Presumably these folks are well dressed middle class people set in 2007? So why the overt baggage claim? Continued history of discrimination? Charted across time, discrimination is barely a blip now as compared with the worst of it. In this litigious age, if it's actionable, it's in court and there aren't many of those about recently. I have to agree with Bencoach that this advert (which I have not seen) should be changed. Lyle Browning On Oct 16, 2007, at 10:37 AM, Ray, Tom (LVA) wrote: > Considering the continued history of discrimination in Virginia I find > your reaction a bit extreme. I love Virginia and the South but I also > understand all of those people who've had no option but to look for a > ticket out. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of RLB6 > Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 9:53 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: OT: New Quaker Oats ad: "Ticket out of Virginia" > > > > I am seeking the assistance of others who love Virginia to make our > voices heard at the Quaker Company. A new Quaker Oatmeal commercial > features an attractive, older African-American couple who love to bowl > and stay healthy by eating Quaker Oatmeal. It's a cute ad, but it > inexcusably begins with an insult to the Commonwealth and people of > Virginia. As they talk about how they met, he jokes that she was just > "looking for a ticket out of Virginia." > Unbelievable. > > > > I first saw the ad on 10/8 and could not believe what I thought I > heard. > I saw it again on 10/9, airing during a national morning news program. > That day I sent an e-mail to the company via their on-line complaint > form and left two (as yet unreturned) messages for their publicity > person. On Thursday I received an e-mail from their complaint office, > stating in part, "We are sorry you were offended by our advertisement. > The reactions and viewpoints of our consumers are very important to > us. > Please be assured that your comments will be shared with corporate > management for consideration as future advertisements are planned." > > > > That's it, I thought. They recognize that the line in the ad is > offensive. > They'll take care of it. Not so fast. This morning, a full week > after > my complaints, I saw the ad again on one of the national morning news > shows. > Obviously the voice of one offended Virginian is not enough. > > > > Here's how you can help. Many more voices of people who love Virginia > need to be heard in Chicago. Below I have listed various e-mails and > phone numbers, along the main mailing address, for Quaker. Please use > one or all of them to contact Quaker immediately to request that > the ad > with the "ticket out of Virginia" line be immediately pulled from the > airwaves and > that line edited out. Write/call using your own words. Do not > forward > this e-mail. Brief e-mails are fine, so long as you include your name > and location them so that they know they are hearing from many > different > people, both in and out of Virginia. > > Quaker, a unit of PepsiCo Beverages & Foods P.O. Box 049003 > Chicago, IL > 60604-9003 > (312) 821-1000 > > The contact person listed as the publicist for Quaker on their most > recent press releases is: Jamie Stein, 312-821-2017, > [log in to unmask] (Note that there's an underline, not a > space > between her first and last names in the address.) > > Complaints may also be e-mailed to: > [log in to unmask] > > Thank you for your help. > > > > Sincerely, > > Rosanna Bencoach > > Richmond