"utterly moronic racist nonsense" - Strutt & Parker Notting Hill estate agents advertising

[salem]

Good posts MrSki . As I said in my first post on this thread, that lack of ethnic faces is concerning and something there'd be more point in focusing on. The advert though I still think is pure coincidence and a separate matter altogether. The people behind that advert won't be the people in HR and I doubt an advert for a single branch would have been seen by the top level of management.

As others have pointed out it's probably been put together by an outside agency.

you're actually making me quite angry now so I'm going to leave you alone. But not without first shouting this at you

DO YOU REALLY THINK THIS WAS A FUCKING ACCIDENT? REALLY? WTFUCKING FUCK?

Yes, if you had read the thread you'd see that I honestly do. I'm not sure why it makes you angry or why you feel the need for aggression though.

Knowing know that the bloke is the artistic director of the local dance academy, do you think they went out to find a black person for the advert to make some naff point or do you think it could just be that the person who is a local creative happened to be black?

 

[Treacle Toes]

Good posts MrSki . As I said in my first post on this thread, that lack of ethnic faces is concerning and something there'd be more point in focusing on. The advert though I still think is pure coincidence and a separate matter altogether.

You don't think there is any possible correlation between the two things?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Knowing know that the bloke is the artistic director of the local dance academy, do you think they went out to find a black person for the advert to make some naff point or do you think it could just be that the person who is a local creative happened to be black?

Ergh. Creative is an adjective, not a noun.

That aside, it's probably a link-up with a wider thing they're doing, tbh. Displaying themselves as supporting the local community that they are endeavouring to destroy in the name of profit. But that does not change anything.

 

[salem]

You don't think there is any possible correlation between the two things?

It's possible there is a correlation but I think the simple explanation behind the advert is far more likely than them scouting the local dance groups specifically hoping to find a black person to illustrate whatever vague point about ? Well assuming this is planned what is the point that people think they are trying to make anyway? What is their objective if we go along with that line of reasoning?

 

[MrSki]

It's possible there is a correlation but I think the simple explanation behind the advert is far more likely than them scouting the local dance groups specifically hoping to find a black person to illustrate whatever vague point about ? Well assuming this is planned what is the point that people think they are trying to make anyway? What is their objective if we go along with that line of reasoning?

Put your property in a nice safe white pair of hands?

 

[MrSki]

For a company with over two hundred employees in London who are all white, don't you think it strange that they use a black person in an advert? The advert would have been agreed by the company even if an agency came up with the concept.

 

[Treacle Toes]

It's possible there is a correlation but I think the simple explanation behind the advert is far more likely than them scouting the local dance groups specifically hoping to find a black person to illustrate whatever vague point about white estate agents being better than black dancers (what is the point that people think they are trying to make anyway?)

The simple, and devoid of relevant, contextual analysis is the point. You rock up in NH and you simply have an idea to sell flats? You make an ad which simply purports to understand locals yet you perpetuate negative stereotypes about some of those locals? Eh? The fact that people like these think they can rock up into any area in the Uk and represent the locals out of context and without responsibility boils my piss. The fact that some people refuse to hold them responsible and make excuses for them is equally piss boiling.

 

[salem]

For a company with over two hundred employees in London who are all white, don't you think it strange that they use a black person in an advert? The advert would have been agreed by the company even if an agency came up with the concept.

I think it's strange if they have over 200 employees in London and they're all white. Something to be probed for sure. The advert is a red herring here though IMHO.

 

[Treacle Toes]

I think it's strange if they have over 200 employees in London and they're all white. Something to be probed for sure. The advert is a red herring here though IMHO.

Because you refuse to see the correlation or even the possibility of one here. God only knows why.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Some people were born to pick cotton. Not racist though, the black kid picking cotton is a well respected member of the community and as many as 7 people seeing the billboard will recognise him as such

"Black man dancing with his impeccable natural rhythm" is flat out racist stereotyping whichever way you look at it, and "suited white man in respectable (!) important (!!) employment" becomes one when placed in direct comparison. It doesn't matter that in this case the stereotype of the dancer happens to be correct, to any viewer who doesn't know that the ad shows two "real" people, it's simply the propagation of a nasty, lazy, racist message.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

You might have misunderstood me by liking my post, tbh, salem. By saying I think it is probably a link-up with local stuff, I'm saying that it's even worse than casual racism. It's 'socially destructive business hides behind social projects'. It's more sinister even than stupid, careless racism.

 

[MrSki]

I think it's strange if they have over 200 employees in London and they're all white. Something to be probed for sure. The advert is a red herring here though IMHO.

What a black man is born to be a dancer but the white man is born to be a Strutt & Parker estate agent? Are you being serious? Look at the facts. I suppose they could have put a picture of a black person working in McDonalds but that would not have been so subtle.

 

[butchersapron]

What a black man is born to be a dancer but the white man is born to be a Strutt & Parker estate agent? Are you being serious? Look at the facts. I suppose they could have put a picture of a black person working in McDonalds but that would not have been so subtle.

This is the democratic aspirational face of exactly that shit though.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

What a black man is born to be a dancer but the white man is born to be a Strutt & Parker estate agent? Are you being serious? Look at the facts. I suppose they could have put a picture of a black person working in McDonalds but that would not have been so subtle.

