[manimal]

Holy crap this is funny! this is a furniture store in the city where i work (furniture capital of the world) http://www.highpointmarket.org/

here's the original commercial:

and of course their response to the claims of racism

The racial reconciliation concept was a joint effort between the Red House staff and us. They pointed out the fact that their employees and customer base were like the "Rainbow Coalition", and we thought something with a comical racial reconciliation theme would be fun, as well as a conversation starter.

For those of you who think this video is racist, we'd like you to distinguish between "racist" and "racial". Racism is "hatred or intolerance of another race or other races." Racial is "of, relating to, or based on a race". This video is very obviously racial as opposed to racist. This video doesn't promote or feature hatred or intolerance. Rather, it's the very opposite. This commercial promotes inclusion and reconciliation, if not in a comical way. To point out the obvious, the irony in this video is that it's completely ridiculous for people to relate furniture to their race. People of all colors are welcome at the Red House, which is something that is taken for granted today, but there was a time in the not-so-recent past during which things as simple as a water fountain were NOT for everyone.

If Saturday Night Live, Mad TV, or Dave Chappelle for that matter, were to address racial issues in a comical way (something that they all do VERY regularly), they would have pushed the envelope MUCH further.

Discussing race in the US is taboo. It always makes people feel uncomfortable. We think it's a shame that someone saying "I'm white" or "I'm black" creates such a stir. There are real cultural identities within different people groups, and these things should be celebrated and embraced, not swept under the rug.

This video is an attempt to use humor to spark a discussion about race issues, because we still have a long way to go.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

That's funny! I'd buy a sofa there............. From a black person


Do you think they let Jews shop there

 

[jonKranked]

That's some funny shiz.


Although, I think it would have been a lot funnier if the black guy was in white face and the white guys were in black face. And there was an Irish dude dressed as a Leprechaun trying to pay with a pot of gold.

 

[DirtyMike]

That show is damned funny.

 

[dhmike]

+ rep .

 

[TN]

Awesome.

 

[sanjuro]

North Carolina is racist? Or is it racial?

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

What a bunch of hybrid hilly billy ****tards.

 

[manimal]

What a bunch of hybrid hilly billy ****tards.

dude.. you have to admit that is some clever marketing. i know the guys that put it on and they're pretty hip and amusing to hang with. not your typical stuffy furniture folk.
and the characters in the commercial are pretty indicative of the local working class...just some good hard working folks.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Where do the mexican and the muslims shop?

 

[Riding]

dude.. you have to admit that is some clever marketing.

So clever, it was on CNN Friday Night. It was on in the Restaurant I was at but no sound. I had already seen the video and people were looking at me funny because I was cracking up a saying, "I'm black and I shop here" "I'm white and I shop here"

 

[loco-gringo]

dude.. you have to admit that is some clever marketing. i know the guys that put it on and they're pretty hip and amusing to hang with. not your typical stuffy furniture folk.
and the characters in the commercial are pretty indicative of the local working class...just some good hard working folks.

Dude - you hang out at the furniture store???

 

[maddog17]

leave it up to a store in the south to come up with an ad like that. i don't find it racist in any way. i wouldn't call it funny, just a really bad ad. they had the right intention to try to make it light hearted like SNL or MadTV would, but trying to make a real ad for a real company with that idea in mind just didn't make it. people know when they watch SNL or Mad that it's supposed to be in a comedic sense, no one expects a real company to do that which is where the problem lies. i'll give em credit for the idea but there are still way too many people that are real PC types that will just never get it.

 

[manimal]

Dude - you hang out at the furniture store???

high point IS one big furniture store!

The High Point Market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world, bringing more than 85,000 people to High Point every six months. Serious retail home furnishings buyers can be found in High Point twice a year because if you can’t find it in High Point…it probably doesn’t exist.

Current Demographics:

* 188 Buildings
* 12 Million Square Feet of Showspace
* 85,000 Attendees Each Market
* More Than 2000 Exhibitors
* 110 Countries Represented
* Tens of Thousands of New Product Introductions
* Approximately 10% of Attendees Are International

http://www.highpointmarket.org/AboutMarket_MarketFacts.aspx

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

dude.. you have to admit that is some clever marketing. i know the guys that put it on and they're pretty hip and amusing to hang with. not your typical stuffy furniture folk.
and the characters in the commercial are pretty indicative of the local working class...just some good hard working folks.

