14001: Soundproof Scampaign.

JANRISE in India is responsible for this Urka campaign selling soundproof windows. The creative team should be thrown out the nearest window. Loudly.

13666: Printing Scam Ads…?

Is India becoming the next Brazil, in terms of generating scam-like ads? Why would a local printer see value in producing a campaign featuring Hitler?

13220: Accidental Racist, Accidental Truth…?

If you buy into the thinking behind this Twitter scam ad from Creative Circus, you could also argue that unconscious bias is still bias—and the advertising agencies and companies using unconscious bias to excuse discriminatory practices are simply full of shit.

13150: Mein Krap.

Adweek reported on a campaign by Ogilvy Berlin that countered the republishing of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf with the publication of “Mein Kampf gegen Rechts”—which translates to “My Struggle Against Racism.” Um, White advertising agencies should contemplate their own struggle with racism by looking in the mirror. Or looking in their hallways. Then again, Ogilvy Berlin is part of the WPP network, perhaps the most diverse example of diversity of any single organisation.

Ad of the Day: How Ogilvy Berlin Fought Back After the Republishing of Hitler’s Mein Kampf

Agency makes a competing book to combat resurgent racism amid refugee crisis

By David Gianatasio

Adolf Hitler’s notorious autobiography/fascist screed Mein Kampf (translation, My Struggle) was published in Germany this year for this first time since 1945—after the Bavarian government’s copyright expired.

Predictably, its appearance caused much Sturm und Drang. It also generated a powerful response from the Berlin office of Ogilvy & Mather, which produced a competing book, Mein Kampf gegen Rechts (My Struggle Against Racism), in an effort to combat right-wing extremism and intolerance.

Ogilvy’s effort spotlights 11 diverse individuals who have fought against xenophobia and injustice. They include concentration camp survivor Mosche Dagan, former Afghan refugee Wana Limar (now a host at MTV) and Irmela Mensah-Schramm, who has dedicated her life to removing Nazi graffiti wherever she finds it.

The latter, a white-haired granny, cuts an especially memorable figure in the project video below, proclaiming “I want to destroy hate” while brandishing a spray-paint can in one hand and a brush in the other.

It’s sobering to consider that Mensah-Schramm has removed more than 100,000 images of Nazi slogans and hate propaganda in the past 30 years, a fact that underscores the need for more ammunition in the struggle against bigotry and ignorance.

“Due to the immigration of refugees, we are facing in Germany a growing right-wing extremism and an open everyday racism,” Tim Stuebane, executive creative director at Ogilvy Berlin and leader of the book project, tells Adweek. “In the last election, a new right-wing party shot from 0 to 24 percent. All this is very painful to see. We had to do something against it, but what? Then we learned that Hitler’s Mein Kampf would be republished. We thought—absolutely the wrong signal at this point of time.”

The project seeks to “reclaim the conception of the words Mein Kampf from the Nazis [and] create a spectacular trigger for PR and social media to talk about the current situation of society in Germany” and elsewhere, Stuebane says.

Those missions have been largely accomplished. Clearly, Ogilvy’s book touched a nerve in Germany. The first printing of 11,000 volumes nearly sold out, with 1 euro from every sale supporting Gesicht Zeigen, a nonprofit group that fights for social justice. Copious media coverage has spurred a broader conversation, which Ogilvy hopes will turn Mein Kampf gegen Rechts into Unser Kampf gegen Rechts (Our Struggle Against Racism).

Stuebane calls on people working in media to join the cause. Their power to inform and shape public opinion, he says, could prove invaluable. “Imagine doctors watching an accident, doing nothing,” he says. “That’s [the same thing as] communication professionals [silently] watching the rise of right-wing populism. It’s our duty to do something against it.”

Indeed, there’s an urgent need for more voices of sanity to rise up and drown out the din of fearmongering that rings louder than ever these days.

Seven decades after Hitler’s demise and the defeat of the Nazis, the struggle continues.

11972: Rejecting Organ Transplants.

Would people really want an organ from Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden? Really?

From Ads of the World.

11721: Retouching The Third Reich.

Did you hear the one about the Polish retoucher…?

From Ads of the World.

10844: At A Floss For Words.

This campaign from Guatemala goes a tad overboard to sell dental floss.

From Ads of the World.

10771: Biological Warfare…?

Yet another campaign from abroad that shows pharma advertising sucks worldwide.

From Ads of the World.

10702: Hitler-And-Run.

Villains deserve to be run down by cars…?

From Ads of the World.

10112: For Laundry Nazis…?

This Comfort Fabric Conditioner campaign from India shows the country’s peculiar fascination with Hitler. The juxtaposition between the Nazi leader and Gandhi (?), however, doesn’t quite match the companion ads. Considering the 2006 controversy involving the Hitler’s Cross restaurant, perhaps the lower body should have been Ronald McDonald.

From Ads of the World.

9926: Hitler Hawks Haircare.

From The New York Post…

Turkish shampoo ad featuring Hitler sparks outrage

By AFP/NEWSCORE

ANKARA, Turkey—A Turkish shampoo commercial featuring Adolf Hitler has drawn outrage from Jewish groups worldwide and calls for it to be withdrawn immediately.