"These fuckers can't afford to live here any more, so move here!" *Beaming estate agent*

 

[weltweit]

.. "Black man dancing with his impeccable natural rhythm" is flat out racist stereotyping whichever way you look at it, and "suited white man in respectable (!) important (!!) employment" becomes one when placed in direct comparison. It doesn't matter that in this case the stereotype of the dancer happens to be correct, to any viewer who doesn't know that the ad shows two "real" people, it's simply the propagation of a nasty, lazy, racist message.

Suited white man whose specific employment means he is widely distrusted and generally abhorred .. more like ..

 

[butchersapron]

Suited white man whose specific employment means he is widely distrusted and generally abhorred .. more like ..

Yeah, that's the message.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Suited white man whose specific employment means he is widely distrusted and generally abhorred .. more like ..

Rubbish. There is a reason estate agents, especially those peddling expensive housing to rich people, wear suits. You must always at least match in formality the clothing of your clients. You should know this.

 

[weltweit]

Yeah, that's the message.

As you and a couple of others have pointed out plenty of times in this thread, the preconceptions of the viewers of the advert affect its meaning to them. Estate agents are trusted less than politicians.

 

[Treacle Toes]

Suited white man whose specific employment means he is widely distrusted and generally abhorred .. more like ..

...but hey, you can trust us...oh look a dancing Black man! Phew!

 

[littlebabyjesus]

As you and a couple of others have pointed out plenty of times in this thread, the preconceptions of the viewers of the advert affect its meaning to them. Estate agents are trusted less than politicians.

What is your point here?

 

[butchersapron]

As you and a couple of others have pointed out plenty of times in this thread, the preconceptions of the viewers of the advert affect its meaning to them. Estate agents are trusted less than politicians.

Ok, give us your reading of it then.

 

[weltweit]

What is your point here?

That the meaning of the ad, when actual public preconceptions are taken into account is not to escalate the importance of the scummy white estate agent over the locally known dance professional.

 

[butchersapron]

As you and a couple of others have pointed out plenty of times in this thread, the preconceptions of the viewers of the advert affect its meaning to them. Estate agents are trusted less than politicians.

That wasn't my argument at all btw. It wasn't about pre-concpetions in the minds of viewers. It was about the pre-existence of a field of signification that the advertisers were aware of and tried to play.

 

[butchersapron]

That the meaning of the ad, when actual public preconceptions are taken into account is not to escalate the importance of the scummy white estate agent over the locally known dance professional.

That's what you think they were aiming for or what you think they achieved?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

That the meaning of the ad, when actual public preconceptions are taken into account is not to escalate the importance of the scummy white estate agent over the locally known dance professional.

look at the ad. do you think they think they are scummy?

Remember the target audience here. People who can afford housing that costs upwards of 1 million pounds.

 

[butchersapron]

look at the ad. do you think they think they are scummy?

Remember the target audience here. People who can afford housing that costs upwards of 1 million pounds.

Av. sale in london = £2.65 million - as they boast.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Av. sale in london = £2.65 million - as they boast.

Is that their average sale? Unfortunately that makes sense. They specialise in West London. So I was way out earlier on my estimation of the commission on one sale. 1 per cent is standard. That's an average of £26k per sale.

 

[weltweit]

That wasn't my argument at all btw. It wasn't about pre-concpetions in the minds of viewers. It was about the pre-existence of a field of signification that the advertisers were aware of and tried to play.

If the public don't perceive this "field of signification" it has no effect.

As Strutt etc are a national group and I assume they are advertising nationally with local emphasis, it would be interesting to see other adverts to see if they also raise hackles.

I am not saying this ad is not dubious, patently as it has got so many hackles raised it must be. There is also the question of whether the ads producers knew that and were counting on extending publicity through the viral nature of the resulting outraged discussions on social media.

And as Estate Agents are generally thought of as the scum of the earth they may not have minded a bit of banter about the suitability of their advert. Their reputation could hardly be lower.

 

[Blagsta]

Good posts MrSki . As I said in my first post on this thread, that lack of ethnic faces is concerning and something there'd be more point in focusing on. The advert though I still think is pure coincidence and a separate matter altogether. The people behind that advert won't be the people in HR and I doubt an advert for a single branch would have been seen by the top level of management.

As others have pointed out it's probably been put together by an outside agency.

Yes, if you had read the thread you'd see that I honestly do. I'm not sure why it makes you angry or why you feel the need for aggression though.

Knowing know that the bloke is the artistic director of the local dance academy, do you think they went out to find a black person for the advert to make some naff point or do you think it could just be that the person who is a local creative happened to be black?

You think that an advertising agency is unaware of the symbolism in their adverts? Come on, as stated before, semiotics, Barthes etc is first year degree graphic design stuff.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

If the public don't perceive this "field of signification" it has no effect.

As Strutt etc are a national group and I assume they are advertising nationally with local emphasis, it would be interesting to see other adverts to see if they also raise hackles.

I am not saying this ad is not dubious, patently as it has got so many hackles raised it must be. There is also the question of whether the ads producers knew that and were counting on extending publicity through the viral nature of the resulting outraged discussions on social media.

And as Estate Agents are generally thought of as the scum of the earth they may not have minded a bit of banter about the suitability of their advert. Their reputation could hardly be lower.

I don't think you understand the market. You also misunderstand reputation and its importance. Sure, estate agents have a low reputation, but if you want to buy/sell a house in Notting Hill, who do you go to?