Sorry, but the commercial is just not funny. It could have worked as a comedy sketch, but it would still need better execution. As it is, it's awkward and doesn't come across as a joke. Instead it reads as a sad attempt to quell racist suspicion. It's like they are making a half-assed attempt to suppress some sort of negative publicity that their store may have garnered.

 

[manimal]

Sorry, but the commercial is just not funny. It could have worked as a comedy sketch, but it would still need better execution. As it is, it's awkward and doesn't come across as a joke. Instead it reads as a sad attempt to quell racist suspicion. It's like they are making a half-assed attempt to suppress some sort of negative publicity that their store may have garnered.

you must be a transplant to the south

edit: i don't see it as an attempt to quell racist suspicion, i see it for what it is: a tongue-in-cheek poke at the usual furniture crowd. twice a year the rich-white-male population increases by about 80k and everything is very exclusive. this is a smaller "blue collar" furniture store that sits right in the middle of the high-class furniture dealers and i think this is their shout-out to all of the regular people who like to buy furniture in this city.
i think you're digging too deep AMS.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

you must be a transplant to the south

Sort of, born in LA to good VA parents, spent a few years in suburbs of Philly, but have lived all over NC for 31 of my 40 years.

I love BBQ but hate cole slaw.

 

[manimal]

leave it up to a store in the south to come up with an ad like that. i don't find it racist in any way. i wouldn't call it funny, just a really bad ad. they had the right intention to try to make it light hearted like SNL or MadTV would, but trying to make a real ad for a real company with that idea in mind just didn't make it. people know when they watch SNL or Mad that it's supposed to be in a comedic sense, no one expects a real company to do that which is where the problem lies. i'll give em credit for the idea but there are still way too many people that are real PC types that will just never get it.

yet the ad is working to bring in new customers.

 

[manimal]

Sort of, born in LA to good VA parents, spent a few years in suburbs of Philly, but have lived all over NC for 31 of my 40 years.

I love BBQ but hate cole slaw.

i'm not from here either. central FL (n. cuba) then san diego then here.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

i'm not from here either. central FL (n. cuba) then san diego then here.

Mmmm cuban food. A good Cuban friend who died four years ago today tuned me on to slow cooked Cuban pork. Viva Alvy !

LA= Los Angeles

 

[jimmydean]

I lol'ed.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

i dont think its overly funny, but ist a cool commercial nonetheless.
".. and hispanic people too!" that bit was funny

 

[I Are Baboon]

Geez, anyone who is offended by that ad ought to just quit life.

 

[manimal]

paid 10 gauge and big head a visit today....

my partner and i basking in the light of true star power

 

[sam_little]

my partner and i basking in the light of true star power

NC barbecue much?

 

[4xBoy]

NC barbecue much?

 

[jimmydean]

paid 10 gauge and big head a visit today....

Charges pending?

 

[manimal]

NC barbecue much?

heck yeah! and i can still pull a sub 24 minute 3 mile run

 

[sam_little]

heck yeah! and i can still pull a sub 24 minute 3 mile run

Vinegar or tomato?

Actually, that is pretty impressive. I'm guessing your partner isn't in the same boat, but who knows. I was most taken with the white furniture salesman's gut. It is rare that you see such an otherwise normal looking person with a perfectly shaped and rather large beer/bbq gut!

 

[Jeremy R]

Vinegar or tomato?

Actually, that is pretty impressive. I'm guessing your partner isn't in the same boat, but who knows. I was most taken with the white furniture salesman's gut. It is rare that you see such an otherwise normal looking person with a perfectly shaped and rather large beer/bbq gut!

Don't make fun of that guy.
He has dickie do syndrome.
His belly pokes out further than his dickie do.

 

[Spahman]

NC barbecue much?

ha seriously...

 

[manimal]

Vinegar or tomato?

Actually, that is pretty impressive. I'm guessing your partner isn't in the same boat, but who knows. I was most taken with the white furniture salesman's gut. It is rare that you see such an otherwise normal looking person with a perfectly shaped and rather large beer/bbq gut!

nah, partner broke his foot chasing a dude 2 years back and hasn't been able to run very well since....not like he was much for running anyway. i take pleasure in snagging folks that run from me when they gas out after 1/4 mile

i'd be a pretty trim athletic build if i didn't like to eat so much....i work out SO i can eat

and yes, "10 gauge" is your typical hunters build. he's in his 40's though.