Back in the 80s, I heard a black comedian ask the audience, Have you ever noticed that McDonald's has separate commercials for black and white audiences? The white actor, dressed in a three-piece suit, will say, "Ah, I do believe I'll stop by McDonald's on my way home from the office, to procure some dinner." The black actor, dressed in jeans and a tee, will say," I'm HUNGRY! I'm a gonna stop by McD's on the way home from the ballgame, to get summin' to EAT!"
@@Maki-00 Friends of mine heard it. They were in Chinatown, which is full of good, cheap food. And they saw a couple of teens and one of them said, "let's go to Mickey D." Sadly, that Chinatown had one.
Now Calvin is on welfare paying child support for three kids, just went to get a pack of smokes because he found out a 4th is on the way plus he’s got three warrants. The nature of the black will always come out.
My grandma wouldn't be caught dead in a McDonald's, certainly not on Sunday. Grandma's church had a kitchen downstairs, the old ladies were burning it up down there. After church you know you eating good. McWhat?
Like Church's Chicken? Then try black churches... We had an old white councilman that would go around to all the black churches to get a meal every Sunday...
That’s why the ad stands out! It’s funny… Like McDonalds is so good, even your grandma would be thrilled to go. They’re selling a product, not producing a documentary on the black experience.
Same. That's one thing I'm thankful for, both my grandma's were wonderful cooks and they never took us kids to McDonald's. They cooked dinner every day and insisted we were there to eat real food. Grandmas were the greatest generation. But our Boomer parents often took us to McDonald's. It was big in the 80s. When we were kids we were brainwashed by McDonald's and the corporations ads "happy meals" to think the fake "food" was something we should eat when it was really really bad for us. I went back to grandma's ways and don't take my kids to McDonald's. I don't want them addicted to the fake "food."
Apparently, Don Cornelius had no problem with these ads--these were the ads that ran during Soul Train, along with the black Ford Taurus commercials and the black Burger King ads!
Thank god McD stopped making commercials targeting black people specifically *sees commercial of Lil Yachty hawking the remix menu in autotune *turns off TV
They just started having black people in every one of their commercials. Now the rest of industry has followed suit. Not saying it's good or bad, just an observance. You'd be hard pressed to see any commercials now that don't have a black person and if they're mixed even better to the industry!
@@JohnnyUtah-71 it’s not the presence of black people in the commercial that makes it targeted. It’s the use of specific black celebrities and imagery that appeals specifically to African Americans that makes it egregious pandering. Like Lil Yachty driving in a low rider through the McDs drive through.
@@JohnnyUtah-71 They are also primary characters in practically every American movie or TV series from the past 10 years or so. Ticking the Diversity Box is nice and easy. Not always sensible -- and quite often clearly artificially inserted -- as is the case with a show featuring 19th Century black British aristocrats... but it's easy, and inclusive.
me, i was always immediately struck by the cretinous nature of quantifiable envaluation. money is wrong, pretending the masons don't exist to put their dingdong in you is wrong also. heads fing up holmes.
@@JohnnyUtah-71 Hollywood and the advertising industry have known for years now that the safest bet to get around 'certain people' complaining about lack of representation, is to have a pretty exact Representation Formula or Quota. You will not find a mainstream American movie or TV series made in 2024 that does not feature The Diversity Quota. There absolutely will be a black female scientist or some other such unicorn, presented like it's the norm.
1990's television was all about exaggerated and easily identifiable characters. Think 'Saved By The Bell'. The Calvin commercial wasn't unique in that regard.
I agree, it was not just blacks who were over exaggerated or who were negatively portrayed in commercials, I remember it was youth in general much of the time. Us Gen - X'ers were often portrayed as being lazy, idiotic or over use of slang ..this was true for Whites just as much as blacks..but in a different way. Think of air head surfer or skater dudes.. 😒
Exactly This is further confirmed by the fact that a Black agency (Tom Burrell) made the Calvin ads They were basically following the trend used for creating characters at that time Trying to make him cool for the kids and unfortunately over time it looks hokey and over performed. And since it was done to appeal to Black audiences there’s a racial edge to it because the over performed elements were done to appeal to black audiences
Think Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, the WB Network in general, Living Single, In Living Color...early 1990's television in general had lots of art imitating those stereotypes from the 70's and 80's.
Keep in mind that there were presumably focus groups of black people that were seeing these ads before they aired. The whole thing is just really complicated in terms of trying to distill a neighborhood into something that could be shown as a backdrop for one person's story over the course of about 90 seconds.
So ppl are in here, after having watched the video, to simply try and justify the exact point of the content they spent 10min of their time consuming. Please please go get a life, all of you in here making excuses for these poor advertising practices should really go outside and socialize.... Soon
I’m a 41 yr old black man that grew up in Chicago and I still thought I was Calvin until I went to college 😂this was amazing man, thank you so much for this, you have a gift bro.
i'm welsh in tucson for 44 years i want to bbq the lot. merdeka papua i said merdeka papuaaaaaaaa! oj simpson was a cover for MKULTRA child rape verdict delivered on same date. my congrsswoman took a bullet for me. i'm pissed as fuck.
right. never let the bull teach you the cloth. silent west papuan genocide for u.s. gold is older than these ads. truth is the truth is useless. it's the masons. never matters. everyone wants a different answer. MK 100% complete. they'll be out burning those lodges or even asking questions Never. MK 100% complete. end of story. only papua remains.
So…all those details about Calvin (aside from the stoop comment) were true of me in high school. I got a job at Carl’s Jr while my friends in a small, impoverished-and predominantly white-Arkansan town did nothing besides smoke weed and make fun of me for having a job whilst listening to crappy metal. Eventually, my local community saw me as a “hard working young man” and was proud of me just for keeping a crappy job and not getting a girl pregnant in high school.
your perception is screwed up. did OJ do it? and look at what had to happen to Cosby, for the state to get a confession out of Cosby. did he really do it? or is it done to make you think a certain way.
That is why They made it THE commercial ! Here Have some pain & guilt & God with your Sin ! Just to taste it up a bit. even Better than THE real thing, Come take our diabetes things. & we will enslave you more than we ever did in THE cotton fields!! All For Macdonald's Kentucky Fried Chicken & a Pizza Slut !
A teen just 16? Wow, it must have been easy for you but I remember most aiming higher jobs in that time required applicants to be at least 18. Nice try.
Looking at these commercials through your young lens is fascinating. The reality, however, is that these commercials aren’t that far off from Black music videos or most other Black entertainment from that era. Most of us didn’t think twice because 1) we finally saw ourselves on tv 2) it was relatable to our experiences…except that they interjected McDonald’s into our stories 3) many of us liked these commercials. So it’s only inappropriate looking at it from the view of someone from this era. But I can assure you … from our era these commercials got us excited about going to McDonald’s. They were good commercials for their era and we enjoyed them.
Ok, I am not the right color for this discussion, but this is a pet peeve of mine. First. You enjoyed them. You cannot speak on behalf of the every black person, especially pre internet. Drop the we. Second. Something being fair for its day is worth noting but that doesn't change the fact it's wrong.
@@thepinkestpigglet7529 are you arrogantly whitesplaining to a black person they shouldn't be saying "we" when talking about their circle because "you know better?"
I remember these ads as a very young boy. I didn't see all the things you saw in them (at the time) but it did strike me as odd that there were ads that featured only white people at McDonald's and then there were ads that only featured black people at McDonald's. That was never my experience in real life, because I was used to seeing EVERYONE at McDonald's. I thought it was a strange form of segregation at work. This was a great essay, shining light on this particular brand of quiet racism. Also, now I know that I didn't just imagine these. Most people I had asked about the ads, over the years, didn't remember them at all.
