Note from BW of Brazil: One post (among many) revealed a fact that is quite shocking: “In Brazilian advertising, more than 90% of the protagonists continue to be white.” Anyone who has taken time to analyze commercials (as well as programs) on Brazil’s television stations from the racial perspective could tell you this. It’s really not that hard to see. Anyone who has visited Brazil will surely not see the country as a majority white nation (well, maybe if they visited the southern region of the country), but that’s not the idea one would get from the media. Nothing new here.
After, didn’t I tell you that “black women account for only 1% of the protagonists in Brazil’s TV commercials”? Or that there exists a fear “that white women won’t buy a product if the girl in the ad is black”. Or what about that commercial promoting the Brazil-hosted World Cup in 2014? The fact is that, in Brazil, as with other nations, white people are the normative social standard, which is why I always do a double take when I see black people featured in lead roles in these commercials. Like the three impressive ads featured below. Mind you, I don’t expect any sort of revolution of diversity of race in Brazil’s media any time soon, but it’s still cool to see people who look like you on the tube from time to time! See two of them in their entirety at the bottom….
Three campaigns that make us believe that inclusion in advertising is here to stay
By Silvia Nascimento
Racial inclusion is not enough. It has to have meaning, it has to have value. This thought is not mine, it is that of my colleague and friend Nadja Pereira, social media expert, who was one of the most influential people in LinkedIn in 2016. And I agree with her. What’s the use of having a black person in the advertising campaign, if he/she appears secondary, tertiary, blurry, in the background, performing stereotyped functions?
The advances of the black community in Brazil that consumes 800 billion a year is not reflected in advertising, but in my persistent optimism I think things will improve, mainly because, although small, the number of blacks in the agencies is growing yes (including other areas, but this is a subject for another article).
Look at three recent campaigns that made me smile from ear to ear.
Avon featuring Tássia Reis
They did not choose a black face, they chose a black woman who knows the responsibility of representing not only a great brand, but especially her black sisters. What light, what a woman and what a mouth!!
Vivo Fibra and Raul who loves a horror movie
Yes, blacks also like technology. And there are many who invest good money in Internet services to take better advantage of their SmartTV, tablet and Smartphone than even Raul. There are white advertisers who are going to be shocked by this, but I swear it’s true.
C & A and the girls and boys of Rio who rocked it
Before, we saw our people in the magazines and said they looked like gringos (foreigners) . Time to update the concepts because now we are more beautiful. Proof of this is the C & A campaign with this outrageously beautiful crew from Rio de Janeiro.
Tássia Reis + Lacre Seu Make Apresentam: É Make, querida! | AVON
C&A Verão Misturado commercial
Source: Mundo Negro
Good work!!