Anti British senitiments exposed on The Apprentice

sparkling sea

I was disappointed at the backward step in the form of a racist statement made by an Appleby representative and resounded by Bill Cullen on the Apprentice show this evening.
The fact that this person nor Bill Cullen didn't even have enough cope on to
disguise their racist attitude is even more bewildering. The fact that both TV3 and Renault endorsed this by choosing not to edit this out is to me mind blowing.

Its one thing to announce on live TV that as a company, Appleby's would
prefer to have an Irish accent on an advert (even if the intention is
covertly racist) but to announce that as a company they overtly did not want a British voice was stupid.

It brings back of the no blacks, no dogs and no Irish attitude that existed in Britain in the 1950's - it was wrong 50 years ago and is completely unacceptable in 2009.

Appleby's as a company definitely sent a clear message, they have underlining issues, Bill Cullen and Renault further perpetuated this view.
And TV3 endorsed this.

I know we are in a recession but we don't need this old chestnut rearing its ugly head again :mad:

asdasd

Whats wrong with that? Would you even notice if on the British apprentice one of the teams used an American accent, but was expected to use a British accent instead.

Its common to fit the accent to the country in advertising.

EDIT

It brings back of the no blacks, no dogs and no Irish attitude that existed in Britain in the 1950's - it was wrong 50 years ago and is completely unacceptable in 2009.

You. Are. Cracking. Me. Up.

MagicMarker

Most voice overs on the radio sound British and/or American to me anyway.

thebman

Not wanting a British accent in an Irish tv ad would be because you want to appeal to the market which is Irish not British not racism.

Unless I misunderstand, didn't see it.

mikemac

thebman wrote: »

Not wanting a British accent in an Irish tv ad would be because you want to appeal to the market which is Irish not British not racism.

I agree, nothing wrong with it. Called localization in marketing speak!
If you want to show the same ad in the UK you can dub it with a British accent. And dubbing doesn't always work so just reshoot it with British actors.


Next thing you'll be telling me it's racist that Irish actors aren't on South African or Australian TV adverts

amacachi

sparkling sea

MagicMarker wrote: »

Most voice overs on the radio sound British and/or American to me anyway.

Have a closer listen

sparkling sea

mikemac wrote: »

I agree, nothing wrong with it. Called localization in marketing speak!
If you want to show the same ad in the UK you can dub it with a British accent. And dubbing doesn't always work so just reshoot it with British actors.


Next thing you'll be telling me it's racist that Irish actors aren't on South African or Australian TV adverts

What you are effectively saying is the you cannot have a British person advertising on Irish TV or Radio, unless they are imported agency ads.

That would explain alot, I thought it was just the media that allowed for this attitude, but marketing agencies support it - go figure

Further although this sentiment may exist in Ireland, its one of the only countries that I can think of where you would get away with saying it in the context it was said this evening - especially in front of an English person. But I suppose if your racist you can justify it. Racists usually can

mcmoustache

There's nothing racist there. They're just targeting their ads to their customer base. Happens all the time. Have you ever noticed that it's always the same few Irish voices on most ads on the radio? It happens because we, as consumers, react positively to people "like us" and are more likely to buy what's on offer. It's cold hard business but it's certainly not racism.

You seem to be a bit confused about what racism is and what it isn't so I'll provide some examples:

"Go home, you potato-picking paddy, Paddy!". Yes, that's pretty racist unless of course you're talking about a potato-picker called Paddy who had too much to drink and vomited on the baby. Confused? Don't be. It's obvious.

I've just noticed that this isn't AH so there'll be no more examples. I suggest you read up on racism and stop seeing it where there is none.

I'm outta here and back to AH where I belong.

Hissing Sideban

Most Irish people really don't get the fact that this sort of comment is offensive.

If the situation was totally reversed - UK apprentice show, and an Irish person made the ad, Alan Sugar said we don't want an Irish voice on the ad, I guarantee there would be plenty said about it, both here and in the UK.

indough

it was a bit racially insensitive, to say they want an irish voice is fine, but to say they specifically dont want an english one is not so much

amacachi

Hissing Sideban wrote: »

Most Irish people really don't get the fact that this sort of comment is offensive.

