Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper has unveiled three posters in the latest
phase of its controversial poster campaign for the Commission for Racial
Equality.
The new work is aimed at the majority of people in this country who,
according to the CRE, are not actively racist but have some prejudices
about racial minorities. In one, a black man’s face is accompanied by
the headline: ’Scared?’ The small print underneath reads: ’You should
be. He’s a dentist.’
In another, an Indian woman dressed in a sari appears next to the
headline: ’Improve your English.’ The small print reads: ’Perhaps this
headmaster could help.’
The third execution features an Asian schoolboy accompanied by the
headline, ’No-one respects me’, while the small print reads: ’I’m an
Arsenal fan.’
The new ads had to be approved by the Advertising Standards Authority
after the CRE became the first victim of its new powers to pre-vet ads
earlier this year.
The CRE courted controversy in September when it put up three
deliberately racist posters, replacing them a few days later with new
posters carrying the CRE moniker and asking: ’Which was worse? This
advert or your failure to complain?’
The ads were written by Mark Wnek, David Chalu and David Jennings and
art directed by Steve Rutterford, Dexter Gunn and Paul Shearer.
They launch on 21 November and media was planned and bought by
Mediapolis.
