Trident complaints rise over perceived racial stereotyping

by Joanne Payne, Brand Republic 05-Mar-07, 15:55

LONDON - Almost 300 people have now complained to the advertising watchdog about the Cadbury Trident TV ad campaign, which features three spots and a website encouraging ‘revolutionary' behaviour.

An Advertising Standards Authority spokesman confirmed that overall the complainants had objected to the alleged racial stereotyping and perceived ridicule of West Indians and their culture in the three TV spots and cinema ad campaign, created by JWT. However, a minority of the 283 complaints had referred to the name Trident itself.

Trident is the name of the Metropolitan Police's black-on-black anti-gun policy. The operation was set up in 1998 to help bring an end to a spate of shootings and murders among young, black Londoners.

Viewers appear to have picked up on unintentional juxtaposition fusing the supposedly humorous ads and their black spokesman with what Operation Trident means in the UK, especially London.

It seems likely that the number of complaints has been fuelled by the fact that the campaign has broken at a time when the black on black gun crime is being featured so prominently in the headlines making the ads appear to some as insensitive and harming the seriousness of Trident operation.

The majority of complaints relate to the original ad featuring a dub poet taking to the streets to declare ‘mastication for the nation' and the following creatives which depict a white member of the Women's Institute and a white budgie enthusiast declaring their love for the chewing gum but doing so in a West Indian accent.

The complaints have risen dramatically over the weekend, on Friday the number of complaints was at 99.