If the situation was totally reversed - UK apprentice show, and an Irish person made the ad, Alan Sugar said we don't want an Irish voice on the ad, I guarantee there would be plenty said about it, both here and in the UK.

No there wouldn't. There are ads on Irish and UK TV that seem to be European and are dubbed over in one voice for the UK and another for Ireland. It's common sense and logic.

mikemac

sparkling sea wrote: »

What you are effectively saying is the you cannot have a British person advertising on Irish TV or Radio, unless they are imported agency ads.

That would explain alot, I thought it was just the media that allowed for this attitude, but marketing agencies support it - go figure

What I'm saying is you get actors who can communicate with your accents.
I've been in Scotland several times and yes, I sometime struggle to understand everything first time around.
If I'm advertising a product in Ireland I want actors who get the message across in 30 seconds!
Do you listen to radio? There are a handful of Irish people who do practically all the ads

sparkling sea wrote: »

Further although this sentiment may exist in Ireland, its one of the only countries that I can think of where you would get away with saying it in the context it was said this evening - especially in front of an English person. But I suppose if your racist you can justify it. Racists usually can

Racism is believing your race is superior.
Tbh as Europeans and the same colour, the British are no different to us. Racism is the most overused word around!

TheCandystripes

Hissing Sideban wrote: »

Most Irish people really don't get the fact that this sort of comment is offensive.

If the situation was totally reversed - UK apprentice show, and an Irish person made the ad, Alan Sugar said we don't want an Irish voice on the ad, I guarantee there would be plenty said about it, both here and in the UK.

definetly anyway the british are a better people than irish no matter how irish might think otherwise. irish people can't handle foreigners who have been here for a few years, british have been dealing with irish and other foreigners for centuries.

indough

mikemac wrote: »

Racism is believing your race is superior.

no its giving preferential treatment based on race

if you were casting a role for an ad over here and a nigeriasn showed up and you told him, "sorry we want someone irish", youd likely be in the ****

exact same principle but with applied double standard

asdasd

But I suppose if your racist you can justify it. Racists usually can

Total and utter troll.

It has already been explained to you that voiceovers are localised for different countries.

Also - and this may come as a shock - I was in Germany and all the ads were in German by Germans with German accents. I couldnt understand a word.

racists.

Hissing Sideban

mcmoustache wrote: »

There's nothing racist there. They're just targeting their ads to their customer base. Happens all the time. Have you ever noticed that it's always the same few Irish voices on most ads on the radio? It happens because we, as consumers, react positively to people "like us" and are more likely to buy what's on offer. It's cold hard business but it's certainly not racism.

In the 1980s there were plenty of British DJ's working and making ads in Ireland, in fact on many radio stations it was the norm.

Consumers reacted equally as positively to these ads and they also react positively to agency ads were British voices are used. Your arguement doesn't hold water. Its the idea of feeding some Irish peoples intrinsic insecurity rather then cold hard business or what the people want, that allows for premises like yours to be presented as fact. The experience of Irish media in the 80's completely topples your suggestion.

Maybe you need to do a bit of research yourself

Bob_Harris

Wow, that is SOOO racist. Lets call the racist cops right now.

Irish people are the same race as British people. How can one be racist against it's own race?

It think your sensitivity level to "racism" is set to the "outraged at everything type person" setting.

If only ultra PC types like yourself could have lived through South Africa under apartheid you would have a clearer idea on what level of racism it's worth getting outraged by.

asdasd

you told him, "sorry we want someone irish", youd likely be in the ****

Or not. given that there are very few nigerians on Irish telly, and few Irish people on Nigerian telly, that too is probably just localisation.

indough

yes you would definitely be in the **** if they reported it

its highly likely very few have ever tried

asdasd

It think your sensitivity level to "racism" is set to the "outraged at everything type person" setting.

I think these kind of guys are replacing the Shocked by seeing a Bit of Shoulder Catholics.

Mother Ireland is rearing them yet.

