Racist Intel Advertisement

[MaNuMaNiAc]

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/07/intelad.jpg


:lmao Who the fuck was the brains behind this advertising gem? :lol How on god's green earth does a juggernaut like Intel not realize the obvious problems with this picture?? Unbelievable...

[blizz]

no shit...those workers aren't even wearing proper business professional attire! fuckin intel!

[Xolotl]

Guess I'm just naive and/or stupid I don't see the offense in that lol

[NorCal510]

just because they are black doesn't mean it's racist

if the standing person was black and the kneeling peeps were white, you wouldn't call it racist.

think.

[NorCal510]

also, black people are more ripped than the average. why not use them?

[MannyIsGod]

Its a sprinter, he's now bowing.

[ALVAREZ6]

:lmao

[The sone]

kneel before zod!!

[Phil Hellmuth]

that ad screams of racism.

i mean come on, where is the sense of decency in this shit?

Anyone who says this isn't racist is simply saying that for arguments sake. At least admit it is in poor taste:

[jaffies]

Are these better???

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/2136/intelad3ty3.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/3300/intelad2yz6.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/4377/intelad6cm7.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/2200/intelad4an3.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/9434/intelad5jg2.jpg

just fucking with you norcal...you da man

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2905/intelad7la2.jpg

[MannyIsGod]

Speed = sprinters

Thats such a non racist ad.

[atxrocker]

:lol

[possessed]

Sprinters in starting blocks is racist? I don't mean to sound to racist, but most black sprinters would smoke a white sprinter.

[MrChug]

...you definitely wouldn't want 6 clones of this chzdik in sprinters' spandex would you?

[boutons_]

Blatantly racist, not even subtle.

Blacks "bowing" in their starting blocks, cubicle slaves, towards a standing white guy.

The ad agency and lots of Intel people saw and approved this ad. Many of them must have seen the blatant racist angle, but approved it anyway.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I don't immediately think that the guy who thought it up is racist, but I am a little suprised that this thing passed in front of who knows how many eyes before it was greenlighted and it seems no one said, "You know, some people might think..."

If I was Intel I would have put a stop to it because it looks like a stupid ad. Apparently this guy's only employee is a sprinter, and the power of Intel is such that he can now do the office work of six sprinters who are set to run into each other face first.

[BacktoBasics]

sprinter.....speed....speed = coke

oh shit that ad means all black people do drugs. Fucking racist.

[MrChug]

If all you see is skin color in that picture, you are a racist.

...all above racists noted. :fro

[CrazyOne]

Inside joke for the Filipinos here...

INUTEL INSIDE

[Spurminator]

This whole thing is funny. The ad is funny because the creators were so naive about how this could be interpreted. The reactions are funny because people are actually forcing themselves (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1895810&postcount=15) to be offended by an ad that nobody really believes was designed with racist intentions.

What's funnier (or sadder)... Intel's failure to PC-check this ad, or the fact that our society is so racially sensitive that Intel even needed to check it?


[cue swelling orchestra]

When are we going to get to a point when we judge based on intentions and not based on whether people might find an offensive interpretation?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

This whole thing is funny. The ad is funny because the creators were so naive about how this could be interpreted. The reactions are funny because people are actually forcing themselves (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1895810&postcount=15) to be offended by an ad that nobody really believes was designed with racist intentions.

What's funnier (or sadder)... Intel's failure to PC-check this ad, or the fact that our society is so racially sensitive that Intel even needed to check it?


[cue swelling orchestra]

When are we going to get to a point when we judge based on intentions and not based on whether people might find an offensive interpretation?

What he said.

[SpursWoman]

The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the picture was "divers".


*shrugs*


Then I went back and saw the tights, and saw they were sprinters. I can't believe how paranoid people are. :fro

[The sone]

looks like a "six poot salute!!!"

ready, aim, Phfffpt!

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I don't immediately think that the guy who thought it up is racist, but I am a little suprised that this thing passed in front of who knows how many eyes before it was greenlighted and it seems no one said, "You know, some people might think..."

If I was Intel I would have put a stop to it because it looks like a stupid ad. Apparently this guy's only employee is a sprinter, and the power of Intel is such that he can now do the office work of six sprinters who are set to run into each other face first.Thank you! this is what I'm saying. It doesn't matter what the guy that came up with this ad meant with the black sprinters and the standing white man, what matters is interpretation. How is it that noone saw this picture and went "wait a sec..." I don't think the guy that came up with the idea was being racist, but I sure as hell think he was being naive.

[Julian]

I Win!

[2Blonde]

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/07/intelad.jpg

I look at the ad and the first thing I think is how the hell did all these people look at his ad 6,000 times before it went to print and not notice the guy is off center in the ad. That's driving me nuts. It makes it look like the guy on the back right has his head up the bosses a$$. :lol But then, maybe that's why the boss has that stupid smirk on his face.

