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

[editor]

OK so if it's about symbolism rather then intent do you think they should have cancelled the advert when they got the artwork and realised it was a black/white dancer/estate agent?

This isn't some cosy little independent business doing the best they can. They are one of the largest property partnerships in the UK, and their press office boasts that it "generates over 3,000 mentions in national, regional and local publications per annum."

Strutt & Parker has more than 45 offices, and over 800 staff.[4]

• The total acreage managed is approximately 2 million across the UK
• The farming department provides business advice and consultancy on over 160,000 acres across the UK
• The Land management department acts for 600 retained clients over 450 rural estates
• The National Estate Agency Department negotiates over 1100 sales and purchases each year of a wide variety of quality town and country property. The average sale price in London is £2.75 million, and outside London, £900,00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strutt_&_Parker

 

[Pickman's model]

This isn't some cosy little independent business doing the best they can. They are one of the largest property partnerships in the UK, and their press office boasts that it "generates over 3,000 mentions in national, regional and local publications per annum."



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strutt_&_Parker

if none of their 800+ staff are black, brown or yellow then questions should be asked.

 

[weltweit]

I didn't realise that:
1) they are a big agency
2) the dancer is a local personality
It makes me wonder if they are doing a wider campaign in which case I wonder who they would use in other locations.

 

[editor]

if none of their 800+ staff are black, brown or yellow then questions should be asked.

Their career profiles page = all white.
Management = all white.

 

[salem]

This isn't some cosy little independent business doing the best they can. They are one of the largest property partnerships in the UK, and their press office boasts that it "generates over 3,000 mentions in national, regional and local publications per annum."

I'm aware that they are a chain, however this advert is for a local branch. It won't have had teams at Sacchi's spending months on it.

if none of their 800+ staff are black, brown or yellow then questions should be asked.

Why make such a statement? Do you have any insider knowledge on whether they are or not or is it just a bit of mudslinging?

 

[butchersapron]

I'm aware that they are a chain, however this advert is for a local branch. It won't have had teams at Sacchi's spending months on it.

Irrelevant. Or do you think if it had it would make it better/worse?

 

[editor]

You can click through to see all their staff here: http://www.struttandparker.com/people/
I clicked on about 8 offices and everyone was white.

 

[butchersapron]

You can click through to see all their staff here: http://www.struttandparker.com/people/
I clicked on about 8 offices and everyone was white.

Every one else too busy dancing to take on the serious responsibility of estate agencying i expect.

 

[editor]

There's still lot to respond to on the blog article if anyone wants to join in, by the way:
http://www.urban75.org/blog/utterly...-by-notting-hill-estate-agents-strutt-parker/

 

[dweller]

Vile poster.

 

[moon]

Sanjay Patel??
Also only 1 female equity partner??!!!

 

[Pickman's model]

Why make such a statement? Do you have any insider knowledge on whether they are or not or is it just a bit of mudslinging?

yes

 

[butchersapron]

God, imagine being born to sell flats though.

 

[salem]

Irrelevant. Or do you think if it had it would make it better/worse?

Well I think an advert for a local branch of a company would have less scrutiny then a national advert campaign. The resources available for it would be more limited, it's more likely a junior would be working on it and so on. If I were to take offence I'd think it worse if the campaign had more resources behind it.

 

[salem]

God, imagine being born to sell flats though.

I can't believe I'm on here defending a bunch of bloody estate agents. Still you don't get much more of an underdog on here!

 

[Pickman's model]

I can't believe I'm on here defending a bunch of bloody estate agents.

i can

 

[butchersapron]

Actually your web properties account for half the first page search engine results for Strutt & Parker Notting Hill in the past month. The shock and anger here don't seem to be spreading too far.



Well I think an advert for a local branch of a company would have less scrutiny then a national advert campaign. The resources available for it would be more limited, it's more likely a junior would be working on it and so on. If I were to take offence I'd think it worse if the campaign had more resources behind it.

Even though the message would be exactly the same?

btw, are you sure this isn't a national campaign with national resources thrown in and local celebs on the left hand side in each area? Which, in your odd way of looking at it, would make it worse again.

 

[editor]

Well I think an advert for a local branch of a company would have less scrutiny then a national advert campaign. The resources available for it would be more limited, it's more likely a junior would be working on it and so on. If I were to take offence I'd think it worse if the campaign had more resources behind it.

Err, their Notting Hill branch has a staff of at least nine people and deals with some large properties worth many millions so they're hardly some little clueless outfit. And how do you know the advert was done by their team anyway? A: You don't.

 

[DotCommunist]

You can see what you want to see I suppose.

there's a lot more to it than me reading what I want to see. Images, phrases, words all have chains of meaning and associations. To take an absurd example: would it be appropriate to use a swastika in any advertising except for a war film/book/play? if not, why not?

 

[moon]

Apparently it takes 10,000 hrs of practice to become an expert in anything.
People simply aren't 'born' to do anything.
They can however be encouraged, discouraged, given opportunities or obstacles.

 

[Bonfirelight]

Apparently it takes 10,000 hrs of practice to become an expert in anything.
People simply aren't 'born' to do anything.
They can however be encouraged, discouraged, given opportunities or obstacles.

Except to die. And run.

 

[el-ahrairah]

God, imagine being born to sell flats though.

that idea certainly makes me feel more charitable towards my upbringing.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

Has anyone made the if I can't sell flats it's not my revolution joke yet?

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

Apparently it takes 10,000 hrs of practice to become an expert in anything.
People simply aren't 'born' to do anything.
They can however be encouraged, discouraged, given opportunities or obstacles.

I was born to be wild

 

[editor]

Interestingly enough, almost of the comments defending the advert and/or abusing those who do find it offensive are coming from fellow estate agents or employees of Strutt & Parker.

 

[salem]

Even though the message would be exactly the same?

btw, are you sure this isn't a national campaign with national resources thrown in and local celebs on the left hand side in each area? Which, in your odd way of looking at it, would make it worse again.

Yes. I'd expect a major nationwide campaign to have more people looking for potentially offensive content. I don't think it's as offensive or at least obviously offensive as you think.

And if it's part of a nationwide campaign it's still just a local interpretation of it. Therefore more likely to be delegated to a junior rather then have the top team and market research etc.

Err, their Notting Hill branch has a staff of at least nine people and deals with some large properties worth many millions so they're hardly some little clueless outfit. And how do you know the advert was done by their team anyway? A: You don't.

I didn't say the advert was done by their team. But I suspect that if this particular advert was a nationwide one it'd have more resources then one made for a single local branch.

 

[editor]

I didn't say the advert was done by their team. But I suspect that if this particular advert was a nationwide one it'd have more resources then one made for a single local branch.

What's that suspicion based on?

 

[butchersapron]

Yes. I'd expect a major nationwide campaign to have more people looking for potentially offensive content. I don't think it's as offensive or at least obviously offensive as you think.

And if it's part of a nationwide campaign it's still just a local interpretation of it. Therefore more likely to be delegated to a junior rather then have the top team and market research etc.

It's irrelevant how many people are looking for it. What a nice way to frame it though. Looking for it. Rather than this shit being posted on their streets.

Again - so what? How does the message change?

 

[Pickman's model]

I was born to be wild

if you do some homebrew perhaps you'd be born to be mild

 

[DotCommunist]

I was born to be wild

I was born in a crossfire hurricane