MikeC101

TheCandystripes wrote: »

definetly anyway the british are a better people than irish no matter how irish might think otherwise. irish people can't handle foreigners who have been here for a few years, british have been dealing with irish and other foreigners for centuries.

FFS...

You don't think there might be some correlation between Britain having had immigration on a much larger scale than Ireland for much longer and also a better ability to deal with it, no? Like, oh I don't know, increased experience with immigration maybe?

indough

asdasd wrote: »

I think these kind of guys are replacing the Shocked by seeing a Bit of Shoulder Catholics.

Mother Ireland is rearing them yet.

or maybe its because i lived abroad most of my life i actually have some idea of how multiculturalism actually works?

sparkling sea

asdasd wrote: »

Or not. given that there are very few nigerians on Irish telly, and few Irish people on Nigerian telly, that too is probably just localisation.

Yes but the same can't be said for British television or radio. Although I do agree their are very few people from any other countries on Irish tv or radio.
Definitely no major stars like Terry Wogan or Des Lynam or even Jedward

asdasd

irish people can't handle foreigners who have been here for a few years, british have been dealing with irish and other foreigners for centuries.

They ahve been dealing with the Irish by banning them from pubs etc. As for the treatment of other non-British, do look up the British Empire. It was an aknowledged racists empire running part of the world because the natives couldnt -i.e. India, Kenya, South Africa, half the middle east etc. Well known in these places, they are.

Buy a book.

K-9

I thought using the "posh" English accent was condescending. We've plenty of our own "posh" accents.

But sure Ireland doesn't have a class system, England does! :rolleyes:

sparkling sea

Bob_Harris wrote: »

If only ultra PC types like yourself could have lived through South Africa under apartheid you would have a clearer idea on what level of racism it's worth getting outraged by.

You don't need to live under an apartheid regime to suffer from racism. Try visiting South Africa, by and large it still exists there for many people.

Or better still have a look round in Ireland, unless your blinkered you cant miss it.

asdasd

or maybe its because i lived abroad most of my life i actually have some idea of how multiculturalism actually works?

so have I. Ireland has in fact aborbed more immigrants per capita in the shortest amount of time with little or no repurcussions.

No BNP for instance. No Vlams Bloque.

At the same stage of its immigration the UK was producing National Fronts and other groups, and it is more anti-EU.

In any case back to the simple point in hand - advertisers use local people. They dont even use Scottish people in England, nor Welsh ( and vice versa) even though they are on the same Island.

Deal with it. And it is accent, not race.

asdasd

Or better still have a look round in Ireland, unless your blinkered you cant miss it.

Really? Where? What laws are passed to discriminate against anybody in Ireland. Compare these laws to the British Empire.

The anti-racist Thought Police are the new sanctimonious self-regarding priest-hood


By they way, I think that people like you are most probably racist. Just as people who are the most vocally greenist consume more energy, and the priests who gave out about normal sexuality were often perverts; this is a form of what the freudians call projection.

You see racism everywhere, because you are a racist.

So rather than call a whole Island racist -itself a racist generalization - look into your own soul.

sparkling sea

asdasd wrote: »

They ahve been dealing with the Irish by banning them from pubs etc. As for the treatment of other non-British, do look up the British Empire. It was an aknowledged racists empire running part of the world because the natives couldnt -i.e. India, Kenya, South Africa, half the middle east etc. Well known in these places, they are.

Buy a book.

Nations managed to get over WW1 and WW2, surely even you are tired of the British Empire arguement, and I say this despite the fact that you are really backing up what I have said.

As a very proud Irish person I find this sort of covert racism embarassing, and its even more uncomfortable to watch on TV when a comment that is obviously anti British is said in the presence of a Bristish person; and then broadcast on TV. We just dont seem to have any awareness at all.

Chinafoot

K-9 wrote: »

I thought using the "posh" English accent was condescending. We've plenty of our own "posh" accents.

I did find it a bit silly for Steve to say that the English accent was the "noble" one. Came across as very condescending.

I don't see how this is racist. The ads have to appeal to the majority...the majority of people in this country are Irish.

A couple of people majorly missing the point here. Rabble, Rabble and all that.