Not too sure about this commercial from Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg. A young Black girl moves to Bangkok, and her classmates give her a “taste of home” by taking her to KFC for fried chicken. Really?
Friday, February 21, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
11758: Peezza Hut.
Pizza Hut ‘embarrassed’ over peeing video
By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY
Here’s an extra special ingredient that no one wants on their pizza: pee.
But one Pizza Hut in Kermit, West Va., seems to have come a bit too close to almost serving up a taste of that.
Red-faced Pizza Hut officials are fumbling to explain the video of a Pizza Hut district manager — make that, former district manager — who local TV station WOWK-TV caught urinating in the very same sink that the store also uses to wash utensils.
And, no, the manager was not removing an extra-tough stain. In the video, the former manager actually undoes his pants and relieves himself.
“First of all, we are embarrassed by the actions of this individual,” says Pizza Hut, in a statement. “Pizza Hut has zero tolerance for violations of our operating standards, and the local owner of the restaurant took immediate action and terminated the employee involved.”
The incident, which occurred during non-business hours, did not include any food tampering, says Pizza Hut in its statement. “We follow strict safety and handling procedures and the restaurant has since been closed. We apologize to our customers of Kermit, West Virginia, and those in our system who have been let down by this situation.”
To be sure, fast-food employees doing gross things at work is hardly unique to Pizza Hut. Back in 2009, a video went viral of a Domino’s employee picking his nose and placing his findings in the food he’s making. Last year, a video also went viral of a Taco Bell employee licking a long stack of taco shells. That was quickly followed by a viral image of a Wendy’s employee drinking directly out of a Frosty machine. Is this silly-but-sick stuff contagious in the fast-food world?”
No, says public relations guru Peter Himler. “It may be that local media tends to gravitate to this kind of sensationalistic story involving big-named fast food establishments,” he says. Even then, he adds, Pizza Hut needs “to make a forceful case that this is an isolated incident that does not reflect on the company’s culture or workplace procedures.”
The store was closed on Tuesday and will not reopen until it has been completely sanitized and received a clean bill of health from the health department, says spokesman Doug Terfehr.
But like all of the other fast-food incidents, this one, too, will quickly fade, says Himler. “I doubt this will have a long-term negative affect on Pizza Hut’s reputation,” he says. “Blaring headlines today usually fade quickly into the rear view mirror by tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, some folks in Kermit have to be wondering, the next time they order from the local Pizza Hut, do they have to remind whoever answers to phone to, well, hold the pee?
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
11756: Hot Pockets Unfit For Humans.
From USA TODAY reported on the recall of certain Hot Pockets containing beef deemed unfit for human consumption. Um, is this really surprising?
Nestle recalls two kinds of Hot Pockets
By Jolie Lee, USA TODAY Network
Nestle voluntarily recalled two of its Hot Pocket products as part of a larger meat recall, according to a company press release Tuesday.
The food company recalled its “Philly Steak and Cheese” and “Croissant Crust Philly Steak and Cheese” Hot Pockets in specific sizes.
These products may have been affected by a recall by Rancho Feeding Corp. last week of 8.7 million pounds of beef product.
Regulators said the company processed “diseased and unsound animals” without a full federal inspection, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA says the products were unfit for human consumption.
No illnesses have been reported.
The recalled Hot Pockets were distributed nationwide, according to the Nestle release. The company said “a small quantity of meat” from Rancho was used at a California production facility that makes Hot Pockets.
Nestle’s press release lists specific batch sizes being recalled. Customers who bought the recalled Hot Pockets can get a refund by contacting Nestle Consumer Services at 800-392-4057.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
11754: BHM 2014—Walmart.
Walmart covers Black History Month and Supplier Diversity with one lame ad.
11753: Stoute Hires New Leaders.
Steve Stoute Adds New Leaders to Translation
Fills the roles of president, creative chief
By Andrew McMains
Steve Stoute is restocking his leadership ranks at Translation with veterans of the agency and marketer worlds.
Joining as president is Nils Peyron, a former account leader at McCann Erickson and Ogilvy & Mather who most recently was chief marketing officer at Toms shoes. Peyron fills a vacancy left by the November 2012 exit of Leeann Leahy.
John Norman, meanwhile, is coming aboard as partner and chief creative officer. In the creative role, Norman, who has been CCO of TBWA\C\D in Playa del Rey, Calif. since August 2012 [see related story here], succeeds Chris Cereda, who left Translation in the spring of 2013.
Norman and Peyron become part of a management team that includes chief strategy officer John Greene and Stoute, the founder and CEO. The New York-based agency works for the likes of State Farm, Anheuser-Busch InBev, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.
Reflecting on his new leaders, Stoute said, in a statement, that “John and Nils get what we are: a nimble, innovative partner to companies who want to update or overhaul their brands without losing the essence of who they are.”
Stoute added that “with my business acumen, John’s creative talent and Nils’ management style, we will build a world-class creative agency unlike anything this industry has ever seen.”
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
11748: The Backpack Black Hole.
The Backpack Black Hole is something even Stephen Hawking would support. You should too. Donate today.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
11746: The RaceMan Cometh.
Just in time for Black History Month, RaceMan Answers by Lowell Thompson will soon be available as an eBook. Pre-order your copy today.
Monday, February 10, 2014
11745: BHM 2014—Uncle Ben’s.
Did the Food and Drug Administration really have to wait until Black History Month to recall Uncle Ben’s products? Who’s next? Aunt Jemima? Rastus?
