Racist ad campaign for UK train co.

[Barnaby_McEwan]

I've just seen the crassest stereotyping of Indians in a TV ad for a UK train company, Virgin Trains. The slogan  - I can hardly believe I'm typing this - is "man who go on big train have big idea".

The ad campaign's called 'Apache':

http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/index.cfm?articleid=937

In the ad, stereotypical savages on horseback attack a train but - silly savages! - they don't realise it's not the old-fashioned kind they can leap onto from the saddle. They slide down the metal sides of the train and fall off! Ho ho ho! Toward the end, an Indian wordlessly demands through the window glass a book that a white traveller is reading. The traveller refuses and the Indian menacingly raises his tomahawk to smash the glass but - phew! - the nasty savage is wiped off the side of the train by the front apron of a tunnel. Oh, my aching sides.

I doubt whether Virgin would have commissioned a campaign featuring goose-stepping Germans or Pacific-island cannibals stirring a giant cooking pot. I'm boycotting Virgin until it apologises.

Telephone: 0870 789 1234
(national call rates apply)

Fax: 0121 654 7500
Textphone: 0121 654 7528
customer.relations@virgintrains.co.uk

Telephones are manned between 0830 and 2015 Mondays - Fridays and between 0900 and 1600 on Saturdays.

[piya]

Thanks for bringing this up Barnaby, I haven't seen it yet, but no doubt I will.

I ask that everyone joins me in contacting Virgin about this, also placing it on any lists you may belong to.

Also join me in complaining to the advertisements standards authority in the UK

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/

Piya

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

I think that this is indicative of a general lack of understanding of Aboriginal people, by folks in England.

When I was asked to be interviewed for a British television station, during the Chelsea Flower Show in May, 2005, I was asked to "stalk" the reporter, as if I was about to "scalp" him.  When I advised the producer that we do not do that, he understood and immediately revised the script to only conduct a regular interview.

If stereotypes go unchallenged, they will continue.  By informing the public that these misrepresentations of our people and Cultures are disrespectful, you may find that people will make efforts to learn about us, in a Respectful manner.

Good Luck!
Ric

[piya]

I have just received a reply fro Virgin.

Thank you very much for your recent e-mail.

I am extremely sorry to hear that you are unhappy with our current TV
advertisement. ? I appreciate your concerns about the advertisement's
content, and would like to sincerely apologise for any offence caused. ? We
wanted to demonstrate that time spent on a Virgin train is time well
spent. ? We brought this to life in a TV advertisement that shows how the
train environment can lead to brilliant ideas that everyone will want to
get their hands on.

I should take this opportunity to explain that the Broadcast Advertising
Clearance Centre (BACC) approved the script for the current advertisement.
The BACC is a specialist body responsible for the pre-transmission
examination and clearance of television advertisements. ? All
advertisements being transmitted as a national television campaign on UK
terrestrial and satellite channels must be submitted to the BACC for
approval.

The advertisement spoofs the 'cowboy and Indian' genre of film, and the
title 'Man who go on big train have big idea' is also a tongue-in-cheek
reference to this genre of film. ? This title was specifically discussed
with, and subsequently fully approved by, the BACC. ? As the BACC approved
the script, no further approvals were required. ? We did seek a Native
American representative organisation in the UK, but had no response.

In addition, the main actor in the advert was a Native American who did
not feel that the film was denigrating in any way. ? We also commissioned
research with 320 members of the general public to flesh out any potential
issues with the film, and racism was only spontaneously mentioned by 2% of
the respondents who were interviewed.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding this matter. ? I do
hope that the campaign will not deter you from using our services in the
future, and that we can welcome you aboard again soon.

Yours sincerely,



Lee Thacker
Customer Relations.


My response..............

Although I do appreciate, you tried to seek out a Native American representitive organisation in the UK, and commisioned a research of members of the general public, and got approval from the BACC, I think the following points should be noted.
 
Two organisations that should have been contacted, should have been the American Indian Movement and the National Congress of American Indians, they would, have put you in contact with Native people here in the UK, like myself.
 
Secondly, the general public with whom you done the research, and also members of the BACC, from experience I know, still have that very stereotypical and somewhat racist image of our people. This will no doubt continue, as your campaign portrays that, so how will people begin to understand who we really are.
 
I would also be grateful if you could supply me with the name of the Native American actor, who took part in the film.

[piya]

Some good news, I have been contacted by a major national newspaper here in the UK, done an interview and they are going to run the story

[Barnaby_McEwan]

Great! Which paper? I see Virgin's PR robot sent you the same email I got.

[piya]

Well it was supposed to be in the paper today, but a lot of the space was taken up by the TV presenters accident, so they have put it back, or maybe its because Virgins, owner just decided to donate a couple of billion dollars to enviromental projects. We will wait and see

I received this e mail from Virgin today in reply to the one I sent. Another case of not interested.

Thank you for your further e-mail.  I have spoken at length with our
Marketing team who have given this matter serious consideration, both in
producing the advert and in reponding to your concerns.

They are keen to develop future campaigns to ensure the sole response to
their adverts is to attract customers to our business.  I am confident
that this will include a greater level of research.  I note your comments
regarding the BACC and have shared them with our Marketing team.  I trust
that you will understand that we take a steer from the BACC as they are
the industry experts.

We have requested the name of the Native American lead actor, but have
been advised I am not able to release it to you.  I am sorry if this
causes further disappointment.

I would like to finish by assuring you that it was not our intention for
the advert to offend.