As much as I hate McDonalds, there’s nothing wrong with these commercials. Comparing it to minstrel entertainment is ridiculously extreme. You might be a tad too young to grasp how it was back in the day….it was rough. The fact that black people were on TV in a positive light was a good thing. Your description of the Calvin commercial is questionable. You literally inserted all those stereotypes yourself. As far as the 90’s lingo goes, that’s how we talked back then. What did you want them to speak Swahili? Gimme a break.
he seems to think the Calvin ad was based on racist attitudes instead of on millions in marketing research I think he's so young he thinks that 1980s ads were produced like 1950s ads
@@icevariable9600 when you’re so stuck in your own dimension you lose the capacity to be aware of reality because you think you’re always right and those of a human persuasion are wrong
Presumably those young black actors would recognize a job that demeaned them racially. So why did they agree to do the Calvin commercials? It's almost like people today look for any excuse to get offended and cry racism!
"Why aren't more people upset about this?" I'm no expert, but I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say it's because, I dunno... it's a series of hamburger ads from 30 years ago?
Ah yes and once the ads stop (they didn't), the feelings that they caused, the depictions they taught, just magically go away (they don't). It's also explained in the video.
This dude is cringing over a family having McDonalds before church in a 1970s ad. What a whiner. There's no pleasing people who are dead-set on complaining.
@@coreym162 Yeah, but I don't expect ad firms who are just beginning to consider black people to get it perfect on their first try. They aren't saying everyone should be eating McDonalds on get out of jail day. They are just trying to use the lingo of the time as best they could.
A black snake is just as dangerous as a white snake. A lot of the predicaments we're currently in are because not all skinfolk are kinfolk and many people would rather be at the right of D'evil than be in its path. And whtes had to approve these commercials.🥴
We didn't care because it was just a fantasy commercial. I worked in fast food as a teen and was Calvin, working as a manager before I was 18. It was an ass job. Long hours on your feet working in a hot kitchen serving the lowest of the low who thought they were over you because they had $5 in their pocket.
The entire video was about why we should care and how it’s not “just a … commercial.” You seem to relate to the points he made very accurately but your initial statement kind of diminishes as to why it’s important to recognize it as more.
@@bjt81366 No. I didn't hook anyone up. I wasn't raised that way. If there was an employee struggling, I'd give them a burger before an 8 hour shift. No one should work around food on an empty stomach.
@@micahg.230 Another view would be that @fakshen1973 assigned little importance to those types of commercials because he or she was an independent thinker who wasn't going to blindly accept what the television presented to him or her. Or better yet, spent little time consuming television.
I was a kid in the 90s and if I am being honest, I liked those commercials. It didn’t make me want to eat McDonald’s more (I already loved McDonalds), but I thought it was great that they case black people that weren’t negative stereotypes. They seemed cool. I loved the “Calvin” commercial… Frankly, at that time a lot of black teens were idolizing gangster rappers and characters like Dough Boy and O Dogg. I thought the idea of encouraging kids to take an after school job instead of aspiring to be the guys on the corner was a good thing 🤷🏽♀️ And before people say I must have lived in a suburb and only saw false stereotypes. I was born in 1979 and lived in Brownsville in the 90s.
@@LoopGawdTV Agreed. His peculiar interpretation is because he's from a different time and generation. McDonald's did similar ads for everyone, not just black teens. I distinctly remember ''work at McDonald's ads'' for white teens, for latinos, and even one for senior citizen retirees. When he talks about the ''Calvin'' ad's message about getting started on a positive path, he's wrong to assume it was racist. It was based on the franchises in heavily black neighborhoods having trouble hiring teens and the market research showing it's because they thought it was lame and uncool to work fast food. Besides, the responsibility pitch was really for parents to encourage their kids to get an after-school job.
Yeah - I'm white but grew up in the ghetto where my friends growing up had dreams to deal and die young. Just seeing messaging on TV that I could work a normal job and have a decent life gave me hope. I don't think those ads were bad at all.
I really appreciate this conversation, and everyone's perspective on it. This McDonald's commercial angle plays a small, but important, part in the much larger conversation. But as far as the interpretation of Garrison, I think this is a case of someone born in a different era, taking a snapshot from a bygone era, and poking holes in the assumed morality of the people who lived in those times. It's easy to do I'm sure (especially while standing with both feet grounded in this 'new and morally improved' era). For the heck of it I watched a bunch of 60's and 70's McDonald's commercials and noticed something they all had in common. No matter whether they depicted white or black families the people all seemed to act in cheesy 'stereotypical' ways. You could chalk it up to racism if you want, or perhaps just understand that these are commercials. They are fairly low budget, probably don't hire the best writing and acting talent hollywood had to offer, and commonly made white people look goofy and happy and black people seem cool and hip, etc. What do you guys think? Am I off base here?
To be fair the "get down with a cheeseburger" ad poster at 2:26 didn't sound like they were trying to sound "black" as the phrase "get down" was popular slang for the 1970's disco & funk music era. I guess you're too young to remember. LOL
@@katamarigirl93 Truth! Iron Eyes Cody was a Sicilian American actor who specialized in portraying American Indians. I saw him at the Sears store in Hollywood, Ca. back around 1987 and he was wearing a similar outfit (right down to the moccasins) that he wore in the "Keep America Beautiful" PSA that first aired back in the early 1970s.
I got to defend Tyler a little bit.. He does have doctors, lawyers, and teachers in his shows and movies.. but yeah, he can be a little stereotypical at some times..
@ronbzoom8531, lmfao, funniest comment i've read in quite awhile, & so true!!! I've never been a fan of Mr. Perry's stereotypical images of his own people!
I remember watching 106 & Park on BET, and there were soooo many McD commercials with black folks rapping about big mac's and singing r&b about nuggets
@@p0llenp0nyMaybe Cassius Clay saying "this new spicy chickum sammich floats on my taste buds like a butterfly and stings my appetite like a bee! Go get you some!"
The franchise got its start by the takeover from the original owners and the stealing of their very name, the MacDonald brothers were totally screwed over by Ray Krok.
Exactly. And McDonald's sued a woman who created a festival for charity called Mcfest but she was using Mc from her real name. And they sued Scottish people claiming only McDonald's corporation could use the name despite it belonged to other people's family for centuries
@@jackmehoff5201 100% Agree. Complaining about a fast "food" chain not being moral is like complaining about one corner prostitute or drug dealer not paying taxes. (The Founder was not an entirely true story for those out there who believe Ray Kroc took gross advantage of them.)
I gotta disagree with you a little my young brother. The depiction Calvin's neighborhood wasn't far from accurate. It's unfortunate but pretty close in the "hood" at least during the 80s. You weren't born yet. I'm from those streets and I can point out the sad truth about that commercial 1. Most of my friends had just their mom 2. If you were smart and used correct grammar it was pointed out 3. We hung out on the stoop all the time (where else were we going to hang, it was safe) 4. It took unicorns to escape the hood (most didn't make it out) They never got away from the 8 square block trap We had fun but, we had limited resources so our outlook was limited. I'm just guessing, but you most likely had both parents, you did not grow up in a dangerous neighborhood, and you had better options. Remember, we didn't even have tech as an escape. The reason these commercials aren't viewed as negatively as you would like is because on many levels they are fairly correct. Understand, they showed loving families that cared about each other. They showed friends, the others weren't bangin, they just weren't working at Mc D's. Is it bad? It wasn't great, but that's for larger reasons than the commercial.
They had the black minstrel show in the UK, only ended in 1979. I understand and indigenous peoplle in Australia always played the criminals in tv shows.
@@billiealexander3480 You mean Lawrence Olivier in 60s? Shakespeare traditionally has color-blind casting, I watched a Black McDuff in MacBeth play, and Denzel Washington was Don Pedro in Much Ado, and Hiroyuki Sanada got awards for the Fool in King Lear, sure they didn't use whiteface makeup and black/yellowface shouldn't be used either.
My parents also had gollywog toys from the 70s, a character that resembles blackface depictions. They gave them to us as children, although they thought nothing bad about them. Today the character is seen as racist and no longer used.
I'm assuming that you are not old enough to realize that Black advertising agencies came about during this time and with that, Black agencies started to create cultural commercials. These commercials you have assumed were made by white people are ACTUALLY made by Black ad agencies. Burrell (originally owned by a Black man, managed by Black people) led the creative for McDonald's for decades. What would you like? Would you prefer that Black culture not be included? What's wrong with a young man's first job to being at McDonald's? If you're going to do a think piece, ACTUALLY please research where these commercials came from and why they were created. There was a time there was no culture included in ads and we did not exist. There's a difference in Black face (white people pretending to be Black and do stereotypical things) and Black ad agencies attempting to show the African American experience.