“It’s totally unacceptable to make use of Hitler, the most striking example of cruelty and savagery,” the Turkish Jewish Community said in a statement, blasting the 12-second ad that has been airing since last week.

The commercial for Biomen, a men’s shampoo, shows a gesticulating Hitler delivering an enthusiastic speech, urging male customers to buy the product that is “a 100 percent male shampoo.”

“If you are not wearing a woman’s dress, you should not use her shampoo either,” he says.

Jewish organizations in Turkey have asked the advertising agency to pull the commercial.

On an international level, the United States-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which fights anti-semitism, said it was “repulsed.”

Using Hitler, “who was responsible for the mass murder of six million Jews and millions of others in the Holocaust to sell shampoo is a disgusting and deplorable marketing ploy,” said Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the ADL and a Holocaust survivor, in a statement.

“It is an insult to the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, those who survived, and those who fought to defeat the Nazis.”

7271: Ringing Registers.

Running the total news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The New York Post reported 50 Cent won his lawsuit against Taco Bell for using his name in a promotion without permission. It’s safe to say the artist will receive considerably more than 50 cents.

• A City Council committee in Los Angeles will discuss the $3.2 million spent for the Michael Jackson memorial, with some officials calling for a reimbursement from the event organizer. Too bad Taco Bell didn’t mention Jacko in a taco promotion.

• An unidentified Russian billionaire has allegedly purchased a Mercedes-Benz owned by Adolf Hitler for up to $15 million. He should have held out for a Black Friday deal.

6286: Comedic Recalls.

Foreign affairs in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Jewish groups blasted a Belgian public broadcaster for airing a show featuring a comedian joking about the persecution of Jews and the Holocaust. It was actually the third time in two months that Jewish groups protested against the broadcaster for its apparent insensitivity. Last October, the broadcaster scrapped a show about Adolf Hitler’s supposed favorite dish in a series on famous people’s favorite foods. In the latest scenario, a comedian criticized Jews in Belgium for overreacting to the Hitler food show. “What are they going to do if there is a big gas leak in Antwerp?” asked the comedian, in reference to the Belgian port city, which has a large Jewish community. “Take the city to court for provocation? Preemptively file charges against anyone who dares joke about that?” The comic also insisted the Holocaust could not occur again because “Jews are much smarter now. … They have spread across the world. Try rounding them up! Most are in America so you cannot send them by train to Germany” to die in gas chambers. Um, Belgium is clearly not known for its comedy. Or tolerance.

• Toyota recalled over 120,000 vehicles in China, citing a steering defect as the cause. Looks like the Big 3 aren’t the only automakers veering out of control.

6262: Happy Belated Birthday, Mein Führer!

Having cake and eating it too in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Controversy erupted when a New Jersey ShopRite refused to customize a birthday cake with a two-year-old kid’s name. The name? Adolf Hitler Campbell. The child’s father, an admitted Nazi fan, argues his son is being subjected to discrimination. “I think people need to take their heads out of the cloud they’ve been in and start focusing on the future and not on the past,” said the father. “There’s a new president and he says it’s time for a change. Well, then it’s time for a change. They need to accept a name. A name’s a name. The kid isn’t going to grow up and do what [Hitler] did.” Forget the cake. Somebody needs to shove a pie in dad’s face.

• Newly released census data shows the number of two-parent Black families continues to grow, currently at about 40 percent. The increase may be partly attributed to an expanding Black middle class. No word regarding the number of Black parents naming their children Adolf Hitler.

• Cooper Tire & Rubber Company announced plans to close a factory in Georgia, cutting 1,400 workers. Executives should expect to get their tires slashed in the company parking lot.

5943: Headlines And Heads.

Figures rising and falling in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Hitler is back. The wax figure from the Madame Tussaud’s museum in Berlin has returned rebuilt after a visitor tore its head off two months ago. Maybe the museum should hire neo-Nazis as added security.

• Alaska Airlines plans to cut up to 10 percent of its workforce and trim capacity by 8 percent. Airline officials stated the actions were in response to “the one-two punch of record oil prices and a softening economy, on top of increased competition.” Guess they’re not expecting Sarah Palin’s rise to boost tourism to the state.

5854: Going For The Gold—And Golden Arches.

Sunday Morning News in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team won gold medals by beating Spain 118-107. No word how the team from Spain—who sparked controversy with their slit-eyed tribute—will salute the U.S. champs.

• Alabama is going after fat state workers, mandating they must get fit within a year or else they’ll be charged $25 per month for health insurance that’s currently free. No word if the workers will be permitted to pay the amount with McDonald’s gift certificates.

• Madonna’s latest tour features a video presenting John McCain alongside images of Hitler. Not sure how many homes or bunkers Hitler owned.

5660: Headlines And Heads.

Heading through the news with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A visitor to the new Madame Tussauds wax museum in Berlin tried to take home a souvenir—the head of the Hitler figure on display. The guy managed to rip the head off, allegedly to protest the exhibit. The headhunter was apprehended and charged, so don’t expect the head to pop up on eBay. Wonder if the museum will hire neo-Nazis to serve as security.

