I use to enjoy the Capitol One commercials on television. Usually it was a couple wanting to use a credit card and a horde of wild men would charge the couple only to be foiled when the couple pulled out their Capitol One Card.
Recently Capitol One has changed the horde of wild men to a scurrying bunch of bankers. They were like mice or rats burrowing through walls or hiding in dark places. Damaging the home and destroying property in the pursuit of a few dollars or fighting over pennies. I am certain that the people at Capitol One believe the commercial to be humorous. That their intended victims of the funny jabs are bankers.
Since they first aired I have found these commercials to be offensive. They are stereo-typing bankers. That alone does not bother me. It isn’t wrong to make bankers the butt of jokes. This is what I see:
A clean cut man coming to the rescue. He wears a baseball cap and wears a brown shirt. His intended foe are those who control the wealth… bankers. The bankers are portrayed as vermin to be eradicated. The white people look to the brownshirted fellow as a helper. He says he could trap them, the bankers. But the best solution is to get rid of them once and for all. Then he pulls out a Capitol One card.
So far? Doesn’t seem to be so bad… not really.
Sadly, I see another stereotype at work in the commercial. Nazis! I remember seeing brownshirted young men wearing baseball caps. They fought against the supposed Zionists. The Zionist bankers, and therefore the Jews, controlled the wealth. I remember seeing the famous propaganda film that talked about the Jew and yet showed rats scurrying in darkened corners or running in the sewers. The poor white Germans needed a saviour. Not to worry, someone in a brownshirt and baseball cap shows up and says that he has the final solution to this infestation of people.
Capitol One wanted me to see bankers being eliminated by their final solution. I hope they didn’t make the parallels with Nazi Germany’s final solution on purpose. Yet that is what I see everytime I see the commercials. It bothers me. If it bothers you say so. Perhaps we can get Capitol One to change their commercials to something a little less offensive to the few of us who are offended.
Here is their contact page:
Capitol One
🙁
Joe, I have seen that commercial. I didn’t see all the stuff you saw with respect to Nazi Germany, but that’s probably because I didn’t know all that stuff about Nazi Germany. If that is true then I agree with you, they should not be using that in the commercial. I did notice the stereo-typing of bankers. Bankers have always had the stereo-type that they are lovers of money. Just like the banker on that show “The beverley Hillbillies†It’s amazing what a well placed letter will do. I say go for it.
Wow. I did not see that parallel at all.
But I’m a letter-writer when I’m ticked about something, so I agree with dougie g – go for it!
I have already sent an email to Capitol One pointing out the unforetunate parallel. I sent the email to ombudsman@capitalone.com because that was the only email address I could find. I received a form letter from them saying that the email will be forwarded to the proper department for handling. I am to expect a reply within 7-10 bussiness days. If enough people write we can probably get those particular commercials pulled.
That was a big move for me. I usually don’t complain. This time however I felt that I must.
I complain.
On a much less important level, I sent an email to Fortinos yesterday, because their sandwiches are “kind of awfulâ€. That’s what I said, as nicely as possible.
I also try to remember to make just as big a deal to a company when they do something right or really well.
I’m interested to see what Capitol One has to say!
Here is the first answer I have received from Capitol One. It is very much what I expected…
Capital One has a diverse group of customers with a wide variety of entertainment tastes. While Capital One tries to avoid offence to their customers as a whole, they recognize not every individual will agree on what is or what isn’t offensive.
We thank you for your comments about our television advertisement. We have passed your thoughts on to the appropriate manager.
Regards,
Office of the Capital One Ombudsman
The key word is individual. Until the complaints come from a large enough group of people I don’t expect them to take the complaint seriously. Let’s see what the “appropriate manager†has to say.
Joe. if you could give me a sample letter, I will send it from me. I’m just not too sure what to say in the letter, because I don’t really know what I am talking about. It would have to be worded slightly different, I think. I’m surprised the bankers and Jewish folk aren’t upset about this. It is really them that is the brunt of this sterotype parallel. Maybe a letter from you to the Jewish and bankers Association pointing this out would really stir the pot!
