NEW BRUNSWICK IS OUR FOCUS

Dear Readers,

It has been awhile since we have corresponded. Not since our battle with McCain's International Pizza television commercials. Since then there are some new problems on the horizon and New Brunswick is still our focus.

We will and shall begin to focus on racism in the schools of New Brunswick and highlight what the minister of education is going to do about.

We will begin our focus by highlighting the background of the minister.

We will dig into all complaints of racism in the schools of New Brunswick until there is a consultation with the government in an open meeting to resolve our issues.

I have written the Minister and so far I have heard nothing in return. We will wait awhile before we launch this new campaign.

I will call on you shortly to air your complaints of racism in New Brunswick schools and I will begin with my own situation until we have a meetiong with the minister.

In the past we have had successful campaigns against racism, as the photo above illustrates, and it seems now time to dust off our placards and go to the streets once again.

Sincerely yours,

F. Stanley Boyd,

Ed.

ASC Evaluates Re-Make of Degrogatory Commercial

Dear Reader,

Mr. Boyd is very ill in his fight against cancer; yet he has received this response to his complaint about the second commercial re- make on the topical of McCain Foods second Ad on its International Pizza product now currently being run, not the one on which Mr. Boyd reported a bias against Black women and women in general. In that commercial there were two women, one black and the other white.

The Advertising Standards Canada reviewed McCain Foods second commercial re-make of the original derogatory commercial, the one being aired now, which contains only one female actor, not the one Frank Boyd complained about. The ASC say in their ruling:

“In light of your concerns, ASC staff reviewed the commercial currently being broadcasted, which only features one female actor. We did not evaluate the commercial as making a derogatory statement or comment about women.”

Mr. Boyd would not say this report is fraudulent just done on the wrong subject matter; the commercial on which Mr. Boyd did not make any complaint at all. In fairness to the public the ASC has a responsibility to evaluate the commercials on which the complaint from a complainant is made.

Right click the photo about to read the enlarged, full text of the ASC’s letter of response to Mr. Boyd from National Standards Coordinator, Jennifer Davidson

Contributor

McCain Foods Responds

Allison D. McCain, Chairman McCain Foods Limited.

From: McCain Foods Canada@

To: fsjboyd@yahoo.com

Subject: McCain Foods Canada - Response

Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 13:52:15 -0300

#message { overflow:auto; visibility:hidden }

Thank you for submitting your message to McCain.ca, the website of McCain Foods Canada. We appreciate you taking the time to write to us!
Here is our response:

Hi Frank,

Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback regarding the International Thin Crust Pizza commercial. A revised commercial is now in circulation.Kind Regards,McCain Foods (Canada)

Your original message read:

McCain Foods International Pizza Commercial Misses a “Golden Opportunity.” See, www.crct-arc.blogspot.com

TO: Allison D. McCain, Chairman McCain Foods Limited.

The Committee on Racial Content in Canadian Television (CRCT) post: McCain’s International Pizza television commercial is a Hateful 30 seconds on Canadian Television has been misunderstood. During a radio interview on CBC’s Mainstreet Program on Friday afternoon May 11, 2007 at about 5:15 pm McCain Foods International Pizza television commercial was referred to as “racist.” This description of the commercial was not the language used by the CRCT. We all need to take a step back.

In the first place the radio interview was not solicited by the CRCT. In fact on Friday morning May 11, 2007 CRCT chair received two emails at two different email addresses from CBC’s Nina Corfu who introduced herself by saying: “I’m a reporter with CBC Radio in Halifax. We’d like to do a radio interview with you about the McCain’s tv commercial for our show this afternoon. Please call if and when you get this message… Thanks, Nina.”

I was at my desk when the phone rang and the voice on the other end introduced herself as Nina Corfu. She was from the Mainstreet Program of CBC Radio. She asked if I would be prepared to be interviewed on the program. I have Nina some background on the purposes of the CRCT. How it was founded and what its purpose is, namely, to do content analysis on racial content on television and in other forms of telecommunications.

At no time during that conversation with the CBC reporter was the McCain International Pizza commercial described as “racist.” Also the commercial is not described as “racist” on the blog either. The “R” was introduced during the CBC Radio interview only at the time when the McCain Foods spokesperson denied that the commercial was “racist.” How the “R” word entered the CBC Radio program was far beyond the intention of the CRCT and a total surprise to me.

Our role, the role of the CRCT, is to analyze the use of racial content that is, image manipulation, in the media, not to place ''harmful'' labels like the term “racist” on commercials in this case. The CRCT's role is to be constructive.

During the interview on the CBC I referred to McCain Foods as a Maritime company that has earned a world class reputation for excellence. I said “McCain Foods employs some 20,000 people, with 55 production facilities in 12 countries spanning six continents. The company processes 1 million pounds of potato products each hour and sells one-third of the world’s frozen French fry products in over 110 countries.” In other words McCain Foods had earned a world class reputation for excellence but the racial content of its commercial falls short of its world class caliber.

