www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7rg7wjvgvo
I'm sure we are all aware now that Reform MP Sarah Pochlin, made the following remarks on that Talk TV phone in.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, quite rightly, imo, has criticised Reform MP Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) for what he called "racist" language:
after she complained about adverts being "full of black people, full of Asian people
She gave a mealy mouthed apology "my remarks were "phrased poorly"
but maintained that many adverts were "unrepresentative of British society".
Streeting said yesterday Pochin had only said sorry "because she's been caught and called out".
its one of those "I'm sorry if" apologies that mean nothing - she is racist at heart.
The adverts we see on TV are all so very different - they are targeted, for example on ITV 3 we get a series of almost complete white older people in baths with doors, sitting in idealised arm chairs, etc etc.
On programmes watched by whole groups of people the content reflects our society as a whole. which is multi cultural:
and has the benefit, I believe for young people particularly, who don.t live in multi-cultural areas like mine, of showing that people from varied backgrounds do ordinary things like insure cars or watch TV or mix across cultures with popcorn and a take out (just to give some typical examples)
One has to ask, why does she mind so much?
What she said isn't even that insidious or subtle racism or the kind of racism people carry but aren't necessarily aware of
(ie assumptions being made becuase you dont actually know people from different backgrounds)
it was full out in your face "us and THEM" revealing her and her Reform compatriots in all their prejudice and hatred.
She should be taken to task by Farage. Is she isnt, what does that say about him?
I agree with Chicolatelovinggran. It’s ad land.
Sandy f we want to get upset about over or under representation, how about class.
Are ads not almost 100% middle class?
Of course, because they are aspirational. The ad people know who their target audiences are and will target them. They couldn’t care tuppence about social equality - unless it would sell😬
It is noticeable, my black friend has mentioned it saying something along the lines of it gives people a false overview of the black population's numbers. Very resonant for her when she moved out of South London down into rural Hants some years ago, becoming very aware of a demographic change having been brought up in London, she has plenty of friends both black and white. The impetus for her move was a young son, grown up now, who she didn't want drawn into gang culture. We moved out of London 4 years ago of course the population as a whole isn't really reflected in the more recent advertising campaigns. She, SP, didn't couch the essence of what she meant to say very well, but it's noticeable most people would acknowledge that and she won't be the first person to have tumbled on it either.
Chocolatelovinggran
Well, it's advertising - land, isn't it? I'm not sure that the glossy hair, shiny homes and new cars we see in advertising are a strict representation of the people around us, either.
I am amused to see that, in this parallel universe, men are the only gender who mop floors or wipe surfaces ( although it is mostly women on laundry duties).
Apparently, teenagers, in this place, noticing dust , leap up and find a cloth to tackle it...
This is ad- land, not real life, and research would have gone into how to sell, not how to describe current Britain.
I am always amused at how proud men, in adverts, are of their cleaning efforts and need praising. It is every day life for most people and if we waited around for praise nothing would get done.
Not racist? Seriously?
How bad would it have to be, to be called racist?
I had noticed that virtually every couple in TV ads are represented by one white person and one of colour. This is not the ethnic mix of Britain obviously, but as we record programmes and skip through the ads, we don't see much of current advertising . On a slightly different note, the glossy, busy, successful people seen in TV breaks and the media are evidently partly responsible for the mental health of the young in this countrty, according to our GP. He said his depressed young patients talk of 'others' with happy, fulfilled lives that they see daily, and their life isn't like that. I do find it concerning that there is no discernment or realisation that what we see on social media or TV is not representative of real life. When AI really gets going......
“That” not “what”
Ok I am out. Absolutely no point.
Willow3 The problem is that the big cities think they are the country, but the country also contains smaller towns and villages, which are different and diversity doesn't just include the deep diversity of cities, but also that of the vast swathes of small towns and villages which are diverse by being less diverse.
No, I have not time for Sarah Ponchin and her views, but I am equally irritated by those who think big cities and metropolitan areas are all this country contains.
Some people on Gransnet do disgust very easily.
I think that Sarah Pochlin 's racist remarks have to be called out because they are damaging and divisive.