[ShoogarBear]

Maybe it wasn't meant to come out the way it did, but one thing you can say for sure:

Intel's ad people are 100% white.

[2Blonde]

Maybe it wasn't meant to come out the way it did, but one thing you can say for sure:

Intel's ad people are 100% white.

100% stupid, dense, oblivious white people! :rolleyes Kinda makes me want to get a tan. :spin

[1369]

Kinda makes me want to get a tan. :spin

Worthless without pics...

/Obligatory

[L.I.T]

Inside joke for the Filipinos here...

INUTEL INSIDE

:lol

[CosmicCowboy]

Intel’s intent of our ad titled “Multiply Computing Performance and Maximize the Power of Your Employees” was to convey the performance capabilities of our processors through the visual metaphor of a sprinter. We have used the visual of sprinters in the past successfully.

Unfortunately, our execution did not deliver our intended message and in fact proved to be insensitive and insulting. Upon recognizing this, we attempted to pull the ad from all publications but, unfortunately, we failed on one last media placement.

We are sorry and are working hard to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Nancy Bhagat Vice President, Director of Integrated Marketing

http://advertising.about.com/

[T Park]

you knew the PC police would come in and scream bloody murder.


non denominational religous figure bless america

[MannyIsGod]

Thank you! this is what I'm saying. It doesn't matter what the guy that came up with this ad meant with the black sprinters and the standing white man, what matters is interpretation. How is it that noone saw this picture and went "wait a sec..." I don't think the guy that came up with the idea was being racist, but I sure as hell think he was being naive.Because the person who reviewed it doesn't see people by race maybe? I mean that would be racist.

What a stupid threat.

[E20]

I think ManuManiac is saying that some people out there will see this ad as being racist, because you essentially have a couple of black people bowing down to a white guy and that's how some people are going to look at it.


Whatever. I don't really care.

[Spurminator]

MM seems to be arguing from the position of "Intel should have been more careful" and not "Intel is racist." I would agree... but the fact that they NEED to be more careful because of the lengths people will go to imply racism is kind of depressing.

[BacktoBasics]

Because the person who reviewed it doesn't see people by race maybe? How fucking aweful and insensitive for us to live in a society where people don't see others by race.

[ShoogarBear]

Because the person who reviewed it doesn't see people by race maybe? I mean that would be racist.

What a stupid threat.Yeah, I'm sure they just happened to use a black sprinter by chance.

I'm not saying that they intended to convey a racist message, but to imply the people who put together this ad were colorblind is laughable and disingenuous in the extreme.

Ad people are paid precisely because they consider the implications of every detail. The fact that they missed this one speaks to their lack of insight (and, more probably, lack of diversity), not to their racism.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

MM seems to be arguing from the position of "Intel should have been more careful" and not "Intel is racist." I would agree... but the fact that they NEED to be more careful because of the lengths people will go to imply racism is kind of depressing.
Precisely.

[thispego]

are'nt those sprinters just bald white guys with really good tans? there's not one thing wrong with that ad, I can find something racist in ANYTHING... sadly, others can & do, as well.

[BacktoBasics]

Yeah, I'm sure they just happened to use a black sprinter by chance.

I'm not saying that they intended to convey a racist message, but to imply the people who put together this ad were colorblind is laughable and disingenuous in the extreme.

Ad people are paid precisely because they consider the implications of every detail. The fact that they missed this one speaks to their lack of insight (and, more probably, lack of diversity), not to their racism.ooga booga we're all out to get you.

Everyone and everything is racist oh wait not racist is called lack of diversity now. Good job setting equal rights back. There will always be racism and reverse racism as long as people feel the need to be excessively PC when there is absolutely no reason to be.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Because the person who reviewed it doesn't see people by race maybe? I mean that would be racist.

What a stupid threat.
Threat? what threat? you lost me

as to the "colorblind publicist" angle... :lmao Yeah, that's why the sprinters are ALL black.

Look, I'm not saying Intel is racist, but you have to admit, with things the way they are in todays world, how is it they didn't realize people might consider the ad racist? Seriously!

Hell, not too long ago SONY had to pull their PSP ad because people thought it was racist, you'd think Intel would have gotten a clue.

I agree not everything is about race or color, and it shouldn't be, but when you're dealing with promoting a product aimed at a large, extremely diverse market, you at least have to cover all your bases... How the racism angle didn't seem to be one of them is beyond me :lol

[MaNuMaNiAc]

MM seems to be arguing from the position of "Intel should have been more careful" and not "Intel is racist." I would agree... but the fact that they NEED to be more careful because of the lengths people will go to imply racism is kind of depressing.:tu

[Shelly]

I wonder what the Sprinters thought about it?

