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analysis / cricket — 1 Comment
05
Feb 07

More on the Neo Sports tastless ads

In my earlier post ,Tasteless Ads on Neo Sports Can Send Wrong Message, I had pointed out the these ads does not show India in a good light.

According to this news report [external link] in Hindustan Times, some people have approached the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) with complaints against Neo Sports India regarding these ads. The report seems to indicate that the concern in the complaints related to racism.

I do not think the intent of the ads is racism. However, the way these ads are projecting foreign visitors being treated in such shabby and disrespectful manner could dent India’s image, irrespective of whether you consider racisim or not.

Meanwhile, West Indian cricket series is over. And now the Sri Lankan team is in India to play a 4 match ODI series against India. Predictibly, Neo Sports India has extended the “Tough to be …” ads now on the visiting Sri Lankan side. So as an Indian and a cricket fan can I assume, Neo Sports will continue such ads against any cricket team that comes to visit India.

I think irrespective of what the ASCI says on the matter related to the “Tough to be …” ads, Neo Sports can show some maturity and pull off those ads.

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analysis / cricket — 1 Comment
26
Jan 07

Tasteless Ads on Neo Sports Can Send Wrong Message

Neo Sports is a new TV channel in India. Their tag-line is “Home of Cricket in Indian Television”. They are carrying the ongoing India-West Indies cricket series being played in India. I am not writing this post, not about their cricket coverage. But about some in-house ads they are running with the tag-line “It’s tough to be a West Indian in India”. To many such ads can be considered racial and provocative.

In one of the ads, they show a West Indian guy going to a dhaba where he is fed a dish red with chillies. He is crying for water after the first bite of this red curry. No one in the dhaba let him have water. One gentleman in the dhaba pokes his finder into a glass of water so that the West indian guy cannot drink, finally he goes to the hand-wash. Here another gentlemen just cuts off he water supply. The ad end with the pathetic tag-line “It’s tough to be a West Indian in India“. Sick ad.

Then there is another ad. A West Indian couple goes on a romantic boat ride on a large lake. Here their Indian boatman takes them to the middle of the lake throws his oars into the water. Then he jumps into the water swimming back to the shore. Leaving a visibily terrifed West Indian couple stranded in the middle of the lake on a small boat with no oar-man and no oars. This ad also ends with the sick tag line “It’s tough to be a West Indian in India”

Indian tradition says “atithi deva bhabo” (a guest is like god). If these ads are a measure of how a guest is treated in India, then who will visit India. These ads do not project the real picture, but just creativity gone wrong.

Does Neo Sports realize that in 2 months, the Indian cricket team will be in West Indies to play the Cricket Work Cup ? So, will the West Indians or anyone else send such tasteless messages to the Indian team when they go to play cricket series abroad.

I am unable to see any humor in this ads. I think these will send a very wrong message to our West Indian guests. Neo Sports channel can help by show more maturity. Is anyone listening ?

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