Amen brotha. I just said something similar. Sometimes the young generation doesn’t do their research or have enough empathy to put themselves into that era.
Sheeesh. The inconvenient truth. Having worked in ‘multicultural’ advertising and worked with brands like McDonald’s and being a black man, in 2024 it is still difficult to speak for ALL black people in marketing, and black agencies have always struggled with exactly how to speak to our communities because certain things that offend some may be the lived experience for others. It’s super hard to attach real authentic blackness to McDonald’s. Which is even counterproductive in itself as the product is killing us. But brands like McDonald’s paying black agencies is what keeps their lights on. So you do the best you can.
It’s never all good / never all bad. I think the brother was just reminding us how we broke in, and to keep questioning, challenging and evolving. It’s his right to include personal opinion in his thesis, and it’s good that we get to build upon that in comments. Great exchange!
You hit the nail on the head. Now I’m a brown first gen kid myself. I’ve noticed a subset of modern “activist” youth basically driving to eliminate the line between black or white or brown. But to do that takes away the significance of color. Singing gospel music in a commercial is offensive? Gtfo. And don’t speak for me saying I need to think “those people” are “racist” because they put that in there. This whole argument is rooted in the idea there’s shame in gospel music, speaking a certain way, or being working class. Color exists. It is beautiful. It should be represented. And I don’t care if it’s not quite right.
To me, this fits in the “Can we find something to complain about?” file. What do I mean? “Good Times” was called racist for playing to a racial stereotype that Black folk are poor. But then, when “The Cosby Show” did the literal opposite & portrayed Black professionals, *that* was criticized for failing to keep it real, i.e. lying about the true plight of Black denial of economic opportunity. It’s like unless every sitcom were a documentary coverage of all the Black income strata, someone would be waiting there ready to claim they were micro-aggressed. Also, language changes over time. Much of the cringe you think you feel due to weird, fake “Black dialect,” *actually* feels weird because it’s just so damn old & out of favor, rather than because Whitey at the ad firm failed at Black lingo. Here’s the sanity check: What were Black people at the time saying about it - even the most strident civil rights leaders of that day. If *they* were focused on other issues besides taking offense from hamburger ads, we should too. And they were.
You literally can't win either way. You're either promoting harmful stereotypes or trying to whiten them up lol. And you're correct. I doubt black people at the time gave a flying eff about any of these ads.
*THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!* 🙏🏾 And those Mc. Donald's commerce weren't even that bad.... all Millennials do is complain about shit. If McDonald's had zero commercials with BLACK FOLKS in it.... then we be complaining about that!
Very true. Meanwhile "In N Out Burger" just fled Oakland California because of the rampant crime. Food deserts, pharmacy deserts in the 10 most dangerous cities in America which are majority Black and Majority Black run but talking about ancient "racist" McDonald's commercials are the problem. The victim card still pays I guess.
@brotherted9212 Good points. I am a historian and I know from being on a college campus that most Liberals and Feminists have their bills paid and are desperate for something to complain about.
What’s most frustrating to me personally is the fact that 90% of my family fits the stereotypes. I distanced myself at 13 once I was able to understand most were on the wrong path but I think that’s had the side effect of almost permanently ostracizing myself. I can only hope to be better with my own wife and kids which I already have.
you think you better than them. instead of protecting them because they are the most vulnerable set of black americans you chose to abandon them in the hope time will make them disappear.
As a middle age Black man whose born in the early 80s and grew up in Oakland California i could say the Calvin commercials were not stereotypical in fact it was positive along with the Black grandmas going to McDonald's for Breakfast was actually real i saw older black people going to McDonald's after church ,Calvin's commercials showed a young urban teen working you could flip it and have a all white ad with a young white kid doing the same thing as Calvin in a Suburban neighborhood
For something to be a stereotype does not mean that it never happened/happens, it means that it is overly favored in place of what else is also going on, and it usually shows one to two-dimensional characters. He mentions, if you listened, that there are other stories, but somehow those don't get shown.
What’s so positive about a company that employs people they clearly care nothing for but to be servants. You’re talking as if Calvin became CEO or something
I just made a similar comment. Born in 1979, lived in Brownsville Brooklyn when the Calvin ads came out. They were great, and needed to be seen at that time. You can get a job, you don’t have to hang out on corners. It was real.
Arsenio Hall was the first public figure that I saw call this out. It was during one of his stand-up skits. Could have been on Soul Train, I don't remember where, now. Also, he was the first stand-up comedian that I ever saw featured on Soul Train. And, while I'm at it, Luther was the first one that I ever saw perform LIVE on Soul Train! 😀 Garrison, contact Arsenio and ask him to send you some clips of when he joked about McDonald's doing this to us. I bet he'll send 'em. 🙂
Soul train had a bunch of McDonald's and other commercials which were full of black people. No his show arsenio mentioned McDonald's introducing their mcrib sandwich, he thought the wanted to attract more McNegroes
We loved the Black McDonald’s commercials back then. Representation. Everyone thought Calvin was cool. Most kids were excited to get our first jobs in fast food back then, too.
@@sageex3931 I love that you have to be voted upon by the majority to speak with any sort of opinion regarding a racial demographic. That's solidarity, brother.
The 'Calvin ad' was created by a black-owned advertising agency -- Burrell Communications. In all likelihood, it was written BY black people, for black people. The author probably should've looked into this before making this video.
Most companies always try to gain black dollars, Mc Donalds was number one at it, blacks had to protest to become franchisees, were regulated to inner-city locations. There are less black franchisees in 2023 than in 1999 less than 200 now versus over 300 then, thanks to lawsuits and other problems Mc Donalds is famous for franchise owner operatorship.
Yes, but it's arguably even worse than that. The lessons we can learn from the world's reaction to the Nazis would be far more useful if we don't skip to the holocaust and look at what things were happening earlier in the process with the information that was available. If things have gotten to the point where the death camps have been built and people are just then starting to think that perhaps putting people into ovens might be a bit too far, you've already lost the battle. And really, even just drawing up the plans is probably too late to stop it from happening. Same goes for slavery, Jim Crow laws and all the rest. If you look at it knowing what the result was, you miss the lessons that might avoid something equivalent happening in the future.
I'm not going to lie. The first thing I thought of when I saw your video were the "Calvin" commercials and Dave Chappelle making fun of them! I'll say this, though. If Calvin stuck out that job at Mickie D's, he's making more cash than I am now! And don't worry. Grimace doesn't have any beef with you, either. And no shakes. Because the damned shake machine never works!
Did you not see chappelle's skit on Chappelle show about Calvin? Even he was portraying other young black men as clowning Calvin for having a job. The Black ad agency that made the commercial for McDonald's was trying to promote a little good to young black men.
i don't want to be mean here - but i think a lot of people don't realize a "stereotype" is also based on a MAJORITY of a specific archetype... ok yes, it 'broad brushes' the rest of the people that are not a certain way; but a Stereotype is always based on how a majority of people have experienced some specific archetype pattern, in any setting (sociological, biological, etc.; that is, how people act, how people look/sound, etc.). it is always something that has been seen or has occurred with a majority of people in that specific archetype setting. that is literally why it is called "stereotyping" [note that this does not mean that all stereotypes are positive, or should not be changed because they are negative, but it means that a stereotype is always based on a majority of occurrence]
I am a black male and I have three college degrees and have studied Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Religion, etc. I agree with some of your insights, but I saw the "Calvin Got A Job" commercial as a positive for our culture as it inspired youth to get a job, work for what you want and focus on your future with prosocial choices. I have worked in healthcare for 30+ years and I am appalled by how drugs like Fentanyl and Heroin have devastated so many people. Why do people go back to using drugs over and over again? because they have nothing to lose and no reason that matters to them *not* to use drugs. If a person has a good job with a future, they are less likely to jeopardize that job by engaging in illegal activities, including drug use, theft and murder (Sociology 101).
