Monday, August 23, 2010

7894: Mad Men Mention.


The latest episode of AMC series Mad Men addressed racial bias.

During a meeting to discuss pitching the Honda motorcycle account, Roger Sterling sought to the squelch the opportunity and expressed anti-Japanese sentiments. (However, it should be noted that Roger’s ignorance was both denounced by his partners and romanticized/excused as the rants of an angry war veteran. Once again, creator Matthew Weiner pulls his punches when examining racism.)

Later, Don Draper took a girlfriend to a Benihana-style restaurant.

When the Honda executives visited with agency leaders, Roger continued to spew offensive sentiments—directly at the potential client. Yet the agency was still invited to pitch the business.

Which demonstrates the phenomenon that continues today, whereby culturally clueless White agencies are awarded multicultural accounts.

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