Sunday, February 09, 2014
Saturday, February 08, 2014
Friday, February 07, 2014
Thursday, February 06, 2014
11740: Kill The Crazy Ones.
Didn’t bother watching the latest episode of CBS series The Crazy Ones, but will review it anyways. The website synopsis read, “A woman asks Simon (Robin Williams) to eulogize her deceased father, a jingle writer who was not a well-liked man…” Classy. Based on the online photos, the show allowed for the integration of a gospel choir for the second time this season. Wish someone would kill the series already.
11739: BHM 2014—Lunch Menu.
NBC Bay Area News reported a high school sought to celebrate Black History Month with a lunch menu featuring fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon. No word if Annie the Chicken Queen was scheduled to make an appearance too.
Controversy Surrounds Lunch Menu at Concord High School
By Cheryl Hurd
Administrators at a Northern California private school are facing tough questions and offering a big apology after a menu controversy.
Students at Carondelet High School for Girls in Concord wanted to come up with ways to celebrate Black History Month in a lunchtime celebration. But when the Christian school announced a lunch of fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon, students and parents were outraged and offended.
The principal and dean of the school refused to talk to NBC Bay Area on Wednesday, but school officials held an assembly on campus to discuss the issue and sent an apology letter to parents.
“I’d like to apologize for the announcement and any hurt this caused students, parents or community members,” Principal Nancy Libby said in the letter. “Please know that at no time at Carondelet do we wish to perpetrate racial stereotypes.”
University of San Francisco professor James Taylor said he can see why some students and teachers would be offended, even though the lunch may have been well-intentioned.
“Chicken, watermelon, collard greens — these stereotypes of black Southern culture that come from the same place where the N-word comes from,” he said.
Ruth Wilson, chair of the African-American Studies Department at San Jose State University, said the food isn’t offensive, per se — in fact, fried chicken is an American mainstay, thanks in large part to Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Colonel Sanders.
The reason this particular meal sparks bad feelings, she said, is because blackface-era cartoons and plays showed African-Americans eating these foods in ugly caricature depictions.
The school community could have prevented this, she said, by reaching out to the key stakeholders — black students and parents — and asked them what they think was appropriate. In Silicon Valley, she added, many blacks are not even from the United States, but from around the world and may have enjoyed another cultural dish.
Several students told NBC Bay Area that Libby talked to members of the Black Student Union on campus, and the students suggested that the watermelon be taken off the menu.
Libby agreed to make that change, they said. She also said in a letter to the school community that they will remove fried chicken and cornbread from the menu.
In addition, the campus plans to hold a diversity assembly for faculty and students, Libby said in the letter.
NBC Bay Area’s Lisa Fernandez and Gonzalo Rojas contributed to this report.
11738: Amazingly Stupid Gracie.
By now it’s no news that Cheerios reunited its interracial/biracial family via a pool-out commercial which ran during the Super Bowl. Don’t mean to be a hater; however, MultiCultClassics has already expressed annoyance over the original spot. The fresh installment deserves even greater derision.
For starters, is Saatchi & Saatchi—the White advertising agency behind the campaign—afraid to depict Caucasian mom and Black pops as a loving couple? The two have yet to been seen together physically interacting at all. If they really want to inform Gracie about her soon-to-arrive baby brother, why isn’t Caucasian mom actively participating in the joyous announcement?
Second, the first commercial featured a marketing objective—presenting the cereal’s heart-healthy benefits—and used the unique household for added attention value. The 3.5 family members serve as the sole distraction device in the latest spot. They are pure and patronizing borrowed interest.
Third, generating hype for the commercial appears to be more important than gaining awareness for Cheerios. Are General Mills executives truly qualified to position themselves as social scientists and liberal activists? Yo, they’re selling processed foodstuff.
Finally, the first spot showed the cereal poured upon Black pops’ chest, while the new spot has Cheerios being used to symbolize the family. Um, does anyone in the home actually eat the fucking shit?
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
Monday, February 03, 2014
11733: BHM 2014—Vanity Fair.
Okay, it’s technically not saluting Black History Month, but given the snubs of the past, this new Vanity Fair cover is cause for celebration.
11732: The Crazy Ones Is 0% Funny.
The latest installment of CBS series The Crazy Ones pitted old school creative against new quantifiable data. The result was quantifiably the shittiest episode yet.
Sunday, February 02, 2014
11731: BHM 2014—NBA.
The NBA encourages us to Dream Big for Black History Month. Kinda wish someone had dreamed bigger with the commercial concept.
Saturday, February 01, 2014
11729: Zimmerman Versus WTF.
George Zimmerman Will Be Participating in a Celebrity Boxing Match
By Josh Feldman
George Zimmerman is back the news, and this time, it’s not for his brushes with the law or his artwork. No, Zimmerman will be participating in a celebrity boxing match for charity, TMZ first reported yesterday. Zimmerman’s participation was confirmed to ABC Action News, for a match that will take place on March 1st. Zimmerman will donate all his earnings from the match to charity.
The promoter of the event reportedly told TMZ, “We’re not looking at it as a race thing … We haven’t discussed purple, yellow, white, black.”
All this just begs the question: who should Zimmerman’s opponent be? Well, one person who wants a shot at taking a shot at Zimmerman is rapper The Game, who told TMZ he would “beat the f*ck out of” Zimmerman if given the chance, because, as he said, “I would not be boxing for me. I’d be boxing for the legacy of Trayvon Martin and for his family.”
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