The double dutch McDonald's commercial was one of my favorites! "Big mac, filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, french fries, icy cold, thick shakes, sundaes, and apple pies!" I loved it! I held a tape player to the television to record it! The Jackson Five and Alfonso Ribiero, Pepsi commercial was also a favorite! I saw those and other commercials as a child. Perhaps there was something there, perhaps not. However, if you're a parent and a television has more of an effect on your children than you do. Perhaps you're negligent as a parent.
Outside of the choir, the Calvin commercial was relatable & reachable. I grew up with the Calvin commercial & there is a point missed about Calvin having a job with dignity, during the spike of gang violence. That commercial wasn’t ALL bad. We knew you can’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
@mariestinson3284 thank you it was during a bad time in history when gang violence was running rampant. So stuff like this was positive. Minstrel? What the hell? This kid is overthinking this.
Calvin is not a stereotype but an archetype of the at-risk teenager who benefits from the character-building that comes with getting a job and taking on adult responsibilities rather than hanging out on the streets getting into trouble with his loser friends. While it is a bit of an exaggerated fairytale it's not exactly minstrelsy.
You might be still trying to evaluate past commercials on your modern wokeness. And don't forget, the actors are black, the singers was black, the consultants were black... if there was an issue, they would have resisted and protested accordingly. Cosby had no issue, "blacking it up", for his Jello puddin' pops.
quote "the past is a foreign country. They do things different there ." As a teenager through the majority of the 70s - I observed these cultural absurdities .
Don't be talking about my Calvin! He went to places and did things. And matter of fact when those commercials came out, that's exactly what the hood was like. I lived it. And if half of the people in my neighborhood were Calvin they'd be alive right now.
Lmao wow. No, maybe Calvin would have been going to college. There ain't no life in fast food. Working fast food would probably be the thing that makes you start selling drugs instead
Except a lot of black people don't live in the "hood" and didn't then. The commercial wasn't the worst, but there were still problematic elements, like making it look like people in underprivileged areas don't work, and it's a miracle that one of them does. But I can see your point, but then make commercials without all the stereotypical "black" additives too.
I never felt targeted by these ads. Me and my friends and family would laugh at them because it was like McDonald's and other companies were going out of their way to court black consumers with stereotypes that absolutely did not represent us. I never felt like McDonald's was targeting me because the black people in these ads did not represent me whatsoever. I was one of those black kids who was always being told I was too white by the kind of black kids McDonald's was targeting in these ads. These ads had no effect whatsoever on whether or not I chose to go to McDonald's. I also had an uncle who worked at McDonald's in South L.A. in the 70s. He had a lot of fast food minwage gigs and said the McD's gig was not as bad as the others. He said it was because everybody's task was so compartmentalized that it was simpler than other places where you could just get thrown on to everything. He was on fries, moved to burger grill, then register. He said if you weren't doing your task efficiently, they had a way of punishing you by making to clean up the dining area and bathrooms a lot more often. This is something everyone had to do, including managers.
That damn Jesse Dollemore! Jesse is a good man and tries to do what's right even though I disagree with him a little bit sometimes.. I still sub to him..
@@jasonrodgers9063 its probably pulled from syndication, but it's on the dvds. they are hiding from civil war soldiers and disguise themselves in black face
Ugggh.... I thought this was gonna be a flash from the past funny vid. Have you seen our community today? "Calvin Got A Job" will forever be classic. Stop being offended by EVERYTHING.
..... Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Holy Spirit Can give you peace guidance and purpose and the Lord will John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
This is why the Dave Chapelle skit showing the reality of this commercial was genius 😂😂 one of the ladies on the stoop dies from eat too much of the shit, his wife is cheating on him because he’s never home trying to support his family by working there , 😂😂😂 I AINT GIVIN YOU SHIT😂🔥
Advertisements always carry the smack of condescension but I always find it funny when commercials end up insulting their customer base in the effort to impress them with their knowledgeability. It's the race equivalent of the "Hello, Fellow Kids" meme
Regardless of the racial commercial advertising narratives ....... If you look at the legacy of McDonald's & their corporate practices in the fast food industry ??? And the hormone chemicals allegedly put in their food & drinks ???? Plus there's a suspicion about their meat .... I wouldn't eat there ......And let's be frank !!!! I simply don't like McDonald's !!!! 😮
This is really eye-opening. Those first commercials I wrote off as tone death white guys being chronically out of touch and didn't necessarily see the harm. But those Calvin ads 😬 the dangerous thing is, it's that same out of touch same mindset that led to the Calvin ads, and it's when you view all of this together that you can see how toxic these attitudes can be. Great vid
You: "In this video, we're gonna explore historic stereotypes in early targeted marketing toward black consumers and how businesses really missed the mark in some bizarre, embarrassing, and sometimes retrospectively funny ways." Me: "Wow, that sounds interesting!" You: "I'm also gonna be asking the question, why aren't people more upset about this?" Me: [clicks away]
Tbh its not just immigrants that hate black people because of their portrayal on media. Ive dated a few white dudes whom's family liked me because i did not 'act like the black people on BET' and other media they have seen that shows black people i guess in a 'negative' light, and you mentioned anti blackness in the black community, its there and its strong, if you act differently than the 'black monolith' you're pretty much ostracized and called a race traitor and several other things. The fact that its 2024 and people (of all races not just black) arent allowed to act as an individual without facing scrutiny is insane.
You know, making a video about complaining about a series of old commercials that were attempting to appease and represent the black community - which weren't done to your standards - is quite hilarious considering that the image of the black American to every other race is extremely negative right now, more so than it's ever been. Maybe focus a little less on how people portrayed black people in commercials 30 years ago and focus on how to fix the problems in your community today so you aren't treated as a pariah
I think there's sometimes inadequate effort put into considering these sorts of things in the context of their time period. There are different ways that can manifest, for example, blackface started out as something a lot less problematic where the blackening of the skin was more of a mask, than an effort to portray anybody the way that the art form would eventually be used by the end. Whether or not that's an accurate way of viewing it really ought to be a bigger topic of debate because folks mostly show the later films as a way of depicting the practice, even though that was near the end and doesn't necessarily represent all of it, just the bit that was late enough and popular enough at that time to be recorded. Likewise, some of the stuff is rather niche. That sunday morning before church commercial isn't really any more offensive or less representative of black culture than just about any ads that depict white culture. There's so many times where White people are being depicted in weird ways that don't get attention. The main difference is the numbers of white folks out there as well as the power dynamic. But, if society is ever going to get to the point of finally delivering on the promise of all people being created equal, folks are going to have to stop looking for reasons to be offended and just look for ways of improving the world.
Well consider their reference material; black music culture/videos. If black’s perpetuated it first, is it really “blackface”? At best you could call it “cultural appropriation”. It’s ok to make stereotypes about whites & asians, but when the focus gets turned back, it’s “racist”.
I realize this is not the same but it's similar. Recently, I started watching reruns of old TV shows that I watched as a kid. (We're going back to the 50's and 60's.) I cannot relate to being black but I can relate to being female and the way some of the old shows portrayed and treated women was downright disgusting. I think about being a child watching that stuff and I can't help but think that my brain was warped, at least, a little by the images and scenarios I watched. I'm sure Black children must experience something similar watching these kind of commercials. After all: they're supposed to 🎵 "Love that Chicken from Popeye's." 🎶
Bookworm growing up. TV didn't interest me. My significant other always had tv on watching westerns. Those shows were so sexist. Women shouldn't be allowed to vote. It was okay to spank your wife. Folgers coffee ads--the newly wed wife who just couldn't make coffee. Now that he has passed away, I will never hear one of this shows again. Books and music.😉
... Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
Thank you for explaining about perhaps why my dad was so racist. I know being born in the 20s in a small town Alabama did not help... but growing up with nothing but racist tropes and examples may have helped form his issues. I never really understood why he was so convinced I was either a devil's advocate or a devil (depending on the day and his mood) for simply choosing friends from different groups.
