Directly before 'Mad Men' came this trail for a new season of programmes on the BBC about the white working class.
I've seen this reviewed elsewhere, and it seems to stir up quite a bit of controversy. Let's not get into the politics; creatively, it's just great, isn't it? And its ability to cause heated debate is a proof of that, I would say.
Monday, March 03, 2008
BBC 'White Season' Trail
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38 comments:
I'm quite thick, but I don't understand it 100%.
So there's all this foreign writing over this white guy's face that both turns him 'black' and makes him disappear.
What's all the writing about? Is it saying that foreigners are taking precedence over the white working class? Is the fact that it is black writing significant?
Please help. Like I said, brains are not my strong suit.
Looks, on the other hand...
I hate everyone regardless of colour.
It's clearly making a Sun style sentiment but with a big BBC Four question mark.
Visually its great though, simple but effective.
Why is it a Sun style sentiment?
Because it's posing a question that's offensive to PC brigade? I'm not sure I get the full significance of the writing either.
If you think it's great Scamp please tell us why. Cos I ain't got a scooby what it's all about
Do an ad about white working class britain disappearing. Fucking brilliant brief that should create thought provoking and brilliant work. This isn't it.
Interesting point Rob.
It's one of those things where your perception of who's talking influences your interpretation of what they're saying.
Imagine if it did in fact have a Sun or a Daily Mail logo at the end. A white person being obliterated by foreign culture - we'd be in 'rivers of blood' territory.
But because it's the BBC, it's easier to notice the question mark.
Why do I think it's great? Simplicity, originality, controversy.
Then again, it looks like some people just don't get it. And that's not such a good sign.
Anon 12-04: It's the sort of stement papers like the Sun and Daily Mail make on a regular basis.
It has nothing to do with the PC brigade, its simply something those publications commonly mention.
Having part of the writing in Arabic is a nice touch.
Sorry to double post Scamp... did you see the Selling the Sixties programme before it? Very interesting.
Tie up a white 'bulldog' (shaved head, racist leanings) in a non-white area.
Tape over his mouth.
Strip off his top so you can see his swastika tatoos.
Let a few non-whites 'leave their comments'.
Now that would stimulate debate.
This? This just makes me go 'meh'.
It's BBC Four, not Sky One.
meh
is it considered cool to appear unbelievably thick? how can presumably intelligent people claim to "not get" this simple, compelling, visual communication?
Explain it then, Anon 2:02, just so us uncool thickies can bask in the glow of your superior intellect.
While you're at it, can you also explain Honda Choir. That's another ad that makes no sense whatsoever.
i thought the ad was simple and engaged me at least. it said to me:
white working class people are being replaced by non-white, non-english speaking people.
the foreign looking language on the white guys face, made him disappear.
and the treatment made me feel uncomfortable and made me question why i felt uncomfortable.
i liked it.
it's on bbc 4 - if you don't get this, i'd suggest it's not the channel for you...
If it's white, working-class people being replaced by non-white, non English speaking people, the why is one of the phrases written on hin 'Britain is changing'? (that's English, by the way).
And anyway, 'Is white, working-class Britain becoming invisible'? They should define their terms better. For me, the Polish (white, working class, now in this country, so 'Britain') are not in the least invisible.
That's why I don't get it. I get what they're trying to say, but they're not making a very good job of it by using some contrived visual device that they (and Anon 2:42) thought was very clever but lacks the consistency a statement and issue of that nature requires.
To pompous anon at 2.42 who said: it's on bbc 4 - if you don't get this, i'd suggest it's not the channel for you... err it actually says BBC2 at the end of the clip. And i still don't get it
we're talking about it becuase it was on bbc 4 ahead of a show about advertising - keep up cheeky chops...
cheeky chops? give that man a biscuit.
I don't know, if a white working class Briton can't even go into a TV studio without a load of immigrants coming and scrawling in foreign all over his face then what is the world coming to?
I'm not a member of MENSA, but I get it.
Personally, I think its good, but not brilliant.
They could have been more controversial if they'd scribbled over some Reebok Classic wearing, sallow cheeked chav scum and made them disappear.
And done us all a favour.
I'm amazed you like this Scamp.
Yes it's simple and to my mind pretty easy to understand. But it is just so boring! I have rarely seen a less rewarding ad.
Within five seconds of the start you're wishing for the end to come. And the music is such a durge.
Anon 9-12: Actually you are right about it being too long/slow. But I still like the idea and execution.
I'm wondering what it takes to get a comment removed by the all powerfull scamp:
Wonder no more
Using the phrase 'smug cunt' to refer to another commenter did the trick for me.
Advertising should always be inclusive. This is a perfect example of how "edgy" just alienates people. Another great example of problems that could have been avoided through the power of focus groups.
Make up your minds. I don't know if I'm supposed to like this ad or not. I made a big mistake once by not liking Sony Balls before I had correctly guaged what my opinion should be. How embarrassing. When I found out it was mandatory to like it, I changed my tune lickety spit and now I think it's brilliant.
this is a great simple visual idea. it will clean up at awards time. it's good tv. nicely done.
When the opening salvo to the prelude of this alleged “white week”, was seen to be a white man being progressively covered in foreign language until he was white no more, didn’t that send the alarm bells ringing in your living room?.
Next came the BBCs “marketing question”, “are the white working classes being ignored”. That was to drag the errrmm - white working classes into the trap.
And for what?.
So that they could be both scolded and derided by an organization that has nothing but contempt for them all. The BBCs initial question must surely have been an ironic one, for that is exactly what they have preceded to do - ignore the white working classes, and then openly treat them with the outright contempt, that only the highly self-righteous could ever dream to do.
I understand that the final programme in the series “All white in Barking” is an outright tirade, where the BBC are of course taking the moral high ground, and lecturing white Britain as to why we are truly the scum of the earth.
Perhaps they thought that at this point in time, and after seeing the rest of their “right on” series, we might indeed agree with their leftist outlook of Britain and be ready, neigh pleading, to all change our ways.
In Nineteen twenties Russia, the unspeakable enemies of the state were the bourgeois. In naughties Britain, for nu Labour and their faithful minions at the BBC, it is undoubtedly the white working classes that have to be slain.
I can honestly conclude, that the BBCs motives for this series have been utterly shameful to say the very least.
Is no one but me worried that I may soon be in the English speaking minority in Britain regardless of colour?
sowhatdidimiss, were you really up in the early hours posting bloggs?
It was an excellent blogg however and although I didn't see the programme, (only the advert)I guessed there was something fishy going on at the beeb, as no way could I ever see them making a documentary etc in support of the white working class Brits. That would be racist now and no one dares to say a word about immigrants taking over the country.
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