Yours sincerely



Greg Thomas
Customer Relations Manager, Cross Country

[educatedindian]

Whoever heard of any actor not bragging about the roles he played from the highest mountain, posting them on his resume for all to see? My guess is the guy's had second thoughts and is deeply ashamed.

Got some good news.  
Even though the reporter resorts to the same ugly stereotypes himself...

-----
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006440302,00.html

http://www.visit4info.com/static/advert_pages/37240.cfm?back_page=advertise
r_pages/VirginTrains.cfm

http://www.visit4info.com/preview-flash.cfm?vm=0&type=2&adid=37240

Virgin ad's offensive to injuns
 
By JOHN COLES
September 23, 2006
AN American Indian living in Britain is on the warpath over “offensive??? new TV ads for Virgin Trains.
Steve Pattinson, 47, a member of the Shoshone tribe, is even threatening to SIOUX Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson.
Steve, whose Indian name Bia’sape means Big Stomach, claims he was horrified when he saw the latest “mocking??? advert.
It features a whooping, horse-riding Indian warrior who tries to board a speeding Virgin train — but he keeps bouncing off.
He then attempts to shatter the glass window with his tomahawk — but is foiled when he rides into the wall of a tunnel entrance.
Steve, who was brought up on a reservation in Idaho, said: “The advert is sickening. It’s straight out of the dark ages of cowboy and Indian films.
“It’s trying to show us as savages or dumb-ass Indians who are going to be wiped off the face of the Earth because we don’t belong here. As long aspeople such as Mr Branson keep bringing up these stereotypes, we will still face prejudice.
Engineer Steve, who lives in Melksham, Wilts, is taking advice about whether to start legal proceedings.
Using his native Shoshone language, he sent a message to Sir Richard: “Richard Branson, Mehwe neetsiigwa-nehen Newemai deasen mehwe wisa-utu.
Translation: “You have hurt our Indian people and you should pay.
Divorced dad-of-three Steve came to the UK from America when he was 11, but still qualifies for US federal aid as a member of the Shoshone tribe.
When the advert was first screened on September 17, the Advertising Standards Authority received 18 complaints. A spokesman said: “At the
moment, we are just logging the complaints.
“We will decide in the next few days if there are grounds for a formal investigation.
Virgin Trains said the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre approved the script and tried to ensure no offence was caused.
He said: “The ad spoofs the cowboy and Indian genre and is quite tongue-in-cheek.
“We investigated if there were any American Indian groups in the UK but didn’t find any.
“The actor in the ad is a native American — and he didn’t feel it was denigrating.
There are estimated to be 25 native Americans in the UK and 300 in Europe.
j.coles@the-sun.co.uk
-----
Mr Coles needs a rude awakening. In the US any respectable paper would have been fired him.

[Barnaby_McEwan]

http://www.visit4info.com/static/advert_pages/37240.cfm?back_page=advertise
r_pages/VirginTrains.cfm

Oh my God. It's even worse than I remember.

From the article:

There are estimated to be 25 native Americans in the UK and 300 in Europe.

Eh? Where did those numbers come from?

j.coles@the-sun.co.uk

Mr Coles needs a rude awakening. In the US any respectable paper would have been fired him.

Sad to say, this isn't the US. Neither he or the editor will draw much heat for the tone of that article.

[piya]

In a way I am dissapointed, the actual full page spread in the paper was worse.

The reporter was not even the one I spoke with, my background and name was even wrong, so where did that info come from?.  Yes the picture was me.

I think it proves a point about the ignorance over here, and as bad as it was in the paper I am sure it will lead to the educational side.

Sitting back and reflecting, will the frauds and wannabes, want to be as blatant as they have been,  I for one will be after them.

[piya]

I have just received a letter from the Advertising Standards Authority here in the UK, together with the Final Adjudication. The adjudication you can expect went in favor of the Ad, and I am not allowed to make it public at this time but make sure you read it.

Here is the cover letter I got from them:

Your Complaint about Virgin Rail

Thank you for contacting us about this advertising. The ASA (Bradcast) Council considered the advertisement and your complaint carefully, but did not believe there was sufficient grounds for intervention.

The report will be published on the ASA website,  www.asa.org.uk  on Wednesday 22nd November and we ask you to treat it as confidential until then. A copy is attached as that seems the best way of explaining how we came to our conclusion. For your information, it will be available to journalists, under embargo, from the Monday preceding publication.

We realise this decision will disappoint you, but thank you nonetheless for taking the trouble to raise the matter with us.

Arpan Boyal
arpanb@asa.org.uk
Investigations Executive

[Barnaby_McEwan]

I think I got the same letter: it asks us not to publish details before the ASA's adjudication goes on its site on the 22nd.

I don't watch much TV, so maybe I'm not in a position to judge, but I get the feeling that it hasn't been aired much since I saw it in September. There also seems to be no sign of the associated 'micro-website' promised on Virgin's PR site. There's been some comment in various places online about the ad: a lot seem to think it's pretty stupid even if they don't see the racism. Some people here point out that the big shiny train seems unable to outpace a horse, guaranteeing plenty of 'thinking time' in which the white, affluent passenger can 'have big idea'. It also offended cyclists!

[piya]

Barnaby,

Yeh, they stopped running the ad around 15th October, they only scheduled it until then.

You obviously got the same letter from ASA as me. Would it be against the law to publish it or leak it to the press before their stated time.  Could make a good story.

[piya]

The adjudication, is now on the web, link below. The newspaper has also been in contact for my views, so we will wait and see if they run it.

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_41971.htm

[Mo]

since they are running ads in the style of old films ask them when we can expect to see one in the style of the old vaudville films with actors in black face. i mean...fair is fair right? its all tongue in cheek.....