Spot on, I was taken a back. It's not the type of attitude I experienced while playing cricket as youngster some 60 years ago. Even though we were not then as sensitive, nor did we consider their implications, to certain words and expressions as we are today. I hated school cadets for that very reason, I am an individual not a mindless robot.
Bear in mind, I was born in 1942 in Berlin, Germany, not South Africa nor Canada, they also had a Berlin! Thus, I have a dislike of bombastic behavior.
Another more generic view is that Human Rights concepts which evolved less than 100 years ago, of which this issue is related too, has only been accepted by some, and certainly not those with vested interests. Prior to the Human Rights declaration, the average person could be called anything imaginable without consequence. It takes time for a change in attitude to take place.
So for those making the advert, have revealed their old habits and have not played the gentleman's game called cricket. Even the expression 'It's not cricket" tells you all to need to know. It's a game, not a war, where being assertive is acceptable, but being aggressive is not acceptable. By the way, why do commentators use the word 'aggressive' not only when commentating on cricket, for that matter, other sports as well? Look up an English dictionary, the word 'aggression' is associated with war!!!! Thereby youngsters are being indoctrinated to be aggressive while playing sport and for that matter in their general behavior. Surely we can get this right some time in the future!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Jost, many thanks for taking the time to reply. I love your thoughts and perspective. I have been guilty many times of using the word 'aggressive' to describe the bowling of bouncers or the hitting of boundaries. I will temper my language in future...! The other words that bug me, which I try never to use, are 'pressure' and 'tragic'. Pressure is having to put food on the table for your children when you don't have a job. Tragic is not being able to, not being run out or losing a game of cricket by one run!
I rarely react to adverts. To be honest, I don’t pay them much attention at all. But that advert really annoyed me - to the extent that I refused to listen or watch. They say “No advertising is bad advertising” and this communication has certainly kept KFC in focus, but it really left a bad taste.
I also found that advert offensive - so much so that every time it came on I turned the sound down so I couldn't hear it. Kids should be polite, not aggressive and demanding.
Pleased to see I wasn't the only one who switched off or changed channels when this advert came on. Thought it was showing great disrespect to adults and not the way I'd have brought my children up.
After watching the ad a few times I found it offensive and changed the station whenever it came on. I felt sorry (actually embarrassed) for Keshav who was being shouted at.
Cheers Des, it isn't the biggest issue we have to worry about in cricket. And there was no 'intent' to misread the room by the ad agency, but I just had to say something. It's been bugging me all summer...
Hi Barry, as I mentioned at the end of the column KFC have worked very hard at providing healthy eating options on their menu. It is possible to eat well at their outlets these days without having fried food. It's a different matter persuading/expecting kids to make those choices, though... :)
Ha! Ha! I must say, I was at least half expecting it to be withdrawn before the end of the India series. I can't find it anywhere on-line now so perhaps the agency, or KFC, realised that it had missed the mark by some distance.
Thank you, Sarah. Sometimes things are said and done in poor taste with completely innocent intentions. I beleive that was the case in this instance. I hope so.
Cheers, Simon. You're right about not being able to put your finger on the problem. For weeks I thought I was being over-sensitive, reading too much into it, maybe just not 'getting' it. But it grated just as much every time I watched it. Or didn't watch it! Took me months to finall write the column.
I so agree, I saw that promo, and the "I cannot hear you.." and cringed, as a video editor, that would be where I unplug my keyboard and say, "Really.. Are you sure".. It was for me more than an own goal, that was shooting your nose off to spite your eyebrows..
There are moments where one has to wonder, just how was this approved, who, and why.. Was there no feedback? TV is a very dysfunctional medium, I have worked in live tv for 26 yrs, and seen a lot, and at times felt sick to my stomach at some of the questions put to guests, and seen how guests respond, and having angry guests in the studio, that came for questions, and got a 3 course grilling..
Had Indian crew covering the 1st T20 world cup come to blows and almost beat each other to death with cameras over what to feed to Dehli.. 2am was not the best time to stop a fight...I thought that was bad enough, but then KFC came to the party...
Sorry but just how did this happen? I don't know if KFC, the agency responsible for this promo, or anyone from CSA will ever come out in public, own this and be adult enough to say "Sorry, we goofed..."
Always brilliant to hear from you, Justine. Love your take on cricket and life. You know what - I think there is an opportunity for the agency and, more importantly, KFC, to make some capital out of this. I, certainly, would respect them immensely if they said "sorry, we goofed."
Spot on, I was taken a back. It's not the type of attitude I experienced while playing cricket as youngster some 60 years ago. Even though we were not then as sensitive, nor did we consider their implications, to certain words and expressions as we are today. I hated school cadets for that very reason, I am an individual not a mindless robot.