I watched a film* last might It was about attitudes by white people towards black people in the USA in the 1950's, the accusations that led to blacks hung from trees and put to death in wrongful court decisions and the work of an amazing lawyer who turned matters round.
Nothing to do with identity politics, just simple straightforward racial hatred and we don't need more divisiveness than you very much.
*"Marshall" is about Thurgood Marshall, a black lawyer who challenged racial injustice in the 1950s and later became the first African American Supreme Court Justice"
I haven’t noticed 51% of adverts contain what some maintain are “ethnic minorities” Some of these groups are 3rd generation British!
I don’t really care if a black, pink, white, yellow or purple human is trying to flog me a hover or life insurance!
She was being utterly racist!
Companies who want to sell their goods and services have realised that the ethnic minorities in the UK are now more prosperous and therefore potential customers. So, considering that people are supposed to be more likely to buy if the advertisements show people like them, the TV commercials now show more black and Asian people than they used to. I agree that there should be more South-East Asian people in adverts.
Why does this annoy Sarah Pochin so much? The only reason I can think of is racism. Her 'excuse' was utterly unconvincing.
The point of adverts is to create a demand for a product, which in turn engenders sales, business and profit, which provides jobs and helps the economy.
People always have a choice as to what they spend their money on.
I think it makes it the exact opposite of seeing people as human beings. Dividing us into groups and focusing on one issue of identity whether that is race, sex, sexuality, whatever. Well I am beginning to think that just entrenches positions and divides us more.
Wyllow3
"Apparently, teenagers, in this place, noticing dust, leap up and find a cloth to tackle it..." 🤣
The real evils in adverts are actually to create a greedy "I want" consumer culture, in a world full of shortages for the huge majority of people, the suggestions that buying the latest this or that can take you away from life's pains at the flick of a credit card
If we didn’t buy stuff there would be lots of people without employment and less taxes (of all kinds) collected by HMRC
Galaxy
Working well isn't it?
it is what it is, Galaxy, but to characterise it as all the fault of this mythical group who all apparently live within the M25 is a load of rubbish.
"Apparently, teenagers, in this place, noticing dust, leap up and find a cloth to tackle it..." 🤣
The real evils in adverts are actually to create a greedy "I want" consumer culture, in a world full of shortages for the huge majority of people, the suggestions that buying the latest this or that can take you away from life's pains at the flick of a credit card
Working well isn't it? 
It doesn’t matter to me ….I record things and so fast forward all ads when possible.
It may well matter to a lot or hardly any, I have no idea, but is clearly an attempt by different companies to be so inclusive that the proportionality of it has gone too far?
Well "Identity Politics" as in "the personal is political" - which it most certainly is in terms of some of your particularly felt views and mine too when it comes to gender
- has been with us since the 1970's as regards gender and race - if it goes too far, then its clearly counter productive, but we can't deal with issues without it.
Well, it's advertising - land, isn't it? I'm not sure that the glossy hair, shiny homes and new cars we see in advertising are a strict representation of the people around us, either.
I am amused to see that, in this parallel universe, men are the only gender who mop floors or wipe surfaces ( although it is mostly women on laundry duties).
Apparently, teenagers, in this place, noticing dust , leap up and find a cloth to tackle it...
This is ad- land, not real life, and research would have gone into how to sell, not how to describe current Britain.
We are all human beings and as regards TV adverts, consumers. ...*.there are probably market forces leading to the decisions made about adverts and who is in them not some political plotting*
If people spend years obsessing about representation and frequently use the term 'white male' as an insult, don't be surprised when this happens. Identity politics have been an absolute disaster. I say this as someone who has probably been guilty of identity politics in the past.
She doesn’t ‘mind so much’ I expect, but was trying to connect to the caller who did.It’s what politicians do.
It wasn’t racist at all, as nothing detrimental was said about black or Asian people in the UK or elsewhere, just the truth that they’re over represented in tv ads, it is simply a fact after all.
It doesn’t bother me ( tho it may if I had been of Chinese heritage as you never ever see an ad that features them.)
But Oreo, why does that actually matter?
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