by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Ugh! I keep encountering this god-awful commercial at random times while watching TV. It’s sooooooooooooo bad that I just had to share. Why is it that when companies feel the need to appeal to people of color, they create such gross ads??
That ad is the cheesiest! Boriqua mermaids, and that guy in the crappy seamonster suit! (Man, I hope none of them add this gig to their resumes.)
(I’m not a big fan of Beyonce’s Direct TV “Upgrade” commercial either. )
this song has been playing my head all week…soooo dumb
You know what’s so great about this commercial? It gives me, as a woman of color, the overwhelming impression that NONE OF THE OTHER Optimum Online commercials were directed at me! Condescending AND marginalizing - way to make me buy your product.
I’m shocked they didn’t show them throwing tacos in the air or, or dancing in front of the Home Depot. [/snark]
Rea-a-a-a-a-ally stupid. And I agree with deb about that Upgrade ad as well.
But back to this one. Who exactly do you think is the demographic they are after?
Matt
i think what makes this commercial REALLY annoying is the Reggaeton. i hate that isht!
this commercial was very cheesy & dumb.
their demo? well…when i lived in NYC, Optimum was the cable provider for brooklyn & the bronx. maybe they were trying to grab all of the boogie down? who knows. it’s horrible.
I always thought this commercial was racist as hell, and its just as bad in the spanish version. Pirates, mermaids, gold and water, it is just a mess.
With the increasing number of latin/mulatto/hispanic in the US Optimum should’ve thought twice about airing this commerical.
Not only does it hate on the latin population, but it makes those stupid Boost cmmericals look like they should be featured after the superbowl.
This commerical is degrading garbage and I will never get Optimum for as long as I live.
like, _so_ gross. ick.
sincerely,
seven year old girl
to think of all the goodness i miss out on from not watching tv…and contributing to racism and sexism and the dumbing down of society. guess i’ll have to pick out some wacky unreality show, like Lost or Found or Whatever, and to watchin so i can do my part.
that boi in the sea monster suit is f-in hot! i wanna have his baby!!!!!!!!
Absolute TRASH, Now we know why the Knicks are where they are. The Brass of this company is clueless. Dolan should give Daddy’s Company to someone with a brain.
Thank you!!! I totally agree and mute the commercial, which happens to come on thirty times a day, no matter what channel… Don’t Latinos think this horrendous? Instead of downplaying stereotypes, it amplifies them…WTF. The girls’ coochie pop, is the icing on the cake. Geezus
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Ok I’m gonna try this again. I absolutely find the ads annoying. Everytime they come on, I either change the channel or mute the television. What i’m confused about is folks saying it’s stereotypical. I, as a Latina, do not in any way see it as stereotypical. In the past, commercials have been targeted to the majority, or “white population. Now advertisers are realizing that that is not the only population that exists. Reggaeton is an up and coming music genre, that many Latinos have been listening to for years. So the fact that optimum is using this to promote thier ads, is pretty smart to me. Now what I would like to know is what, exactly in this commercial is stereotypical? Mermaids? Sea Monsters? Explain?
To the moderator: i don’t in any way, shape or form, work for optimum…I actually have time warner.
I HATE THIS COMMERCIAL!!
Actually I’ve never hated a commercial as much as I hate this one. I hit the mute button 1 or 2 times an hour (every time it plays)
For the first few months, notice how on channel 5, the first commercial of the day started at 9:30am.
Hmmm, what are they trying to insinuate? It won’t hit it’s target audience before 9:30am?
This week, the commercials started at 8:00 am -
who can we complain to?
When I see ads like this you have to take into account that it’s people outside the demographic looking in. Many Hispanic agencies play off on stereotypes because it’s apparently easier to sell something that is blatantly stereotypical and that even the squarest client can puff on their cigar and says, yup, that’ll definitely talk to these people. Puff, puff puff.
In the case of this nasty ass commercial people say that it’s unnervingly stereotypical and borderline racist. What I think it is however is merely an exploitation of the reggaeton genre. Though you can make a strong case that anyone with musical taste won’t listen to reggaeton, you can also make a very healthy case that these songs are earworms and since they base themselves on heavily patterned bass rythms, that they have a pnemonic effect. In plain English, even if you hate the ad you’ll find yourself humming to it. To clients that’s actually a good thing.
Now I could make a case that it’s female exploitation but if you’ve seen any reggaetón video, it’s safe to agree that this is tame in comparison. That there are various references to “island lifestyle” is a case you can make or maybe that these people made a horrendously cheesy pirates of the Caribbean ripoff. Either way, to me the ad blows because even if I am Hispanic, I can’t stand the genre unless I’ve had two drinks and am getting freaky with the missus because say what you will, since the bass is so simplistic, it’s definitely music most people can dance to.
Also of note is how they put the number within the jingle. so in short, is this a good ad? Well if you’re asking regarding good taste well no, but if you’re asking in regards to memorabity, the mere fact that we’re ripping the ad a new one is testament that it isn’t off strategy because even people that aren’t of the target remember the damn ad.
Anywho, that’s about my 47 cents since I went way beyond the two cent standard, but hey, I felt like it was an interesting issue. Cheers.
Joker
The weird thing is my 9 month old daughter loves this commercial. She literally stops what she is doing to watch it. I spoke to someone at work with a baby the same age and she said the same thing. Don’t know who they are trying to advertise to but I don’t think it’s toddlers….
Joker: You def hit the mark on the head!
this is the funniest ad.
OMG, this commercial is so friggin annoying!!!! I was just watching the TODAY show on NBC and the commercial came on and I wanted to find out what other people were saying and ended up finding this message board. Can you believe that 5 minutes later the commercial came on again on the same channel.
It’s driving me insane. I hate it so much!! What is even more irritating though is that it’s a catchy tune and that it’s like watching a train wreck. It’s so annoying, steretypical and cheesy that part of me can’t turn away when I watch it.
I agree with a lot of the people on here that say they would never use Optimum online.
Guys,
This is sooooo odd, my son who is almost 8 months old stops everything and he watches the commercial…how come? anyone explain?!
//vms
I HATE this ad!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t…I just can’t. It gets stuck in my head and I find my playing it over and over in my head. I can’t wait for this ad to be removed!!!
What I want to know is who we can contact to complain? I hate that commercial because it is stereotypical and sexist. What makes them think that all hispanics would enjoy this commercial? I mean I am about to graduate with a degree in communications ad/pr in may and I cannot believe that they would run such a racist commerical! I am not even hispanic but african american and I am infuriated by this ad! This is out of control and I am looking to make a complaint. I am outraged.
I love this commercial. I turn it up every time it’s on. It’s fun. It’s tounge in cheek. Nobody takes it seriously. No, I don’t work for Optimum. Never heard of them and I couldn’t care less if they sold phone service or pre-packaged tuna casserole. I’m not giving them any money, I’m just entertained by the commericals.
I think this commercial is great! Its one of those jingles that stay in your head all the time and is so bad that its actually funny.
How could anyone think this commercial is not stereotyping Latinos or depicting them in a negative way? It shows them falling off rafts (a nod to illeagal immigrants?), images of macho Latinos covered in gold jewlery, and lets not forget the rump shaking boriquas on the beach. Of course adding the horrible reggaeton music should make it appeal to Hispanics, no? Dumb commercial! I do have to admit though, the jingle is a very clever marketing ploy. I have memorized the number from hearing it so many times.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of New Demographic, an anti-racism training company. She hosts the podcast Addicted to Race and blogs at Racialicious, Anti-Racist Parent, and Race in the Workplace.
Racialicious! is a production of New Demographic.
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