Bear in mind, I was born in 1942 in Berlin, Germany, not South Africa nor Canada, they also had a Berlin! Thus, I have a dislike of bombastic behavior.
Another more generic view is that Human Rights concepts which evolved less than 100 years ago, of which this issue is related too, has only been accepted by some, and certainly not those with vested interests. Prior to the Human Rights declaration, the average person could be called anything imaginable without consequence. It takes time for a change in attitude to take place.
So for those making the advert, have revealed their old habits and have not played the gentleman's game called cricket. Even the expression 'It's not cricket" tells you all to need to know. It's a game, not a war, where being assertive is acceptable, but being aggressive is not acceptable. By the way, why do commentators use the word 'aggressive' not only when commentating on cricket, for that matter, other sports as well? Look up an English dictionary, the word 'aggression' is associated with war!!!! Thereby youngsters are being indoctrinated to be aggressive while playing sport and for that matter in their general behavior. Surely we can get this right some time in the future!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Jost, many thanks for taking the time to reply. I love your thoughts and perspective. I have been guilty many times of using the word 'aggressive' to describe the bowling of bouncers or the hitting of boundaries. I will temper my language in future...! The other words that bug me, which I try never to use, are 'pressure' and 'tragic'. Pressure is having to put food on the table for your children when you don't have a job. Tragic is not being able to, not being run out or losing a game of cricket by one run!
I rarely react to adverts. To be honest, I don’t pay them much attention at all. But that advert really annoyed me - to the extent that I refused to listen or watch. They say “No advertising is bad advertising” and this communication has certainly kept KFC in focus, but it really left a bad taste.
I also found that advert offensive - so much so that every time it came on I turned the sound down so I couldn't hear it. Kids should be polite, not aggressive and demanding.
Pleased to see I wasn't the only one who switched off or changed channels when this advert came on. Thought it was showing great disrespect to adults and not the way I'd have brought my children up.
Agree fully. Teaches disrespect. An already problematic issue in today's society.
After watching the ad a few times I found it offensive and changed the station whenever it came on. I felt sorry (actually embarrassed) for Keshav who was being shouted at.
Cheers Des, it isn't the biggest issue we have to worry about in cricket. And there was no 'intent' to misread the room by the ad agency, but I just had to say something. It's been bugging me all summer...
Sponsors are valuable but KFC product to kids in a country with such obesity doesn’t sit comfy…
Hi Barry, as I mentioned at the end of the column KFC have worked very hard at providing healthy eating options on their menu. It is possible to eat well at their outlets these days without having fried food. It's a different matter persuading/expecting kids to make those choices, though... :)
You're not hallucinating. I turn that hideous advert off every time it comes on...
Ha! Ha! I must say, I was at least half expecting it to be withdrawn before the end of the India series. I can't find it anywhere on-line now so perhaps the agency, or KFC, realised that it had missed the mark by some distance.
Couldn't agree more, Neil. That line had me reeling.
Thank you, Sarah. Sometimes things are said and done in poor taste with completely innocent intentions. I beleive that was the case in this instance. I hope so.
Spot on, Neil. I hated these Ads during the series and couldn't put my finger on what it was that made me uncomfortable. As always, top stuff.
Cheers, Simon. You're right about not being able to put your finger on the problem. For weeks I thought I was being over-sensitive, reading too much into it, maybe just not 'getting' it. But it grated just as much every time I watched it. Or didn't watch it! Took me months to finall write the column.
I so agree, I saw that promo, and the "I cannot hear you.." and cringed, as a video editor, that would be where I unplug my keyboard and say, "Really.. Are you sure".. It was for me more than an own goal, that was shooting your nose off to spite your eyebrows..
There are moments where one has to wonder, just how was this approved, who, and why.. Was there no feedback? TV is a very dysfunctional medium, I have worked in live tv for 26 yrs, and seen a lot, and at times felt sick to my stomach at some of the questions put to guests, and seen how guests respond, and having angry guests in the studio, that came for questions, and got a 3 course grilling..
Had Indian crew covering the 1st T20 world cup come to blows and almost beat each other to death with cameras over what to feed to Dehli.. 2am was not the best time to stop a fight...I thought that was bad enough, but then KFC came to the party...
Sorry but just how did this happen? I don't know if KFC, the agency responsible for this promo, or anyone from CSA will ever come out in public, own this and be adult enough to say "Sorry, we goofed..."
Always brilliant to hear from you, Justine. Love your take on cricket and life. You know what - I think there is an opportunity for the agency and, more importantly, KFC, to make some capital out of this. I, certainly, would respect them immensely if they said "sorry, we goofed."