I love the part where the guy turns his backwards hat around, and it's a McDonald's hat because he works there. Just like I did when I was in high school. At first he just looks like a kid wearing his hat backwards, and he completely flips the expectations to show that we can never judge someone's entire character from one particular moment. He was a product of his time by wearing his hat backwards in his off time, but the bottom line was he was a good kid who was proud to have a job.
I grew up as an adopted mixed race kid in an all white british environment and lived through the 70s and 80s and 90s and all of these grotesque stereotypes were a part of my life and they did a LOt of damage. Internalized hatred is something a lot of non white communities are still struggling with. We always feel that we have to act like the white people and that there's something wrong with our color, our cultures. Great, thought provoking video. Thank tou
I find the Mary J “Crispy chicken” Commercial for Burger King far more offensive than these old McDonald’s commercials. These weren’t so bad. At least the showed happy families and a teen wanting to get an after school job instead of thug life (which WAS a problem in the 90s). But the living QUEEN of R&B, Mary J… Singing about fried chicken? That hurt.
@@Alan_GA most artists don’t do “anything” for money. Mary J never came off as the type that would, especially at that stage of her career. If she was an up and coming artist, sure. But this made no sense
@@sboz86 Not all money is good money. If you’re saying you’ll literally do and say anything for a price, then that’s sad. That said, I don’t blame her for it. I’m sure she didn’t know the finished product would look so tacky and lame. Like she is just the fairy Goddess of Fried chicken. I don’t know if she’s ever been asked publicly about the ad, my guess is, she would probably laugh and agree it was terrible.
Back in the 80s, I heard a black comedian ask the audience, Have you ever noticed that McDonald's has separate commercials for black and white audiences? The white actor, dressed in a three-piece suit, will say, "Ah, I do believe I'll stop by McDonald's on my way home from the office, to procure some dinner." The black actor, dressed in jeans and a tee, will say," I'm HUNGRY! I'm a gonna stop by McD's on the way home from the ballgame, to get summin' to EAT!"
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve never heard anyone refer to McDonald’s as “Mickey D’s” outside of these commercials! 😂
@@Maki-00 Friends of mine heard it. They were in Chinatown, which is full of good, cheap food. And they saw a couple of teens and one of them said, "let's go to Mickey D." Sadly, that Chinatown had one.
I saw that bit too.
@@Maki-00 I have. It was pretty common in the 1990's.
@@SniffHeinkelYep
"Calvin got a job"... those were the days.
Thanks George HW Bush
Don’t discern this “creator” understands such sentiments! 👍🏿
You go Calvin ✊🏿
Gettin' paid, gettin' paid!
Now Calvin is on welfare paying child support for three kids, just went to get a pack of smokes because he found out a 4th is on the way plus he’s got three warrants. The nature of the black will always come out.
WacArnold’s
My grandma wouldn't be caught dead in a McDonald's, certainly not on Sunday. Grandma's church had a kitchen downstairs, the old ladies were burning it up down there. After church you know you eating good. McWhat?
EXACTLY!!!!
Like Church's Chicken? Then try black churches... We had an old white councilman that would go around to all the black churches to get a meal every Sunday...
That’s why the ad stands out! It’s funny… Like McDonalds is so good, even your grandma would be thrilled to go. They’re selling a product, not producing a documentary on the black experience.
Same. That's one thing I'm thankful for, both my grandma's were wonderful cooks and they never took us kids to McDonald's. They cooked dinner every day and insisted we were there to eat real food. Grandmas were the greatest generation. But our Boomer parents often took us to McDonald's. It was big in the 80s. When we were kids we were brainwashed by McDonald's and the corporations ads "happy meals" to think the fake "food" was something we should eat when it was really really bad for us. I went back to grandma's ways and don't take my kids to McDonald's. I don't want them addicted to the fake "food."
This, I agree with!
Apparently, Don Cornelius had no problem with these ads--these were the ads that ran during Soul Train, along with the black Ford Taurus commercials and the black Burger King ads!
And the Black hair care ads.
@@mariecampbell3373 Some local wig manufacturers, too
I don't think most people cared. They were too busy living life and having fun to worry about this silly crap.
@@tias.6675 Well, they were noticeably absent from commercial breaks of other predominantly white shows---they were hard NOT to notice!
Don had no opinions on what ads were played during the airing of his show.
I don’t get why Uncle Ben is lumped in with Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth. He was an actual farmer whose quality of the rice he grew became famous.
Thank god McD stopped making commercials targeting black people specifically
*sees commercial of Lil Yachty hawking the remix menu in autotune
*turns off TV
They just started having black people in every one of their commercials. Now the rest of industry has followed suit. Not saying it's good or bad, just an observance. You'd be hard pressed to see any commercials now that don't have a black person and if they're mixed even better to the industry!
@@JohnnyUtah-71 it’s not the presence of black people in the commercial that makes it targeted. It’s the use of specific black celebrities and imagery that appeals specifically to African Americans that makes it egregious pandering. Like Lil Yachty driving in a low rider through the McDs drive through.
@@JohnnyUtah-71 They are also primary characters in practically every American movie or TV series from the past 10 years or so. Ticking the Diversity Box is nice and easy. Not always sensible -- and quite often clearly artificially inserted -- as is the case with a show featuring 19th Century black British aristocrats... but it's easy, and inclusive.
me, i was always immediately struck by the cretinous nature of quantifiable envaluation. money is wrong, pretending the masons don't exist to put their dingdong in you is wrong also. heads fing up holmes.
@@JohnnyUtah-71 Hollywood and the advertising industry have known for years now that the safest bet to get around 'certain people' complaining about lack of representation, is to have a pretty exact Representation Formula or Quota.
You will not find a mainstream American movie or TV series made in 2024 that does not feature The Diversity Quota. There absolutely will be a black female scientist or some other such unicorn, presented like it's the norm.
1990's television was all about exaggerated and easily identifiable characters. Think 'Saved By The Bell'. The Calvin commercial wasn't unique in that regard.
I agree, it was not just blacks who were over exaggerated or who were negatively portrayed in commercials, I remember it was youth in general much of the time. Us Gen - X'ers were often portrayed as being lazy, idiotic or over use of slang ..this was true for Whites just as much as blacks..but in a different way. Think of air head surfer or skater dudes.. 😒
Exactly
This is further confirmed by the fact that a Black agency (Tom Burrell) made the Calvin ads
They were basically following the trend used for creating characters at that time
Trying to make him cool for the kids and unfortunately over time it looks hokey and over performed. And since it was done to appeal to Black audiences there’s a racial edge to it because the over performed elements were done to appeal to black audiences
Think Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, the WB Network in general, Living Single, In Living Color...early 1990's television in general had lots of art imitating those stereotypes from the 70's and 80's.
Keep in mind that there were presumably focus groups of black people that were seeing these ads before they aired. The whole thing is just really complicated in terms of trying to distill a neighborhood into something that could be shown as a backdrop for one person's story over the course of about 90 seconds.
So ppl are in here, after having watched the video, to simply try and justify the exact point of the content they spent 10min of their time consuming. Please please go get a life, all of you in here making excuses for these poor advertising practices should really go outside and socialize.... Soon
I’m a 41 yr old black man that grew up in Chicago and I still thought I was Calvin until I went to college 😂this was amazing man, thank you so much for this, you have a gift bro.
Thank you ! That was a very good point.
I grew up in Chicago too ❤️
i'm welsh in tucson for 44 years i want to bbq the lot. merdeka papua i said merdeka papuaaaaaaaa!
oj simpson was a cover for MKULTRA child rape verdict delivered on same date. my congrsswoman took a bullet for me. i'm pissed as fuck.
To be fair, McDonald's depiction of just about every demographic felt flat and one dimensional. Marketing at its finest.
Well I reckon we WERE cringe AF back then ....ALL OF US. Watch BREAKIN. Youll see.
right. never let the bull teach you the cloth. silent west papuan genocide for u.s. gold is older than these ads. truth is the truth is useless. it's the masons. never matters. everyone wants a different answer. MK 100% complete. they'll be out burning those lodges or even asking questions Never. MK 100% complete. end of story. only papua remains.
