Intel Sprinter Ad

[HJ-Navarre]

So, I was leafing through my latest issue of PC Gamer (October 2007) this morning, when I saw an ad by Intel.

Notice anything peculiar?

"Don’t see it? Really? Cause it seriously looks like a bunch of African Americans in an office bowing in submission to the white devil - I mean boss. And every black man is a carbon copy of the others, because after all, “it’s tough to tell them apart.” Reading some of the text doesn’t make things any better: this “40% more performance” is a little bit lower of a deal than the 3/5’s Rule… and all this in the 21st century, where racial equality is a paragon we try to hold ourselves to."

I wondered if anyone else noticed anything so I Googled it. Sure enough, others have noticed and Intel has already issued an official apology.


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

It is a lousy ad anyway. :|

 

[Khemenlith]

Wow... now that is subtle advertising. Even if it wasn't intentional they gotta think more before creating something like that.

 

[Sherri_CinVin]

The bad part is if you hadn't pointed it out to me I never would have noticed it
I guess I just didn't think about the picture and what was in it. I just read what was up behind him them moved down the picture to read what it had to say.
I'm bad

 

[Homeslice513]

The bad part is if you hadn't pointed it out to me I never would have noticed it
I guess I just didn't think about the picture and what was in it. I just read what was up behind him them moved down the picture to read what it had to say.
I'm bad

Actually I was the same way and personally find the issue in people that see things that way.

I guess I don't really see in colors and just see people as people.

 

[HJ-Onilink]

At first glance, I didn't think of racism, I saw sprinters.
Then again, the copy paste layering of the same sprinter was half-ass. The sprinters should have been mixed with both male and female.
Now that I read this topic, I can understand where the racism remark is coming from.
I'd rather just give Intel the benefit of the doubt and blame marketing for letting an incomplete ad be published.

 

[Azdel]

I have to say, I really love those last couple posts! Usually, just the mention of racism is enough to get the world up in arms. An accusation is made and people immediately (and ironically) judge without consideration. They don't stop to think that maybe there could be another explanation. It's nice to see that there are still logical, thoughtful people in the world.

 

[Nefermore]

I saw the bowing part right off and got that... but the color I didnt see until I read your comments. Maybe because I dont tend to look at people in terms of color. But yes thats ... er interesting and knowing advertising a little bit from my old add art days in jr college before I migrated to fine art, I would say yes its intentional. They pretty much do any symbolic suggestion on purpose. Perhaps intel needs to re-evaluate its target audience? Is this who they think is buying their stuff?

Looks like the person doing it took a single image of a racer and merged the layer with the desk then copied and layered it multiple times in photoshop.

 

[HJ-Pinnelipe]

I think what a company should do is post up a picture of their ad on a bulletin board first, a really large one with nothing else on it. Then, leave the employees to tac up comments onto it about the ad for about a week before it is released to the public.

I didn't catch it either, but I'm sure someone in the company would have if this were done. Different people view things in different ways and anything can be taken wrongly if looked at from the right direction.

 

[Gate]

I have too much political/social policy education to not realize the implications from the moment I saw the picture. That said, it was the analytical part of me that realized it and not the emotive part. I sort of took notice and went "oops, geez I can't believe they made a mistake like that" instead of thinking it was intentional racism on anyone's part.

 

[WatchMaker]

Intel has in no way any reason for racist advertising, so it's very clear it's just an accident. I don't even see an apology for it, myself, but I'm not black.