Consideration of inclusivity and the addition of different races in advertisements can bring a feeling of togetherness to the audience, especially in a country like Singapore where a myriad of races try to reside in harmony.
On the other hand, changing one’s skin color and tone of speech to mock a different race in an ad causes the exact opposite effect.
Marketing Gone Awry
There are many ways to advertise products, but some strategies cross the line into sensitive topics like racism. JDM Mobile Carros Centre’s recent promotional video for the Toyota Noah 1.8 Hybrid features a salesman with a darkened face, a portrayal reminiscent of blackface. In this practice, the salesman altered his skin color to mimic another race, and images used in the video depicted images of African people, while he, himself, claimed an African name. The name was borrowed from a popular video of an African man with a lengthy name.
The Ad’s Content and Public Reflection
The video, aimed at showcasing the Toyota Noah’s features, attempts a playful approach, with the salesman describing how the car can accommodate a family of seven and highlighting perks like the auto tailgate and sports rims.
However, the use of brownface in the ad has drawn attention for the wrong reasons, shifting focus from the car’s attributes to the problematic portrayal.
About two minutes into the clip, a picture of Native American people pops up for a split second when describing the car as being good for ‘many people.’
The comments regarding this post were mixed, as some try to grasp the need for such a way of advertising whilst others claim the company did it for publicity.
Some share the same sentiments as the original posters.
Others express their dismay at such incidents still happening in 2024.
The Legacy of Brownface in Singapore
Singapore has had its share of brownface controversies. In 2019, a commercial featuring a Chinese actor in brownface sparked significant public outcry. This recent ad, while likely intended to be humorous, revives those memories, raising questions about cultural sensitivity in marketing.
Moreover, a recent occurrence of brownface by a Raffle’s Institution student last month on Racial Harmony Day remains another notable incident of glaring racism. In both cases, apologies were relayed with claims of no harm being intended by the parties involved.
Why Brownface/Blackface is Offensive
Portraying oneself as a race that they are not part of essentially mocks the race by using them as a costume. White people in the 19th century would paint themselves with dark paint and act like black people for their entertainment, thus belittling human beings who are no different than them apart from skin color. To have this still be practiced in an era where there are enough resources online to educate oneself on rights and wrongs makes such acts seem even more deliberate.
While Singapore may not have the same race-related detrimental backgrounds as the West, and the intentions may be reported as not being hurtful, hiring or employing an actor of color cannot be too difficult in a mixed-race nation.
Wake Up Singapore has contacted Kenny for comments and will update the story with any response received.
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