★★★★★ 0/5

Dear Border Security, this is “not helpful” either.

Unsubtle Border Security promo goes for racial stereotypes with Asian fonts and Chinese music.

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wwmw“Not helpful,” Barnaby Joyce said of Clive Palmer’s outburst against China on Q & A last night.

Wonder if Barnaby has seen this promo Seven is currently running for Border Security in which a man of Asian appearance is being questioned by Australian customs?

“What’s Wrong With Mr. Wong?” asks the promo in an Asian-style font.

It is accompanied by the sounds of martial arts, Chinese music -and a burp- presumably because the man appears to be taken ill. Just to ram home the point, it runs twice in the one promo.

Border Security, which tells long-haul passengers via a sign that they should alert them if they do NOT want to be filmed, has never been particularly subtle with its agenda. But to lay on the racial stereotypes in promos is pretty poor form.

Is this really the best we can do?

 

32 Responses

  1. Looking forward to tonight to see what is wrong with Mr Wong. I reckon he ate something that has upset his stomach that is causing him to burp. Typical ‘suck you in’ FTA advertising.

    Showing stupid people doing stupid things and getting caught by people doing their jobs is not racist. There are plenty of Australians and other nationalities trying to bring the wrong stuff into the country and it is great that we have good people trying to stop it. The excuses and trying to rewrite history these people come up with is pathetic but makes entertaining viewing.

  3. @MM – you appear to have misunderstood what people are upset about. They are not complaining about what AQIS and Customs do to prevent agricultural diseases and contraband from being brought into the country. I think we all agree that they are a welcome barrier and do a good job.

    What they are complaining about is the racist tone of Seven’s promo. What incoming passengers might try to get away with is irrelevant to this, and in no way mitigates Seven’s appalling ad for it’s already borderline xenophobic program.

    How you could think that this casually racist promo, which specifically mentions Mr Wong, could refer to all nationalities is beyond me.

  4. Unfortunately anyone who brands the Border Security promo as racist is ignorant, misguided and incorrect. Please look up the definition and use it correctly.
    I despise Channel 7 and their promo department as much as the next person, but we need (as a society) to avoid calling out this type of behavior as racist as it is muddying the water and confusing people with what racism actually is.

    By calling this ‘un-PC’ behaviour “racist” we are suggesting there is something wrong with the Asian heritage and traditions.
    If a Scottish person accused of drug smuggling was in the same situation and the promos called him Mr MacGregor, played bagpipe music, in a traditional font, with black terriers, and accused the man of not wearing underwear under his kilt: they would be old, lame, un-creative, tired stereotypes – but they in themselves are not racist and they are not offensive. To say…

  5. I’m glad you’ve drawn attention to this out David – I saw this ad about 10 times while watching the X Factor. As if Border Security wasn’t bad enough already in how it propagates a fear of foreigners and exploits racial stereotypes.

  6. You have to be involved with passengers coming into the airport to know exactly what they try to get away with, people would be shocked, so I don’t see this as racist as it applies to all nationalities, and Boarder security are only doing their job and trying to protect Australia and Australians.

  8. So I’m not the only one who saw this as a little racist and inappropriate…

    @Jason: Completely agree, Channel Seven have the most misleading promos in comparison to all other FTA channels. Every scene is taken out of context and the plot they are promoting doesn’t even exist. I see this week after week with Revenge.

  9. @The Moops – “A rare misfire by Seven. There (sic) promos are usually very good,”
    Seven must have the most misleading promos of everyone. They were promoting “a murder” in Home & Away “this week” two weeks ago. Still hasn’t happened.

  11. Well done David Knox for highlighting a dreadful piece of gutter promotion. If his name is in fact Mr Wong, he could most likely be as much Australian as being Chinese, American or some other nationality. Parodying his surname in an ‘Asian’ style font, contrast against a program about Australia’s security on a national scale, is creating a stereotype that any 10 year old would find completely at odds with what is taught in school yet is presented by a broadcaster that is meant to reflect the general public. It sends a very bad message and suggests to critical thinking viewers that the program Boarder Security is nothing more than a cheap, poor taste joke. A good reason not to watch such rubbish.

  12. I do think this has some element of racism in this promo, I don’t think ch7 took any consideration or thoughts on this, well would they do something like this if Australian person in that situation?? hmm I think not. A very silly promo ch7.

  13. @oceanographer – anyone who doesn’t see this as a form of racism needs a serious rethink about what is and isn’t acceptable in a multicultural society.

  14. I saw this promo over the weekend and thought exactly the same thing. Border Security, TT and ACA have never been that subtle about their racism but this is being really overt.

  17. It is about the best we can do….. at least they don’t do the muslims terror suspects routine….no doubt that will be next.

    Surely this promo must be breaching some sort of vilification law somewhere….it is very blatant

  18. A rare misfire by Seven. There promos are usually very good, but this one is an absolute shocker. Agree with gregaus, the show straddles the boundary of racist sterotyping at the best of times, but this promo blatantly panders to racial stereotyping. I realise it is meant to be lighthearted, but it can most definitely be interpreted as racist against Asians.

  19. I don’t see the promo as being racist. Anyone who sees that as racist must get emotionally triggered pretty easily and bring out the race card at the drop of a hat.

  21. Yep, saw this air during the amazing race last night – just after some of the contestants engaged in equally racist behaviour mocking a taxi driver’s accent. I was a little disturbed by the amount of casual racism peppered throughout the amazing race, but that turned into total shock when I saw this promo. Disgusting.

  23. I saw these promos last night and was appalled at how racist they were.

    But I wasn’t too surprised cos Border Security regularly targets Asians and humiliates them.

    I hope the Advertising Standards Board is flooded with complaints.

  24. Thank you David for bringing this up. I am quite alarmed at the racist tone of the Ch 7 promo for Border Security. Is it not bad enough that almost every episode of the show contains elements of casual racism, but they now make an ad that doesn’t even hide the racism? I hope 7 receive a huge pile of complaints over this.

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