WASHINGTON DC - OCA, a national organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country dedicated to ensuring social justice for Asian Pacific Americans, spoke out today against the frequency of ethnic stereotypes featured in advertising during this year's Super Bowl broadcast.
"We were disappointed that some advertising during last weekend's broadcast of the Super Bowl, a quintessential celebration of American sports, did not celebrate American diversity but instead exploited our differences for a cheap laugh," said Ginny Gong, OCA National President, "We call on companies to exercise sensitivity and stop the use of such stereotypes in future advertising."
Among the objectionable commercials were ads featuring pandas with stereotypical Asian accents and a character named Ramesh who spoke with a stereotypical Indian accent and had eight children, and a commercial featuring a cast of immigrants "learning" how to talk to American women.
This year's Super Bowl was the most watched sports event and the second-most watched TV program in US history, with an estimated 100 million viewers on Sunday night. "Those ads incorporating stereotypes of Asians Pacific Americans, and other minority and immigrant groups are all the more damaging because of the huge audience watching the game," said Michael Lin, OCA Executive Director, "We hope that in the future, companies will consider the potential negative effects of their advertising."
Founded in 1973 as the Organization of Chinese Americans, OCA is a national organization dedicated to the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. |
