Is it me, or are they just stupid? by Michael Davis
This was supposed to be a lighthearted article about the wonderful time I had at Mid-Ohio Con and the “Geek List” my ComicMix colleagues and I came up with there. You know, Best Creative Team, Lee & Kirby. Best death of a superhero, Captain Marvel, etc. We came up with many great categories and it would have made for a great article, so great in fact I threatened my follow ComicMix columnists with death by DEATH RAY if anyone wrote that article but me. It’s only fair as I started the Geek List off with the first question.
Anyway that was supposed to be the article, but then I had the misfortune to discover a copy of Southwest’s Airlines Spirit Magazine from June 2006.
On the fourth and fifth page of that magazine, there is an ad for a children’s hospital. In that ad there is a photo of a young black kid on his bike. He is smiling and up beat.
He is also in front of a street sign. You know what street he is on?
He’s on PLANTATION VALLEY DRIVE.
Who in the world poses a black kid in front of a street sign that says PLANTATION VALLEY DRIVE?
What, was Coon Ave too far away? To much traffic on Jungle Bunny Road? Construction on Watermelon Lane?
I wrote a letter to the hospital last year when I first saw this and they never responded so I’m asking them again: Who in the world poses a black kid in front of a street sign that says: PLANTATION VALLEY DRIVE?
How many people see an ad before it goes out you ask? A LOT. I wonder who the ad agency is? Well whoever they are it’s a safe bet they won’t be voting for Obama.
I could go on and on. But I won’t. Instead I will ask these questions; can someone explain to me how this is NOT offensive? Is this just the work of an ad agency that is so out of touch that this was an oversight? Are they racist? Or is EVERYONE involved in this ad just plain old stupid?
I have to go now; I don’t want to miss my bus to Lynch Street.
Michael Davis is a comics creator and the founder of the Guardian Line series of comics as well as being a television producer and writer. He was a co-founder of Milestone Comics and his artwork has appeared in Wasteland, Green Arrow: Shado, Green Hornet and The Question, among others.
OMFG. As a creative lead who has produced a ton of print ads – this is just shear stupidity. I hate to say it, but something this [expletive deleted] stupid is probably somebodies idea of being snarkily clever – but instead proved just what a tool they are.
Not just a tool. The whole effing Home Depot.
A buddy of mine works as a Creative Director at a local ad agency. He said that there are so many people who check his stuff, that there is no way that some thing like this could get by. When I showed it to him, he figured it was either intentionally racist or, as stated above, created and approved by exceptionally stupid people. I personally think it probably a combination of racism and stupidity. Of course, my basic philosophy is that most people are stupid, and it has rarely let me down.
That's some dumb shit!
My question is: By looking at this picture what does it have to do with a Children"s Hospital? My answer is NOTHING. Who at an ad agency came up with this concept to advertise a Children's Hospital. As they say a picture is worth a 1000 words and the words I am coming up with is surely not a Children's Hospital. I will stop my comments now if not I could go on and on.
Off-hand, I would first ask the question: "Is this Children's Hospital, in fact, located on Plantation Valley Drive?"If the answer is "No", then someone really screwed the pooch.If the answer is "Yes", then a much better way to utilize the address should have been found.If it was a question of inding a photograph-friendly setting, one should look into green-screen backgrounds. It makes more sense.
That's strange. This was my initial post (which glitched somehow)and it posted two minutes AFTER the one above.
There's a bug. After you post and the page redisplays, you still see the Add A Comment text box and the comment preview. Pop over to another article and back and you'll see it posted.
"What, was Coon Ave too far away? To much traffic on Jungle Bunny Road? Construction on Watermelon Lane?" Omigod, I'm still laughing. You are too, too funny, Michael. Especially about serious stuff.
Off-hand, I would ask if this children's hospital is, in fact, on Plantation Valley Drive.If the answer is YES, then someone should have put a more clever spin on the ad to utilize the address.If the answer is NO, someone screwed the pooch.
Good point-but if the Hospital is on Plantation Valley Drive, then the kid should NOT have been black. There is NO way to justify placing a young black kid in front of that sigh.
Sign! I meant sign! (sigh)
I agree. The location scouting and selection of central icon was obviously poorly done. As anyone in the comics field could tell you, the combination of your piece's central action/character and your background/setting is VITAL when putting forth your message.
My question is: What does this picture have to do with a Children's Hospital? My answer is NOTHING. If the saying is true that a picture is a 1000 words, what is this picture trying to say to me or others. It surely is not saying to me that this is an advertisement for a children's hospital. Never in a million years would I guess that this picture is an advertisement for a hospital. I am praying that this was just an oversight/stupidity by the ad agency. Stupidity is always easier to explain than racism.
Carmen,I guess the picture says this; if you are a black kid after you get out of the hospital you go back to work on the Plantation.
Well, don't get upset about Lynchburg in Virginia. It was named after the Lynch family.Michael, have you ever seen Joyce Scott's work? I went to the exhibit linked to the last name and spent some time with her. I think you'd like her art.
Hmph. The links still don't work. The first was:http://www.marylandartsource.org/artists/detail_0…and the second was:http://www.tfaoi.com/articles/anne/ae7.htm
Marilee,I will check her out. Thanks!
After looking, there is a Plantation Valley Drive near MD Anderson Children's Cancer Center in Houston. About 18 miles away. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geo…+1515+Holcombe+Blvd,+Houston,+TX+77030&daddr=plantati…You're also not the only one to notice this before. http://carlagirl.net/blog/2006/07/whats-wrong-wit…
18 Miles? They could not shoot the photo on Main Street?