For example, if this commercial contained a role reversal, namely, the black woman was surrounded by the international men and the white woman had the grocery cart in her hands and ran to the freezer to buy McCain Foods International Pizza, the commercial would have caused even a greater stir. Why was this role reversal in the commercial not presented to the customers of McCain Foods International Pizza, placing the commercial in line with the hopes and aspirations of Canadians in the twenty first century?

To a large extent, oddly, commercials define who we are as a people, and as a nation and in this sense McCain Foods, a Maritime company of which we are justly proud, missed a “Golden Opportunity” to make a difference with this commercial.

For CRCT I am, Frank Boyd.

If you wish to make a contribution by way of a media review, or a financial contribution to the CRCT please contact Frank Boyd at fsjboyd@yahoo.com.

NOTE: Please do not reply to this message. This mailbox is unattended and your reply will not be received. If you have additional questions or concerns, please submit an email via the CONTACT US feature located on our website.

Publisher's Note:

The CRCT requests an opportunity to review the revised Ad so that it can tell its members that McCain Foods is a good corporate citizen. The CRCT has brought attention to this issue and would like the opportunity to endorse the revised Ad. Try as we may we have yet to see the new Ad and it is our hope that McCain Foods will send us a copy of the new, revised Ad. We want to thank McCain Foods for its cooperation in dealing with this matter. No one other than the publisher of this blog speaks for the CRCT. We will advise our readers when the new Ad is received and you may expect that the CRCT will responsibly review that Ad's image content on your behalf and in fairness to McCain Foods, while balancing the interests of those who have expressed strong anger over the Ad's content. I sincerely hope that McCain Foods will allow the CRCT to review the new, revised Ad and the CRCT will make that request on your behalf to McCain Foods Ltd.

Sincere best wishes,

The Publisher

CRCT's Complaint to Advertising Standards Canada

Allison D. McCain Chairman McCain Foods

Complainant Confirmation received by CRCT below:

From: complaints@adstandards.com

To: fsjboyd@yahoo.com

Subject: Online Complaint Form Submission

Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 10:58:32 -0400

Advertising Standards Canada has received your Online Complaints Submission as summarized below. If you have any questions or comments regarding this submission, please respond by reply e-mail. ASC carefully reviews all Complaints Submissions and responds by Canada Post.Thank you for using the Complaints Response System. Standards DivisionAdvertising Standards Canada

Complainant Information:

Complainant's name: Frank Boyd

Advertisement Information:

Advertiser/Brand Name: McCain Foods

Product: McCain International Pizza

Description:

THE MC CAIN FOODS INTERNATIONAL PIZZA AD BEGINS AS FOLLOWS: A slim blonde, White Canadian woman appears on your television screen; she ponders over whether to buy or not to buy McCain’s International pizzas. Suddenly she is surrounded by a number of handsome white males.

Media Information: Media: On CTV

Viewing Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2007 between 6:30 and7

Complaint: As a result the Black woman rushes with her grocery cart to the freezer to fill the cart McCain Foods International Pizza. There is supposed to be humor in this Ad, but I do not find this humorous at all. In fact it is demaining to women in general For further details see, http://www.crct-arc.blogspot.com/

I confirm that neither I nor any member of my household has any affiliation with a competitor of the advertiser or the advertiser's advertising agency.

I give consent to ASC to disclose my name, contact information, and a copy of this complaint to ASC and the Consumer Response Council for the purpose of reviewing the complaint, and for the purpose of providing further information about ASC's activities. I give consent to ASC to forward a copy of this complaint to the advertiser, but I do not give consent to ASC to disclose my name and contact information to the advertiser for the purpose of responding to my concerns.

Following this complaint the CRCT received an email from McCain Foods to be soon posted.

McCain Foods International Pizza Commercial Misses a “Golden Opportunity.”

Allison D. McCain, Chairman McCain Foods Limited.

The Committee on Racial Content in Canadian Television (CRCT) post: McCain’s International Pizza television commercial is a Hateful 30 seconds on Canadian Television has been misunderstood. During a radio interview on CBC’s Mainstreet Program on Friday afternoon May 11, 2007 at about 5:15 pm McCain Foods International Pizza television commercial was referred to as “racist.” This description of the commercial was not the language used by the CRCT. We all need to take a step back.

In the first place the radio interview was not solicited by the CRCT. In fact on Friday morning May 11, 2007 CRCT chair received two emails at two different email addresses from CBC’s Nina Corfu who introduced herself by saying: “I’m a reporter with CBC Radio in Halifax. We’d like to do a radio interview with you about the McCain’s tv commercial for our show this afternoon. Please call if and when you get this message… Thanks, Nina.”

I was at my desk when the phone rang and the voice on the other end introduced herself as Nina Corfu. She was from the Mainstreet Program of CBC Radio. She asked if I would be prepared to be interviewed on the program. I have Nina some background on the purposes of the CRCT. How it was founded and what its purpose is, namely, to do content analysis on racial content on television and in other forms of telecommunications.

