South African Outrage: How it works

Just a quick thought to chuck in here, following this post from legendary Cape Town blog, 2Oceansvibe.com, which concerns the latest Cape Town Fish Market (CTFM) advert to hit the SA public:

 

Says 2OV:

The Cape Town Fish Market has just dropped a new television ad highlighting the fact that their fish is fresh, and not frozen.The ad over delivers on its share of chuckles, but the blackface scene at the 12 second mark has a few people outraged.

And indeed, just below the Youtube video, you can see this outrage manifested in comment form, like this:

Disgusting. The use of blackface is dehumanizing.

and this :

Bloody blackface in 2013? I am never eating at CPFM again and I will be sure to discourage anyone I know from doing so.

I’m sure that Cape Pown Fish Market will miss your trade, guys.
And your outrage is noted, as is your right to be outraged by whatever you want to be outraged at.

I’m just wondering why a bit of makeup upsets you so when you weren’t outraged at the the last CTFM ad (also from Lowe, Cape Town), which features (ironically also just about at the 12 second mark) A MAN BEING TIED TO ANCHOR AND THROWN OVER THE SIDE OF A DINGY TO HIS DEATH?!?!

 

Like I said – your call on what you choose to allow yourself to be upset by, but there was no boot polish involved here, simply: THEY KILLED THAT MAN. DEAD.

And you were just fine with that?

Right. Noted.

Video links: here and here.

6 thoughts on “South African Outrage: How it works

  1. The previous ad also portrays working class fishermen as dim-witted objects of ridicule, designed for the middle classes to laugh at. It’s about as sensitive as portrayals of cockneys once were.

  2. Stu Thomas > Everything is offensive. None of it is humour. It is designed to sting and hurt. And to encourage us to eat at a chain of local fish restaurants.

  3. i’m offended that it’s not “funny”… any of it. except that part where you said “legendary”.

  4. Mhozi > I’m saying that it’s interesting that there are things that people get outraged at and that there are other things that are just considered part and parcel of everyday life.

    Leave a Reply