MLA’s diversity ad cleared of racism towards white people by ad watchdog
Meat & Livestock Australia’s recent TV ad talking about lamb as the only meat which can unite people of nearly every background has been cleared of racism towards white people.
The latest version of MLA’s ‘You’ll Never Lamb Alone’ campaign from The Monkeys caused wide community debate when it aired in September, featuring 150 people from different backgrounds including transgender comedian Jordan Raskopoulos, footballer Greg Inglis, Olympian Cathy Freeman and model Samantha Harris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Ka3a7cdYw
The ad opens with TV presenter Luke Jacobz announcing: “I’m here to address concerns that too many perky white males are contributing to a lack of diversity on our our screens”, a statement which angered one complainant, who wrote:
I’m anti-racist no matter what race is being vilified, including white people. This advertisement clearly states ‘too many WHITE people’ in its commercial, which is highly offensive.”
The ad then goes on to show Jacobz walking past a tree and morphing into Indian/Australian actor Arka Das, who continues: “And we couldn’t agree more…We’ve got everyone in the room.”
Das later welcomes “people of colour”, something that another complainant wrote to the board about, whilst another claimed the Aboriginal duo asked “who’s first” are depicted eating kangaroo – which the board decided was incorrect and they are served lamb.
One complainant had argued there were no Aboriginal people represented in the ad, despite the prominent inclusion of Freeman and Harris amongst others.
In its submission over the complaints the MLA argued the: “Advertisements celebrate diversity and do not promote any act of discrimination, prejudice or vilification”.
It adds on Jacobz’s statement: “The tongue-in-cheek comment by no means treats white males unfavourably or seeks to ridicule such members of society. We submit that the reasonable viewer would not perceive this statement or the Advertisements as a whole to be racist or sexist. The Advertisements promote acceptance and tolerance – not bigotry or the incitement of hatred towards white Australian males.”
The Ad Standards Board agreed the comments were delivered in a “tongue-in-cheek” manner, and concluded “that overall the advertisement is inclusive and the humour is employed equally across all the races/ethnicities portrayed in the advertisement”.
Dismissing the complaints it said: “The Board considered that the advertisement did not portray or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of race.”
FFS, really, who are these people who complain about such things. This is Australian humour. Some people just love to complain, lose $5, find $10 on the ground, complain about having to pick it up. Australia just stop it. These people need a hobby beyond looking for things to complain about.
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This advertisement is a wonderful celebration of diversity and we need more of it. All of those who participated in it were great sports. To the person that wrote “This advertisement clearly states ‘too many WHITE people’ in its commercial, which is highly offensive” – surely that’s a piss-take? FFS
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THANK GOD, another reasonable human being. The world really is going mad.
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Get it right, “too many perky white males,” not too many white people.
Must be careful even when being careful, too many white people could be misconstrued to mean too many white women, and that would never pass muster.
“Who was here first?” Good line, but what do we do for who was here second? third? fourth? etc…Just as well we didn’t get passed the first serving. Tricky business this PC non racist back slapping, as we see, bound to upset someone.
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The ad has dubious value other than to get noticed by advertising types. Completely misses the mark and generates no increase in consumption. Waste of growers money.
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This is a little cheeky, but our band wrote a song on this very topic and why ads like this need to become the norm… (putting the question of eating lamb to one side for a second). Too many fat bumbling white blokes on Aussie TV who put down women and often gay men, all to sell beer and sports betting… Cheers, Super Best Friends! https://www.facebook.com/superbestfriends/videos/10154192732272112/?hc_location=ufi
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Isn’t it great that we can all come together in harmony to murder babies and devour their flesh?
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The Ad Standards Board might have cleared it, but I haven’t – this type of divisive cr*p needs to stop.
I will be switching to beef from now on…
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Tyson I’m sure the MLA will be devastated to hear that, given they also promote beef…
Cheers,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella