant to encourage people to be there for their younger siblings and guide them through the right path. Sounds like a noble cause; but why did they have to center it around black people?

Whoever approved this ad had no clue about how they were propagating racism through it.

2. Miss Butterworth’s: Black or White?

Miss Butterworth’s table syrup is known for its rich and thick texture. Apparently, the brand is also very racist.

This advert is based on various conjectures about the character of Miss Butterworth’s being modeled on Butterfly McQueen, a black actress who appeared as the maid in Gone with the Wind (1939). And the ad answers addresses those conjectures in the most racist way possible i.e., through a police siren and the background voice telling the audience that they finally know her race, hinting at her negro race.

Very subtle of you, Miss Butterworth’s!

3. Gary’s Mattress

How do you end up offending multiple races within seconds? Watch this 45-second spot by the California-based Gary’s Mattress to find out.

The ad showcases a man doing poor impersonations of people from different races, from the terrorist Arabs and mafia-affiliated Italians to superstitious Native Americans and miserly Jews. Honestly, I think I am better off without that mattress and his poor impersonations.

4. Twin Lotus Tooth Paste: Appearance Can Be Deceiving

Looks can often be deceiving. And when a brand tries to address this issue through an ad campaign, you’d obviously back them. But what if they decide to come up with a monstrosity like this one?

Thai toothpaste brand Twin Lotus launched this typically absurd ad showcasing a black man trying to help a young girl whose balloon gets stuck in a pole by climbing up the pole and fetching it for her. However, the girl’s father forcefully takes her away, leaving the black guy sad and heartbroken. Upon reaching his place, he rests on his bed, which resembles the bristles of a toothbrush. And a moment later, the black guy transforms into a glob of brownish toothpaste. The message-  appearance can be deceiving.

I don’t know if this ad leans more towards being called racist or illogical. Or should we simply call it illogically racist?

5. Mountain Dew: Goat Commercial

Mountain Dew released this now-banned two-part commercial to showcase the popularity of its product even amongst goats. It resulted in perpetuating racist outlooks and conveying that blacks and goats are more or less the same.

The ad shows a goat assaulting a waitress at a restaurant. As justice catches up to the goat, it is produced in front of the victim for identification, along with 3 other people, all black dudes. The ad is problematic for two major reasons. Firstly, why are the other fellows being paraded all blacks? Secondly, the woman must have told the police officers that she was assaulted by a goat. So how difficult is it to exempt black men or any man from this and focus entirely on goat suspects?

And a third question– what were the marketers even thinking while launching this ad?

Wrapping Up

And that’s a wrap of some of the most overtly racist commercials. As stated above, racism is never funny. However, when you see brands mindlessly launching such commercials, you can’t help but laugh at them. As for these commercials, some of these have already been banned and rightly so. But you can always have a good laugh at the expense of these brands and see them for what they really are- Racists!

We’ll be back with more adverts for you. Till then, stay tuned!