He doesn’t have a pot to hiss in
Now that is a funny line. Sadly though I think this commercial is a pot that does contain a bit of his hiss.
As for me writing you an email you can send? I’m the type of guy that believes form letters are something one person sends out to many… like an advertisement or notice. I do not like form letters that are sent by many to one individual or company. If what I wrote put a burr under your saddle then write from your heart. It may not be pretty and it may not be 100% factual but it would reflect you. In the end that is of far greater worth.
If you would rather send info out to others about this commercial you could email this link: http://www.christianmuse.com/blogs/?p=316#comments to those you think may want to read this article with a few comments from yourself.
Perhaps our comments will kindle other hearts to respond to Capitol One. It would be nice. Though I believe I should stress that it is not to attack Capitol One but simply to make them aware that this series of commercials is offensive and potentially a smear campaign targetting an unintended group of people.
Joe shakes his head
While doing a web search I noticed that I had misspelled Capital One and wrote it as Capitol One. Sorry to Capital One for getting their name incorrectly. I corrected only the title of the blog entry and left the rest of the mistakes as originally published.
By the way… has anyone seen a Capital One commercial in the last few days?
Nope, but I haven’t been watching any TV either. That would explain it. Only on my days off and not very often then either. Have you figured out how to make a day longer? If you do let me know, cause I need more time in my day. Blogging is my wind down relaxation activity. It also helps to stimulate my brain after getting off the tread mill ( bus route). Up and down the same road 20 times does get tedious after a while. Yes, I’m thankfull I have a job and can work, ya da ya da ya da. It still feels good to stop and do something else for a change.
Off topic… I use to work at National Steel Car putting the trucks together that the box or tank would sit on. Made 32 a day with the rest of the crew. I found that time would simply fly. What I do find mind bending is when you have to put three pieces together hundreds of times a day. Of course I wish I was well enough to do any job nowadays.
On topic… The reason I ask about anyone seeing the commercial is that Linda and I have our set programs and I noticed that since I wrote the blog and email I haven’t seen any while watching the same programs. Coincidence? I am still waiting to see what the “appropriate dept†has to say.
Oh well, I got my own answer. I saw a Capitol One commercial on the space channel this afternoon. Funny though, the shirt the exterminator was wearing was a pale blue. I wonder if this is the result of photoshop or if this shirt was always that colour. Will never know now.
Joe, What is the significance of the shirt colour?
Yes, it must be frustrating for you not being able to work. Is there anything you could do from home on the computor? A home business of some sort. I know Ruth looked into a few things for herself such as filling out surveys that you get paid for. That sort of thing.
on topic… Change the shirt colour from brown to blue and it losses a fairly big piece of significance. The tie in to Nazis are light tan shirts. Changing shirt colour, if that is what they have done, isn’t the best answer to the problem of association but it goes a long way.
off topic… I might take a look at some type of work that can be done from the home if it has a proven track record and someone I know who has done it recommends it. I’ve heard too many stories of people being ripped off by cheap, unscrupulous people. Of course there is phone soliciting but I consider that a huge intrusion into people’s privacy. I hate those calls.
I tried that surveys-for-money thing. So far – I’ve gotten nada.
Patti.. Thanks for the info. We looked into it, but I didn’t have the nerve to try it. We tried some other things that just ended up costing money. We have something now that is real and working and we can do together as a team.
Joe …
saw that capital one ad the other night …
the shirts were tan …
it was a little eerie …
this from the grand-daughter of a member of the dutch resistance, and someone who hid jews.
i’m proud of that … and i still miss him.
Hi Kelly, glad to see that you came over to my site.
Except for one commercial the shirts are tan coloured. Good to see that you saw the parallel between the commercial and Nazi propaganda. Most people I get feed back from only become aware of it after I point it out and then it really hits them. Even Linda, my wife, read it last night for the first time and it surprised her. She thought the sybolism was way to close for comfort.
I am still waiting for the “appropriate manager†over at Capital One to get back to me.