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"Tyrant" German Radio Ad Banned In UK

Posted by samzenpus on from the deutschland-uber-alles dept.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a radio commercial for implying Germans are tyrants. The advertisement for a Reed recruitment website features an angry boss speaking in German. The ASA says: "We noted the ad used a German speaker, rather than someone speaking English, to portray the boss as 'a bit of a tyrant' and the humour derived from a stereotype at the expense of German people. We considered that the portrayal suggested that German people were more likely to be unreasonable or aggressive to others. We concluded that, given the extreme reaction and aggressive tone of the German-speaking boss, the ad reinforced a negative and outdated cultural stereotype of German people as overpowering and tyrannical and therefore the ad had the potential to cause serious offence to some listeners."

5 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. The original post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Of course the original ASA response read, "Ve noted zat a german akcent ist nicht funny. Zey are not tyrants. You vill do as ve tell you und not run ze ad! Our vord ist final!!!"

  2. Defamation theory by tepples · · Score: 2, Informative

    Radio commercials should only be regulated for false advertising, defamation, copyright infringement and stuff like that.

    Libel law in England restricts speech more than libel law in the United States. In this case, this banned advert might be defamatory against German people. Let's see: the claim is 1. negative against a group of people, 2. false, and 3. intentional.

    1. Re:Defamation theory by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Funny

      Are you going to shatter another stereotype by claiming that you have a sense of humour?

      Thought not.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  3. Whatever you do by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Don't mention the war.

    --
    "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
  4. In Cuba by XB-70 · · Score: 2, Funny
    While at an all-inclusive resort in Cuba, our vacationing Teutonic friends arrived at dinner in virtual lock-step precisely at 6:00 PM. Orders were barked. The group split into sub-groups, some of whom reconnoitred the dining hall, spread out and 'claimed' tables. The rest proceeded to elbow their way to the front of every line, heap their plates with EVERYTHING and marched off leaving us in a state of shock and awe while the serving staff frantically tried to re-populate the buffet.

    But, apart from that, I think that the Brits are out of line with this ad.

    --
    *** Don't be dull.***