Placating a crowd of black people with a bucket of chicken is considered good marketing by Kentucky Fried Chicken in Australia -- but it's causing a bit of a fervor here in the States.

The ad shows a very distressed white guy, surrounded by a crowd of black people at a cricket match, who wonders, "Need a tip when you're stuck in an awkward situation?" He gets out of the "awkward situation" by handing them a bucket of chicken.

A rep for KFC Australia told a local paper, "It is a light-hearted reference to the West Indian cricket team ... The ad was reproduced online in the US without KFC's permission, where we are told a culturally-based stereotype exists, leading to the incorrect assertion of racism."

UPDATE -- We just got this statement: "KFC Australia is removing the television advertisement that was being run in conjunction with the Australian cricket season. We apologize for any misinterpretation of the ad as it was not meant to offend anyone."

http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/06/kfc-australia-racist-commercial-kentucky-fried-chicken/

YIKES.

And this didn't even happen in the states either... :eek:

EDIT: Even other countries have to be more careful now..

And this didn't even happen in the states either... :eek:
Can you imagine how much worse it would've been had it happened here?? You'd have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson setting up interviews so fast your head would spin!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Can you imagine how much worse it would've been had it happened here?? You'd have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson setting up interviews so fast your head would spin!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Exactly... :eek:

Exactly... :eek:
Well, who are we kidding? They'll probably do it anyway!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I sure as hell am not siding with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, but I certainly can see how this commercial can be offensive. They are just re enforcing the stereotype that black people love fried chicken, while they were at it why didnt they have another white person hold up a watermelon :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I sure as hell am not siding with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, but I certainly can see how this commercial can be offensive. They are just re enforcing the stereotype that black people love fried chicken, while they were at it why didnt they have another white person hold up a watermelon :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

And a big glass of red kool-aid to wash it down with.

well I don't know about anyone else but Kentucky Fried Chicken always makes me happy - our boss just brought in KFC for everyone today and it sure lightened the mood despite the nasty weather we're seeing outside today.