[SpursWoman]

I wonder what the Sprinters thought about it?


I'm just pissed there was no women sprinters depicted. Marion Jones could whip all of their asses. Fucking chauvinist Intel. :spin

[timvp]

The most anal people in the world work for major ad agencies. Anyone who says the ad agency didn't know exactly what they were doing has never seen these people in action. Each inch of that ad was scrutinized for hours. They knew the exact literal meanings and the implied meanings to every aspect of the ad.

Personally, I don't find it overly racist but to say that the ad agency didn't know about that angle is laughable. If I had to guess what happened I'd guess that the ad agency took the target audience demographics for the ad and ran with it.

Plus, if you think that these types of ad agencies don't use every conscious and subconscious trick in the book, you are pretty naive on how it works. Nothing is off limits, especially race, gender and sex.

[Shelly]

I'm just pissed there was no women sprinters depicted. Marion Jones could whip all of their asses. Fucking chauvinist Intel. :spin

:lol

When I first glanced at the ad, I thought they were of Buddists kneeling.

[ShoogarBear]

The most anal people in the world work for major ad agencies. Anyone who says the ad agency didn't know exactly what they were doing has never seen these people in action. Each inch of that ad was scrutinized for hours. They knew the exact literal meanings and the implied meanings to every aspect of the ad.

Personally, I don't find it overly racist but to say that the ad agency didn't know about that angle is laughable. If I had to guess what happened I'd guess that the ad agency took the target audience demographics for the ad and ran with it.

Plus, if you think that these types of ad agencies don't use every conscious and subconscious trick in the book, you are pretty naive on how it works. Nothing is off limits, especially race, gender and sex.The part about these guys being anal is the same point I was trying to make.

However, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and envision a scenario where you have a bunch of people who, for whatever reason, completely missed the symbolism. There's plenty of examples of ads out there with sexual double-entendres that couldn't possible have been intended.

[Spurminator]

The most anal people in the world work for major ad agencies. Anyone who says the ad agency didn't know exactly what they were doing has never seen these people in action. Each inch of that ad was scrutinized for hours. They knew the exact literal meanings and the implied meanings to every aspect of the ad.

Personally, I don't find it overly racist but to say that the ad agency didn't know about that angle is laughable. If I had to guess what happened I'd guess that the ad agency took the target audience demographics for the ad and ran with it.

Plus, if you think that these types of ad agencies don't use every conscious and subconscious trick in the book, you are pretty naive on how it works. Nothing is off limits, especially race, gender and sex.

They really don't scrutinize print ads that much. Particularly B2B print.

It's not like they have 30 people at a roundtable for every print ad. Some newbie ad designer took a few stock photos and Photoshopped an ad together, showed his/her supervisor, and they showed the person at Intel in charge of reviewing print ads (who is probably paid less than $50K) and he/she checked for misspellings and approved it.

Far FAR more scrutiny goes into TV advertising.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

The part about these guys being anal is the same point I was trying to make.

However, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and envision a scenario where you have a bunch of people who, for whatever reason, completely missed the symbolism. There's plenty of examples of ads out there with sexual double-entendres that couldn't possible have been intended.

http://eliwallach.tripod.com/blog/andrewteman.JPG

[Phil Hellmuth]

For the people vigorously defending the ad, are you white? lol

[DirkAB]

as to the "colorblind publicist" angle... :lmao Yeah, that's why the sprinters are ALL black.



You must not get why they are all identical.

[SRJ]

This reminds me of those people who would find penises on the covers of Disney videos.

I guess if you're looking for it, you'll find it.

[xXx]

ooga booga we're all out to get you.

Everyone and everything is racist oh wait not racist is called lack of diversity now. Good job setting equal rights back. There will always be racism and reverse racism as long as people feel the need to be excessively PC when there is absolutely no reason to be.


'ooga booga shooga' would have made me laugh...you were oh so close...


















it's just a fucking ad.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

For the people vigorously defending the ad, are you white? lol

I don't know if I'm considered to be defending the ad vigorously, but to answer your question and associate it with my comment, I'm Hispanic.

[Avitus1]

kneel before zod!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Toxiclemonade/zodintel.jpg

[DirkAB]

For the people vigorously defending the ad, are you white? lol

Are white people's opinions not valid on the subject of racism? I sure don't see it that way.

[Xolotl]

Is it just me or are people very very sensitive nowadays when it comes to things.... for example an African woman is complaining that a video game (Resident Evil 5) has a white man killing people in Africa even though they are zombies. But, she sees it as a white man killing black people....I didn't even think of that angle like I said I guess I'm the naive one

[Avitus1]

Someone always will complain about something.

