Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Join Travolta

These Tactics Just Ain’t Fair

Strange though it may seem, one of Bollywood's biggest stars is promoting a skin-lightening cream. In a 40-second advertisement for Fair and Handsome, an Indian product, a dark-skinned man who has no luck with women is handed the cream by actor Shahrukh Khan, with some mild admonishment. Weeks later, the confident, paler young man struts like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, with girls flocking and chanting: ``Hi, handsome.'' The ad appears on YouTube.

FOOTNOTE: That’s not Grease enlightening.
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14 comments:

  1. Kimberly Vanderhorst2:29 PM

    All I can think to say is, how sad.

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  2. whimsical brainpan2:49 PM

    Not cool.

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  3. Radha2:58 PM

    Its an ugly commercial.
    But how is it any less damaging (in terms of stereotyping the concept of "beauty") than say a commercial endorsing red lips or small waistlines?

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  4. Radha3:01 PM

    ** meant to say 'how is it any more damaging'

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  5. Colleen3:14 PM

    And everyone in America wants to be tan. Because "tan" is more handsome than white. I guess the grass really is always greener on the other side!

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  6. david mcmahon4:03 PM

    Hi Kimberly,

    I wonder how many people are going to rush out and buy the product ...

    Cheers

    David

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  7. david mcmahon4:04 PM

    Hi Whimsy,

    Not I agree. And it says a great deal about marketing tactics, too.

    Cheers

    David

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  8. david mcmahon4:05 PM

    Hi Radha,

    My point exactly. Let's get rid of stereotypes. And why would Shahrukh Khan bother with doing such a commercial? Money? I don;t think so .....

    Cheers

    David

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  9. david mcmahon4:06 PM

    Hi Colleen,

    You hit the nail on the head. That's prett much the conclusion, isn't it!

    Cheers

    David

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  10. david mcmahon4:07 PM

    Hi Colleen,

    Ah, I meant to say ``pretty much the conclusion''.

    Cheers

    David

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  11. karoline in the morning4:20 PM

    we'll be happy when we learn to want what we have and not have what we want...
    k:)

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  12. Corey~living and loving5:24 PM

    All I can say is...."WOW!" I am so sick of media coming down on us, and trying to tell us what is beautiful. ugh....

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  13. Anonymous10:42 PM

    If you recall, SRK appeared in a Lux ad which was kinda a milestone in Indian advertising. He was shown in a bath tub full of rose petals and talking about how Lux made his skin beautiful! It is natural that he appears in Men's cosmetics advt, and for Money ;)

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  14. Deborah Gamble6:18 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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