Breakn is a fuckn masterpiece @@hsss1
Burger King still does this today
So…all those details about Calvin (aside from the stoop comment) were true of me in high school. I got a job at Carl’s Jr while my friends in a small, impoverished-and predominantly white-Arkansan town did nothing besides smoke weed and make fun of me for having a job whilst listening to crappy metal. Eventually, my local community saw me as a “hard working young man” and was proud of me just for keeping a crappy job and not getting a girl pregnant in high school.
Not even 2 min in and both Cosby and OJ show up.
This is not a good sign.
or a great sign of how far we’ve come 🤷🏾♂️
your perception is screwed up. did OJ do it? and look at what had to happen to Cosby, for the state to get a confession out of Cosby. did he really do it? or is it done to make you think a certain way.
Whether you like it of both men were icons for their time. And will always be referenced when certain topics come up.
@@jeremylawson6648 Well said, Jeremy!
Add r Kelly and you have an unholy trinity lol
My granny woke up every day at 6am to make fresh biscuits for my grandfather. She would not be caught dead in a McDonald's especially on a Sunday.
I envy you.
Ah yes, the black community before integration.
🎩🕺🏾🪩🏡
That is why They made it THE commercial ! Here Have some pain & guilt & God with your Sin ! Just to taste it up a bit. even Better than THE real thing, Come take our diabetes things. & we will enslave you more than we ever did in THE cotton fields!! All For Macdonald's Kentucky Fried Chicken & a Pizza Slut !
@NicoleHeaston Thank you! Amen! McD.'s should be closed on Sunday.
@@jeffreyreeves9854why?
The idea of a black family having McDonald's breakfast before church on a Sunday is asinine 😂😂
Traditional church families are way more sophisticated than that 🤣
@@visualspark6308 unless McDonald's started making salmon patties and cheese eggs I missed it
Lots of people black and white do that. Or Golden Corral afterwards,
I know people who go to McDonald’s for coffee and breakfast before church. I’m sure that’s not everyone, but it does happen
Really, the idea of anyone having McDonald’s breakfast before church on a Sunday is asinine, tbh lol
(Yeah, I’m a McDonald’s hater.)
"girl you got a 10 piece dont be stingyyy" 😂 classic.
I liked the fact Calvin had a job and wasn't a drug addicted and dealing scumbag with multiple baby mamas.
Dave Chappelle's version of the commercial still gets to me.
"Baby. Baby's cryin."
Calvin could still aim a bit higher than flipping burgers
Calvin was doing better than so many are today- of all races
@@noodlebrains2689 Everyone has to start somewhere. My first job was in fast food and I'm white.
A teen just 16? Wow, it must have been easy for you but I remember most aiming higher jobs in that time required applicants to be at least 18. Nice try.
Looking at these commercials through your young lens is fascinating. The reality, however, is that these commercials aren’t that far off from Black music videos or most other Black entertainment from that era. Most of us didn’t think twice because 1) we finally saw ourselves on tv 2) it was relatable to our experiences…except that they interjected McDonald’s into our stories 3) many of us liked these commercials.
So it’s only inappropriate looking at it from the view of someone from this era. But I can assure you … from our era these commercials got us excited about going to McDonald’s. They were good commercials for their era and we enjoyed them.
No where I'm from. We always clowned those stupid ass commercials. And no they weren't like the entertainment that we enjoyed back then.
Ok, I am not the right color for this discussion, but this is a pet peeve of mine. First. You enjoyed them. You cannot speak on behalf of the every black person, especially pre internet. Drop the we. Second. Something being fair for its day is worth noting but that doesn't change the fact it's wrong.
@@thepinkestpigglet7529 Exactly
@@Milt-g4f Facts
@@thepinkestpigglet7529 are you arrogantly whitesplaining to a black person they shouldn't be saying "we" when talking about their circle because "you know better?"
I remember these ads as a very young boy. I didn't see all the things you saw in them (at the time) but it did strike me as odd that there were ads that featured only white people at McDonald's and then there were ads that only featured black people at McDonald's. That was never my experience in real life, because I was used to seeing EVERYONE at McDonald's. I thought it was a strange form of segregation at work. This was a great essay, shining light on this particular brand of quiet racism. Also, now I know that I didn't just imagine these. Most people I had asked about the ads, over the years, didn't remember them at all.
😂😂😂😂😂, NOT THE "DIDN'T REMEMBER THEM AT ALL" 😂😂😂😂😂😂
As much as I hate McDonalds, there’s nothing wrong with these commercials. Comparing it to minstrel entertainment is ridiculously extreme. You might be a tad too young to grasp how it was back in the day….it was rough. The fact that black people were on TV in a positive light was a good thing. Your description of the Calvin commercial is questionable. You literally inserted all those stereotypes yourself. As far as the 90’s lingo goes, that’s how we talked back then. What did you want them to speak Swahili? Gimme a break.
he seems to think the Calvin ad was based on racist attitudes instead of on millions in marketing research
I think he's so young he thinks that 1980s ads were produced like 1950s ads
When you’re so stuck in your ways you lose the capacity to listen because you think you’re always right and those of a darker persuasion are wrong.
@@icevariable9600 when you’re so stuck in your own dimension you lose the capacity to be aware of reality because you think you’re always right and those of a human persuasion are wrong
@MikeMikeSmith I know I’m gonna be sorry I’m asking this but…..what?
Presumably those young black actors would recognize a job that demeaned them racially. So why did they agree to do the Calvin commercials? It's almost like people today look for any excuse to get offended and cry racism!
"Why aren't more people upset about this?"
I'm no expert, but I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say it's because, I dunno... it's a series of hamburger ads from 30 years ago?
Ah yes and once the ads stop (they didn't), the feelings that they caused, the depictions they taught, just magically go away (they don't). It's also explained in the video.
@@blahblahblah1234blahBlacks lol
This dude is cringing over a family having McDonalds before church in a 1970s ad. What a whiner.
There's no pleasing people who are dead-set on complaining.
@@2beJT You gotta admit that song was the worst. Like it was trying to bash black stereotypes over your head. Still hilarious though xDD
@@coreym162 Yeah, but I don't expect ad firms who are just beginning to consider black people to get it perfect on their first try.
They aren't saying everyone should be eating McDonalds on get out of jail day. They are just trying to use the lingo of the time as best they could.
A black ad agency did those Calvin ads and others for McDonalds.
That’s cool and all but it’s 2024 so we must be offended since it’s read just racist now
McDonald's didn't have to seek out a black ad agency or approve it.
Then they are racist against themselves and need to be prosecuted for black on black discrimination.
A black snake is just as dangerous as a white snake. A lot of the predicaments we're currently in are because not all skinfolk are kinfolk and many people would rather be at the right of D'evil than be in its path. And whtes had to approve these commercials.🥴
@@nitrous36 the way you worded that, makes it sound like you approve and blame McDonald's at the same time.
We didn't care because it was just a fantasy commercial. I worked in fast food as a teen and was Calvin, working as a manager before I was 18. It was an ass job. Long hours on your feet working in a hot kitchen serving the lowest of the low who thought they were over you because they had $5 in their pocket.
But I bet all your friends came by for "the hookup". What chu kno bout dat? If you don't recognize that term then you weren't Calvin.😂✌🏾
The entire video was about why we should care and how it’s not “just a … commercial.” You seem to relate to the points he made very accurately but your initial statement kind of diminishes as to why it’s important to recognize it as more.
@@bjt81366 No. I didn't hook anyone up. I wasn't raised that way. If there was an employee struggling, I'd give them a burger before an 8 hour shift. No one should work around food on an empty stomach.
@@micahg.230 Another view would be that @fakshen1973 assigned little importance to those types of commercials because he or she was an independent thinker who wasn't going to blindly accept what the television presented to him or her. Or better yet, spent little time consuming television.
I was a kid in the 90s and if I am being honest, I liked those commercials. It didn’t make me want to eat McDonald’s more (I already loved McDonalds), but I thought it was great that they case black people that weren’t negative stereotypes. They seemed cool. I loved the “Calvin” commercial… Frankly, at that time a lot of black teens were idolizing gangster rappers and characters like Dough Boy and O Dogg. I thought the idea of encouraging kids to take an after school job instead of aspiring to be the guys on the corner was a good thing 🤷🏽♀️
And before people say I must have lived in a suburb and only saw false stereotypes. I was born in 1979 and lived in Brownsville in the 90s.