[Phil Hellmuth]

Are white people's opinions not valid on the subject of racism? I sure don't see it that way.

No, but it is indeed biased to some extent.

[FearDaDuncaN_SA]

What if they were women sprinters instead? Than what? Will feminists be upset?

[Guru of Nothing]

Intel’s intent of our ad titled “Multiply Computing Performance and Maximize the Power of Your Employees” was to convey the performance capabilities of our processors through the visual metaphor of a sprinter. We have used the visual of sprinters in the past successfully.

Unfortunately, our execution did not deliver our intended message and in fact proved to be insensitive and insulting. Upon recognizing this, we attempted to pull the ad from all publications but, unfortunately, we failed on one last media placement.

We are sorry and are working hard to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Nancy Bhagat Vice President, Director of Integrated Marketing

http://advertising.about.com/

Good thing they decided not to go with the rowing team metaphor.

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/07/intelad.jpg

[MannyIsGod]

No, but it is indeed biased to some extent.But minority opinions on racism are objective? The first mistake was classifying bias based on race. Kinda racicist actually.

[johngateswhiteley]

too funny...and who cares.

[conversekid]

ROFLOL!!! That is the funniest thing I've EVER seen!

[conversekid]

No, but it is indeed biased to some extent.

and a black or brown person's opinion is biased? Thus the knee jerk reaction and oversensitive nature of this thread and others like it? Worst than a bunch of girls pointing out the skinny girl at the party "Skinny bitch can eat all she wants and not get fat. If my throid wasn't fucked up, I'd be skinny too".

Puh lease ... stop being a whiny little girl. Maybe you should watch more Carlos Mencia?

[The Red Hood]

I Win!

Get out of here Zack or Cody or whichever one you are :lol

[MrChug]

Someone always will complain about something.

Post Of the Year




















...close the thread.

[The sone]

your mama's racist!

[TLWisfoine]

How fucking aweful and insensitive for us to live in a society where people don't see others by race.

What is it with you people and trying to assimilate people in your own culture and making people forget about theirs and losing their identity?

http://web.mit.edu/leonide/www/soul/pics/jamesbrown.jpg

[Bunz]

There is no such thing as reverse racism.

Power + prejudice = racism, and so if you don't have political power or economic power, you can't be racist.

[TLWisfoine]

^^^Thank You!!!

[Spurminator]

What is it with you people and trying to assimilate people in your own culture and making people forget about theirs and losing their identity?


What do you mean by "you people?"

[CuckingFunt]

There is no such thing as reverse racism.

Power + prejudice = racism, and so if you don't have political power or economic power, you can't be racist.I agree that there's no such thing as reverse racism, as racism has no directional implications.

However, you can absolutely be racist without political or economic power, you just won't be able to effectively hold back or oppress the group(s) on the receiving end of your prejudice. Black folks who arbitrarily hate all white people are no less racist than the white folks that made them sit at the back of the bus, for example.

[Bunz]

I agree that there's no such thing as reverse racism, as racism has no directional implications.

However, you can absolutely be racist without political or economic power, you just won't be able to effectively hold back or oppress the group(s) on the receiving end of your prejudice. Black folks who arbitrarily hate all white people are no less racist than the white folks that made them sit at the back of the bus, for example.

WRONG. They're just bitter.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

WRONG. They're just bitter.right, and white racists are just ignorant... what's your point? Racism is racism

[Bunz]

right, and white racists are just ignorant... what's your point? Racism is racism

Racists are scared of minorities taking their power.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Racists are scared of minorities taking their power.bullshit, racism has many roots. Fear is not the only one. My point is black racism is the same as white racism. Its all bullshit.

[Bunz]

Well thats just your opinion.

And mine is that minorities have been shit on and until we have a Black president, Black CEOs, end the education gap, and get Black men out of prison... white people are still ruling.

You can't be racist against someone if you hold no power over their head. You can be rightly prejudiced though

[Fillmoe_]

and this whole time i thought all bunz did was quote songs..... i didn't know he actually had an opinion, a valid one at that.

[CuckingFunt]

Well thats just your opinion.

And mine is that minorities have been shit on and until we have a Black president, Black CEOs, end the education gap, and get Black men out of prison... white people are still ruling.

You can't be racist against someone if you hold no power over their head. You can be rightly prejudiced thoughI don't think you can ever be rightly prejudiced, but that's just my opinion.

But, as I said earlier, "racism" as a term makes no implications of power or of oppression. Black people hating/resenting/not trusting ALL white people without knowing their specific family history is every bit as ignorant and racist as any other example of prejudice. There are also countless examples of racism that involve neither white nor black people.