At no time during that conversation with the CBC reporter was the McCain International Pizza commercial described as “racist.” Also the commercial is not described as “racist” on the blog either. The “R” was introduced during the CBC Radio interview only at the time when the McCain Foods spokesperson denied that the commercial was “racist.” How the “R” word entered the CBC Radio program was far beyond the intention of the CRCT and a total surprise to me.

Our role, the role of the CRCT, is to analyze the use of racial content that is, image manipulation, in the media, not to place "harmful" labels like the term “racist” on commercials in this case. The CRCT's role is to be constructive.

During the interview on the CBC I referred to McCain Foods as a Maritime company that has earned a world class reputation for excellence. I said “McCain Foods employs some 20,000 people, with 55 production facilities in 12 countries spanning six continents. The company processes 1 million pounds of potato products each hour and sells one-third of the world’s frozen French fry products in over 110 countries.” In other words McCain Foods had earned a world class reputation for excellence but the racial content of its commercial falls short of its world class caliber.

For example, if this commercial contained a role reversal, namely, the black woman was surrounded by the international men and the white woman had the grocery cart in her hands and ran to the freezer to buy McCain Foods International Pizza, the commercial would have caused even a greater stir. Why was this role reversal in the commercial not presented to the customers of McCain Foods International Pizza, placing the commercial in line with the hopes and aspirations of Canadians in the twenty first century?

To a large extent, oddly, commercials define who we are as a people, and as a nation and in this sense McCain Foods, a Maritime company of which we are justly proud, missed a “Golden Opportunity” to make a difference with this commercial.

For CRCT I am, Frank Boyd.

If you wish to make a contribution by way of a media review, or a financial contribution to the CRCT please contact Frank Boyd at fsjboyd@yahoo.com.

McCain’s International Pizza television commercial is a Hateful 30 Seconds On Canadian Television

I am writing on behalf of the Committee on Racial Content on Canadian Television (CRCT), a committee that monitors the projection of ethnic minorities' images on Canadian television and in other Canadian telecommunications.

McCain Foods of Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada runs a Television Ad on its International Pizza that is demeaning and affronting to both African Canadian and American consumers of their products. The product in question is McCain's International Pizza. The product can be found at the following link:

http://www.mccain.ca/ under products. Once to click this link you will have to click back on your diver to resume reading this report.

THE MC CAIN FOODS INTERNATIONAL PIZZA AD BEGINS AS FOLLOWS:
A slim blonde, White Canadian woman appears on your television screen; she ponders over whether to buy or not to buy McCain’s International pizzas. Suddenly she is surrounded by a number of handsome white male suitors from around the world. Up to this point not a bad idea of a commercial message. From here the Mc Cain Foods International Pizza Ad goes all the way downhill.

We cut away to a larger Black Canadian woman (above left) who apparently sees the white Canadian woman in the first part of the Ad surrounded by various White men, who are Parisian, Canadian, Sicilian, Greek or Texan, among others, taking an interest in her. Every woman, including the Black woman, wants this kind of attention, right?

As a result the Black woman rushes with her grocery cart to the freezer to fill the cart McCain Foods International Pizza. There is supposed to be humor in this Ad, but the CRCT does not find this humorous at all.

It is the portrayal of the black women's image we find totally disagreeable. Mc Cain Foods Ad producers are entirely capable of portraying a Black woman in a positive, and gracious manner, if they want to do it. Has anyone seen an Ad from the producers of Mc Cain Foods Ads that presents Black people in a positive light and which has also been aired as a commercial intended for general Canadian audiences? Please make this Ad available if there is one.

The CRCT would like to hear from Mc Cain Foods, a successful Canadian company of which we are proud, before we forward this Ad to be reviewed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CTRC). I am pleased to report that last night, meaning Wednesday, May 9, 2007, after a CRCT email was sent to Mc Cain Foods, the television Ad in question was substantially changed when it aired at about 6:45 pm during the CTV News, following Live at 5. To the credit of McCain Foods they did modified the Ad, but it should not have been approved in the first place.

I trust that we'll hear from McCain as soon as possible; we also still want the Ad in question cancelled. We also have suggestions as to how McCain Foods can, in the future, demonstrate its fairness to our ethnic minority consumers.

UPDATE:

Tonight, Thursday, May 10, 2007 between 7:30 and 8:00 PM AST the ad: McCain Foods International Pizza, aired twice during CTV's Jeopardy Show despite the email from the CRCT requesting the ad be cancelled due to its hateful depiction of the Black and the White women in the ad, as one of the blog’s comments below aptly points out. I think McCain Foods is enjoying a notoriety it has never had before. I think that McCain Foods has decided the bad publicity is better than no publicity, a strategy that may well backfire on them. Now, it is up to us to show what we can do.

CRCT.

Please report to the CRCT any item on television in any form that you as a consumer consider questionable as regards taste and/or that you consider profiles your group in an unbecoming light.

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