💯
and this is the part that Garrison doesnt understand about these commercials because he wasnt born yet...
@@LoopGawdTV Agreed. His peculiar interpretation is because he's from a different time and generation. McDonald's did similar ads for everyone, not just black teens. I distinctly remember ''work at McDonald's ads'' for white teens, for latinos, and even one for senior citizen retirees. When he talks about the ''Calvin'' ad's message about getting started on a positive path, he's wrong to assume it was racist. It was based on the franchises in heavily black neighborhoods having trouble hiring teens and the market research showing it's because they thought it was lame and uncool to work fast food. Besides, the responsibility pitch was really for parents to encourage their kids to get an after-school job.
Yeah - I'm white but grew up in the ghetto where my friends growing up had dreams to deal and die young. Just seeing messaging on TV that I could work a normal job and have a decent life gave me hope. I don't think those ads were bad at all.
I really appreciate this conversation, and everyone's perspective on it. This McDonald's commercial angle plays a small, but important, part in the much larger conversation. But as far as the interpretation of Garrison, I think this is a case of someone born in a different era, taking a snapshot from a bygone era, and poking holes in the assumed morality of the people who lived in those times. It's easy to do I'm sure (especially while standing with both feet grounded in this 'new and morally improved' era). For the heck of it I watched a bunch of 60's and 70's McDonald's commercials and noticed something they all had in common. No matter whether they depicted white or black families the people all seemed to act in cheesy 'stereotypical' ways. You could chalk it up to racism if you want, or perhaps just understand that these are commercials. They are fairly low budget, probably don't hire the best writing and acting talent hollywood had to offer, and commonly made white people look goofy and happy and black people seem cool and hip, etc. What do you guys think? Am I off base here?
I was born in 1960 and remember seeing this change.
To be fair the "get down with a cheeseburger" ad poster at 2:26 didn't sound like they were trying to sound "black" as the phrase "get down" was popular slang for the 1970's disco & funk music era. I guess you're too young to remember. LOL
100%, and Don't forget the hugely popular song from 1981 "Get Down On It" by Kool & The Gang that was a play on the phrase "Get Down".
The ideal of commercials is not, to make people think but, to just sell.
What was the "crying Indian" selling?
@@eeddieedwards3890 More like Crying Sicilian ;)
@@katamarigirl93 Truth! Iron Eyes Cody was a Sicilian American actor who specialized in portraying American Indians. I saw him at the Sears store in Hollywood, Ca. back around 1987 and he was wearing a similar outfit (right down to the moccasins) that he wore in the "Keep America Beautiful" PSA that first aired back in the early 1970s.
@@eeddieedwards3890 he was "selling" the proverbial "Hope for Change."
Reckon Tyler Perry watched these McDonald's commercials and took some notes.
I got to defend Tyler a little bit.. He does have doctors, lawyers, and teachers in his shows and movies.. but yeah, he can be a little stereotypical at some times..
@@kenrickeason, a little??😂😂😂😂
He absolutely took notes....why I'm not a fan....not the 🎯 audience
@HuigffGjiih Mr. Chocolate vs. Teddy Perkins. CAGE MATCH!!!
@ronbzoom8531, lmfao, funniest comment i've read in quite awhile, & so true!!! I've never been a fan of Mr. Perry's stereotypical images of his own people!
I remember watching 106 & Park on BET, and there were soooo many McD commercials with black folks rapping about big mac's and singing r&b about nuggets
Would you have preferred New Kids On The Block?
@@p0llenp0nyMaybe Cassius Clay saying "this new spicy chickum sammich floats on my taste buds like a butterfly and stings my appetite like a bee! Go get you some!"
Refresing change from murder hoes and fast stacks.
The franchise got its start by the takeover from the original owners and the stealing of their very name, the MacDonald brothers were totally screwed over by Ray Krok.
Exactly. And McDonald's sued a woman who created a festival for charity called Mcfest but she was using Mc from her real name. And they sued Scottish people claiming only McDonald's corporation could use the name despite it belonged to other people's family for centuries
@@tw8464a very evil world
So? Dont eat it:
@@jackmehoff5201 100% Agree. Complaining about a fast "food" chain not being moral is like complaining about one corner prostitute or drug dealer not paying taxes. (The Founder was not an entirely true story for those out there who believe Ray Kroc took gross advantage of them.)
Big Mama been up "since dawn" and McDonald's is the solution for breakfast?
Bet get yo narrow behind over to that damn McDonalds get me some grits
all this time and she ain't ate. as if this was believable.
I gotta disagree with you a little my young brother. The depiction Calvin's neighborhood wasn't far from accurate. It's unfortunate but pretty close in the "hood" at least during the 80s. You weren't born yet. I'm from those streets and I can point out the sad truth about that commercial
1. Most of my friends had just their mom
2. If you were smart and used correct grammar it was pointed out
3. We hung out on the stoop all the time (where else were we going to hang, it was safe)
4. It took unicorns to escape the hood (most didn't make it out) They never got away from the 8 square block trap
We had fun but, we had limited resources so our outlook was limited.
I'm just guessing, but you most likely had both parents, you did not grow up in a dangerous neighborhood, and you had better options. Remember, we didn't even have tech as an escape. The reason these commercials aren't viewed as negatively as you would like is because on many levels they are fairly correct. Understand, they showed loving families that cared about each other. They showed friends, the others weren't bangin, they just weren't working at Mc D's. Is it bad? It wasn't great, but that's for larger reasons than the commercial.
So eloquently well put👍🏽
I know right!
They had the black minstrel show in the UK, only ended in 1979. I understand and indigenous peoplle in Australia always played the criminals in tv shows.
Funny, Minorities were played into the stereotypes until the 1990s..
Peter O'Toole was nominated for awards as Othello in blackface in the 80s.
@@billiealexander3480 You mean Lawrence Olivier in 60s? Shakespeare traditionally has color-blind casting, I watched a Black McDuff in MacBeth play, and Denzel Washington was Don Pedro in Much Ado, and Hiroyuki Sanada got awards for the Fool in King Lear, sure they didn't use whiteface makeup and black/yellowface shouldn't be used either.
... but the criminals were the colonists... I mean, that was the history...
My parents also had gollywog toys from the 70s, a character that resembles blackface depictions. They gave them to us as children, although they thought nothing bad about them. Today the character is seen as racist and no longer used.
I'm assuming that you are not old enough to realize that Black advertising agencies came about during this time and with that, Black agencies started to create cultural commercials. These commercials you have assumed were made by white people are ACTUALLY made by Black ad agencies. Burrell (originally owned by a Black man, managed by Black people) led the creative for McDonald's for decades. What would you like? Would you prefer that Black culture not be included? What's wrong with a young man's first job to being at McDonald's? If you're going to do a think piece, ACTUALLY please research where these commercials came from and why they were created. There was a time there was no culture included in ads and we did not exist. There's a difference in Black face (white people pretending to be Black and do stereotypical things) and Black ad agencies attempting to show the African American experience.
Amen brotha. I just said something similar. Sometimes the young generation doesn’t do their research or have enough empathy to put themselves into that era.
Sheeesh. The inconvenient truth.
Having worked in ‘multicultural’ advertising and worked with brands like McDonald’s and being a black man, in 2024 it is still difficult to speak for ALL black people in marketing, and black agencies have always struggled with exactly how to speak to our communities because certain things that offend some may be the lived experience for others. It’s super hard to attach real authentic blackness to McDonald’s. Which is even counterproductive in itself as the product is killing us. But brands like McDonald’s paying black agencies is what keeps their lights on. So you do the best you can.
It’s never all good / never all bad. I think the brother was just reminding us how we broke in, and to keep questioning, challenging and evolving. It’s his right to include personal opinion in his thesis, and it’s good that we get to build upon that in comments. Great exchange!
