One of the interesting things about moving to another region of the country is that you get exposed to a whole different buffet of local advertisements. One particular company stands out in my mind, though. The Swedish Cancer Institute is apparently an organization with a fantastic reputation, but their taste in ads is at best questionable.
Check out this one with the Seattle Seahawks quarterback Richard Sherman.
Does that seem a little off to you? I don’t know anything about the man, but in the commercial he’s acting like the stereotypical angry black dude at a time when many footballers are considered to be wife beating, animal abusing thugs. And having him blurting out complex medical terms as if he is talking trash just seems a little peculiar to me.
Then you have this one.
First of all, as one commenter mentioned on the Youtube site, the first baby you see has a full set of teeth, which is creepy as hell. Second, what do a bunch of babies submerged in water have to do with the Swedish Cancer Institute? And then saying, “By the time these babies grow up, someone they know will get cancer” is, at best, a ghoulish proposition, however true it may be.
I dunno. Maybe it’s me, but both these commercials seem weird.
The View from a Drawbridge 
Richard Sherman graduated from Stanford with a degree in Communications and a 3.9 grade point average. Maybe that explains the ad. 🙂
Oh, please don’t think I’m criticizing who he is or his level of intelligence or competence in any way. What I’m criticizing is what he’s portraying in the ad itself.
You see a “stereotypical angry black man,” but I see a pumped-up, excited professional athlete. You see angry, but Sherman wasn’t angry in that interview. It was an interview right after a good game. I’m not criticising you, but I see the word “angry” used to describe excited black people way too often. It’s tiring.
Here’s the thing. I’m not into sports, so at the time I didn’t know this was a take on an interview that he did after a game. All I saw, and all a lot of people who see this commercial will see if they’re not into sports, is a very confrontational trash talking interview about coming after cancer. And sorry, it’s aggressive. I know nothing about the guy. I’m told he’s intelligent, and for all I know he’s the nicest person on the face of the planet. But this commercial is all I have to go on. And I still say it’s a weird commercial.
Also, when I say “stereotypical angry black man” what I mean is that I assume he’s more than a stereotype, so why do they make him play to one. To me, stereotype means that everyone will make that assumption based on race or gender or whatever, even though that is most likely NOT TRUE about that person.
That’s fair. I’m saying that he wasn’t playing a stereotype. The volume at which someone speaks doesn’t always equate with anger.
I have to admit I’m a very quiet person so I probably am hypersensitive to volume. It makes me jumpy. (Which is probably why I am not into sports.) So yes, I guess I am making unfair assumptions. That definitely makes me think. Thanks. But… I still think it’s a weird commercial. 🙂
Ah. I understand. You know what? I agree that it’s a weird commercial too actually. I got pig headed. My bad. What’s up with this place’s PR dept, right?
I know, right? And those swimming babies freak me out. But you know, I really do appreciate your comments because they do make me think. I like being made to think. So thanks again.
I hate that one where the old lady has fallen down the stairs. The old; I’ve fallen and I can’t get up was bad… but this lady is just screaming and moaning like a lost soul…
Yeah, that gets a visceral reaction from me, and it definitely doesn’t make me run out and buy the product.
same with the side effect anal leakage