• The family of baseball legend Babe Ruth is seeking to have the star’s No. 3 permanently retired across Major League Baseball, and they’re pointing to Ruth’s humanitarian efforts for support. The family claims Ruth was a civil rights activist, barnstorming with Negro League players during the off-season. Additionally, Ruth signed a famous letter in 1942 denouncing Hitler and the slaughter of Jews. Maybe someone should redesign the Madame Tussauds exhibit to portray the Babe knocking off Hitler’s head with a baseball bat.

• Ashley Dupré, the call girl behind the infamous incident involving ex-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, dropped her $10 million lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis. Dupré was seeking compensation for Francis’ use of footage that featured her. Francis declared he feels “vindicated” and added, “I’m having a terrific July Fourth.” Dupré probably realized hookers rarely succeed in conflicts with pimps.

• Gay and lesbian marchers in Budapest, Hungary, were pelted with eggs, bottles and rocks by dozens of protestors. Cops used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protestors, who also hurled Molotov cocktails and set a police van on fire. Ironically, the event was titled, “Dignity March.”

• Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon title and seventh Grand Slam championship after beating sister Serena Williams. Venus Williams is the 10th woman to win five Wimbledon singles titles and only the third in the 40-year history of the Open era after Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf.

5601: Quick Hits And Hitler.

Bumping and grinding in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Why does everyone think it’s so cool and amusing to fist bump with the Obamas?

• ESPN columnist Jemele Hill sparked controversy—and landed a suspension—for using a Hitler reference in a recent perspective. Hill wrote that rooting “for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim. It’s like hoping Gorbachev would get to the blinking red button before Reagan.” ESPN responded by stating, “Both Jemele and ESPN.com apologize. The column, as originally posted, made some absolutely unacceptable comparisons. We’ve spoken with Jemele, and she understands that she exercised poor judgment. She’s been relieved of her responsibilities for a period of time to reflect on the impact of her words. Within hours of its posting on Saturday evening, the inappropriate references were removed from the site, but our system of checks and balances failed Jemele and our readers and we are addressing that as well.” Additionally, Hill issued an apology that read, “I deeply regret the comment I made in a column Saturday. In expressing my passion for the NBA and my hometown of Detroit I showed very poor judgment in the words that I used. I pride myself on an understanding of, and appreciation for, diversity—and there is no excuse for the appalling lack of sensitivity in my comments. It in no way reflects the person I am. I apologize to all of my readers and I thank them for holding me accountable. This has been an important lesson for me and illustrates that, like many people, I still have a lot of growing and learning to do.” The semi-ironic part is that Hill was pretty vocal when shock jock Don Imus made his infamous comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

5154: Say What?

Offensive remarks in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Will Smith wound up suing and beating an entertainment newswire service in London for creating the drama surrounding remarks the star made in reference to Adolf Hitler. The newswire service apologized and paid an undisclosed amount of money to be donated to a charity. After the mess originally broke, the newswire service had retracted the story and issued a correction and apology; however, Smith’s lawyer argued no one picked up the responses. A lawyer for the newswire service said, “[The newswire service] offers its apologies to [Smith] for any distress and embarrassment caused by this article. [It] accepts that the allegations concerning [him] were misleading and published in error.” Maybe Smith was actually discussing Hitch, not Hitler.

• IKEA is taking heat from Denmark, as officials are accusing the furniture company of naming products of lesser value with Danish titles. “It seems to be an example of cultural imperialism,” noted a Danish scholar. “IKEA has chosen the objects with the lowest value and given them Danish names.” IKEA officials are probably tossing Denmark’s complaints into a cheap Danish waste bucket.

• Lowe’s is pulling its advertising from CBS reality series Big Brother after a contestant referred to people with autism as “retards.” CBS issued the stereotypical disclaimer that read, “Big Brother is a reality show about watching a group of people who have no privacy 24/7 -- and seeing every moment of their lives. At times, the Houseguests reveal prejudices and other beliefs that we do not condone. Any views or opinions expressed in personal commentary by a Houseguest appearing on Big Brother, either on any live feed from the House or the broadcast, are those of the individual(s) speaking and do not represent the views or opinions of CBS or the producers of the program.” Now that’s a pretty retarded response.

Essay 4903

Evading controversy with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Wesley Snipes’ tax-evasion trial will take place next month in Ocala, despite the actor’s attempts to evade the Florida city. Snipes and his lawyers argued racism would prevent a fair trial, while federal prosecutors previously stated the arguments had “no basis in reality.” You be the judge. (Thanks to Jetpacks for the Ocala story.)

• At least one Jewish group is backing off from criticizing Will Smith for his Hitler remark (see Essay 4892). The national director of the US Anti-Defamation League said, “We welcome and accept Will Smith’s statement that Hitler was a ‘vicious killer’ and that he did not mean for his remarks about the Nazi leader to be mistaken as praise.” It’s just as well, given that the boycott of Smith’s latest flick doesn’t appear to be working.