Advertising is a tricky business, and apparently wearing the wrong scarf can send the message that "This company tolerates and supports terrorist organizations!" Sounds crazy? That's because it is, as exemplified by the Dunkin' Donuts recent pulling of an advertisement it was airing with spokesperson (and chef superstar) Rachael Ray wearing a scarf around her neck that resembled a keffiyeh, or traditional Arab scarf.
The offensive piece of fashion was slapped down by syndicated conservative Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin (Fox also owns Beliefnet), who said that by wearing the scarf, Dunkin' was dabbling in "distinctive hate couture."
Muslims and Arabs answered back, saying that demonizing a single article of clothing was "ludicrous." In a New York Post article, Ahmed Rehab, a spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said "Yes, it has symbolized Palestinians, but it's also a yuppie fashion statement. I've seen young blond women wear it on the Tube in London and in Lincoln Park in Chicago. If it's become a political statement, I didn't get the memo on it."
A Dunkin' Donuts representative said the whole thing was blown out of proportion, and commenting on it was just "ridiculous." But what I think is ridiculous was pulling the ad in the first place. Malkin says she wasn't the only one offended, that numerous conservative blogs voiced their concerns about the ads. But since when do companies pull expensive advertisements off the air just because some folks find something offensive about it--something that is just not offensive to begin with?
I know other companies have pulled ads and products before that were deemed offensive to a group of people—like when Nike pulled 38,000 shoes off the shelves that had the logo "Air" on it in a style that made it look like Arabic script for the word "Allah."
But here's the difference. In Nike's case, it was a logo that looked like a religious script on a shoe, which was offensive to Muslims the world over. And with Dunkin' Donuts, the problem was a scarf with no overt religious symbolism at all. Just a pattern that resembled a keffiyeh, which is worn fashionably all over the world.
It's a scarf, folks. A scarf bought by a stylist at a store to accent Ray's outfit. Nothing more, nothing less. Have some backbone, Dunkin'!
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People are really getting stupider by the minute. I can't imagine Americans being offended, when you think about all the things truly screwed up in, or courtesy of America. We can always hang our hat on the, "well, it's the kinda best, kinda freest, kinda constitutionalest, kinda religious country on the planet". Hey, she always could have been advertising milk-boarded or coffee-boarded donuts. Now that would have been a commercial.
.....We hold these truths that all men are created equal (and women too) (quid pro quo addendum , its' in small print to match the small minds that would really use this line of thought ) ...unless said men or women look like , people that are just plain evil or ignorant or maybe so different from me that it questions my world view and I cannot have that at all , and only if said evil doing or ignorant people bear no likeness to the majority ethnic group in this country)
this rant unfortuneately is wha I see every day here in middle America , I live near an Airforce base so all the patriotic Bunting and yellow ribbons thought while pretty to look at for me and my children , the meaning seems lost to teh majority of people and are simply lawn decorations to them and to me it tarnishes them. When did patriotism become Xeonphobic , racist fanaticism here in this country ? when did it get so bad that I cannot turn on my tv and see it played and volleyd so openly by hypocrites that say its thier right to free speech (hate mongering , fear mongering is free speech --- yeah it is ) but then those same people look to cry outrage when someone innocently wears a scarf , that looks like something that a person from a part of the world would wear (and it's not a religious symbol) My (deity name insert here) people its a scarf , a scarf I choose to wear when I was in service of my country in places where the sand and dust crawled into your lungs and eyes every second trying to blind you or choke you (and I am glad I had it)
--End Rant--
I see Dunkin Donuts as being as one of the victims here... They paid to make the ad -- including the cost of Rachel Ray, which is not cheap -- and now they can't use it.
I do disagree with those who say 'hey, Dunkin, get some backbone and stick with the ads'. Ads of this sort are not political statements. They are made to increase sales, period. To the extent any ad, for WHATEVER reason, ceases to fulfill its purpose, the advertiser should feel free to pull it. Some people see 'hate' in the ad, and therefore want it pulled. Some other see 'a need to stand up and make a statement' in the ad, and therefore want it to stay on the air. The advertiser never intended to send either one of these messages, and should not feel obligated to either PULL or KEEP the ad to satisfy either party.
I live in Africa and belive the biggest threat to the US and world peace are the hate mongers in America. What happened to the Lincoln America!
hi my name is christos konstantinou and i am goldsmith.i heart very good thinks about dunkin donuts and i am siure if i bring in cyprus all the other shops they gona closes.so please dont ignoring me i am very serious person and i talk very very serious so if is imposiple answer to me.thanks for listening me and i hope to find the way tou bring the dunkin donuts in cyprus.my phone number is 99530744 and my email is:knimis@hotmail.com
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