You hit the nail on the head. Now I’m a brown first gen kid myself. I’ve noticed a subset of modern “activist” youth basically driving to eliminate the line between black or white or brown. But to do that takes away the significance of color. Singing gospel music in a commercial is offensive? Gtfo. And don’t speak for me saying I need to think “those people” are “racist” because they put that in there. This whole argument is rooted in the idea there’s shame in gospel music, speaking a certain way, or being working class. Color exists. It is beautiful. It should be represented. And I don’t care if it’s not quite right.
Said this better than any comment on here!
My brother sent me this, you're doing excellent work bro. Glad to have more of us here saying what needs to be said.
Now go cry in the corner like a good little victim, it's never your fault huh buddy?
To me, this fits in the “Can we find something to complain about?” file. What do I mean?
“Good Times” was called racist for playing to a racial stereotype that Black folk are poor. But then, when “The Cosby Show” did the literal opposite & portrayed Black professionals, *that* was criticized for failing to keep it real, i.e. lying about the true plight of Black denial of economic opportunity. It’s like unless every sitcom were a documentary coverage of all the Black income strata, someone would be waiting there ready to claim they were micro-aggressed.
Also, language changes over time. Much of the cringe you think you feel due to weird, fake “Black dialect,” *actually* feels weird because it’s just so damn old & out of favor, rather than because Whitey at the ad firm failed at Black lingo.
Here’s the sanity check: What were Black people at the time saying about it - even the most strident civil rights leaders of that day. If *they* were focused on other issues besides taking offense from hamburger ads, we should too. And they were.
You literally can't win either way. You're either promoting harmful stereotypes or trying to whiten them up lol. And you're correct. I doubt black people at the time gave a flying eff about any of these ads.
*THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!* 🙏🏾
And those Mc. Donald's commerce weren't even that bad.... all Millennials do is complain about shit.
If McDonald's had zero commercials with BLACK FOLKS in it.... then we be complaining about that!
Very true. Meanwhile "In N Out Burger" just fled Oakland California because of the rampant crime. Food deserts, pharmacy deserts in the 10 most dangerous cities in America which are majority Black and Majority Black run but talking about ancient "racist" McDonald's commercials are the problem. The victim card still pays I guess.
@brotherted9212 Good points. I am a historian and I know from being on a college campus that most Liberals and Feminists have their bills paid and are desperate for something to complain about.
Excellent commentary. I swear, being black is exhausting (from our own community no less)
What’s most frustrating to me personally is the fact that 90% of my family fits the stereotypes. I distanced myself at 13 once I was able to understand most were on the wrong path but I think that’s had the side effect of almost permanently ostracizing myself. I can only hope to be better with my own wife and kids which I already have.
lol they exist for a reason and are just observations of your "people's" behavior
you think you better than them. instead of protecting them because they are the most vulnerable set of black americans you chose to abandon them in the hope time will make them disappear.
As a middle age Black man whose born in the early 80s and grew up in Oakland California i could say the Calvin commercials were not stereotypical in fact it was positive along with the Black grandmas going to McDonald's for Breakfast was actually real i saw older black people going to McDonald's after church ,Calvin's commercials showed a young urban teen working you could flip it and have a all white ad with a young white kid doing the same thing as Calvin in a Suburban neighborhood
For something to be a stereotype does not mean that it never happened/happens, it means that it is overly favored in place of what else is also going on, and it usually shows one to two-dimensional characters. He mentions, if you listened, that there are other stories, but somehow those don't get shown.
Yeah, right 🙄
Can you say? Propaganda
What’s so positive about a company that employs people they clearly care nothing for but to be servants. You’re talking as if Calvin became CEO or something
You ain't black FOH
I just made a similar comment. Born in 1979, lived in Brownsville Brooklyn when the Calvin ads came out. They were great, and needed to be seen at that time. You can get a job, you don’t have to hang out on corners. It was real.
0:46 Because they were a sign of the cultural times when they were made.
Arsenio Hall was the first public figure that I saw call this out. It was during one of his stand-up skits. Could have been on Soul Train, I don't remember where, now. Also, he was the first stand-up comedian that I ever saw featured on Soul Train. And, while I'm at it, Luther was the first one that I ever saw perform LIVE on Soul Train! 😀 Garrison, contact Arsenio and ask him to send you some clips of when he joked about McDonald's doing this to us. I bet he'll send 'em. 🙂
Soul train had a bunch of McDonald's and other commercials which were full of black people. No his show arsenio mentioned McDonald's introducing their mcrib sandwich, he thought the wanted to attract more McNegroes
We loved the Black McDonald’s commercials back then. Representation. Everyone thought Calvin was cool. Most kids were excited to get our first jobs in fast food back then, too.
Who are you? You don’t speak for black people
@woodbuglauryn Exactly. These inexperienced, overly sheltered, never-experienced-any-racism young people are ignorant and obnoxious.
Well you were wrong
@@sageex3931 I love that you have to be voted upon by the majority to speak with any sort of opinion regarding a racial demographic. That's solidarity, brother.
@PlayStonkers I say that cause you Don't speak for a whole group of people that's why it's simple.
The 'Calvin ad' was created by a black-owned advertising agency -- Burrell Communications. In all likelihood, it was written BY black people, for black people.
The author probably should've looked into this before making this video.
Most companies always try to gain black dollars, Mc Donalds was number one at it, blacks had to protest to become franchisees, were regulated to inner-city locations. There are less black franchisees in 2023 than in 1999 less than 200 now versus over 300 then, thanks to lawsuits and other problems Mc Donalds is famous for franchise owner operatorship.
Judging the past with modern day sensitivities will always be a fallacy. Our children will think we were crude too.
Yes, but it's arguably even worse than that. The lessons we can learn from the world's reaction to the Nazis would be far more useful if we don't skip to the holocaust and look at what things were happening earlier in the process with the information that was available. If things have gotten to the point where the death camps have been built and people are just then starting to think that perhaps putting people into ovens might be a bit too far, you've already lost the battle. And really, even just drawing up the plans is probably too late to stop it from happening.
Same goes for slavery, Jim Crow laws and all the rest. If you look at it knowing what the result was, you miss the lessons that might avoid something equivalent happening in the future.
"Why aren't people looking extra hard for past racismz?!"
I'm not going to lie. The first thing I thought of when I saw your video were the "Calvin" commercials and Dave Chappelle making fun of them! I'll say this, though. If Calvin stuck out that job at Mickie D's, he's making more cash than I am now! And don't worry. Grimace doesn't have any beef with you, either. And no shakes. Because the damned shake machine never works!
Flip Wilson used to sell 7-Up.
Actually, Geraldine did.
"What you sees is what you gets ! "
The "Devil made her do it!"🤣 Flip was hilarious!
Did you not see chappelle's skit on Chappelle show about Calvin?
Even he was portraying other young black men as clowning Calvin for having a job.
The Black ad agency that made the commercial for McDonald's was trying to promote a little good to young black men.
Damn bro it's almost like stereotypes are based on reality 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
i don't want to be mean here - but i think a lot of people don't realize a "stereotype" is also based on a MAJORITY of a specific archetype...
ok yes, it 'broad brushes' the rest of the people that are not a certain way; but a Stereotype is always based on how a majority of people have experienced some specific archetype pattern, in any setting (sociological, biological, etc.; that is, how people act, how people look/sound, etc.). it is always something that has been seen or has occurred with a majority of people in that specific archetype setting. that is literally why it is called "stereotyping"
[note that this does not mean that all stereotypes are positive, or should not be changed because they are negative, but it means that a stereotype is always based on a majority of occurrence]
I am a black male and I have three college degrees and have studied Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Religion, etc.
I agree with some of your insights, but I saw the "Calvin Got A Job" commercial as a positive for our culture as it inspired youth to get a job, work for what you want and focus on your future with prosocial choices.
I have worked in healthcare for 30+ years and I am appalled by how drugs like Fentanyl and Heroin have devastated so many people. Why do people go back to using drugs over and over again? because they have nothing to lose and no reason that matters to them *not* to use drugs. If a person has a good job with a future, they are less likely to jeopardize that job by engaging in illegal activities, including drug use, theft and murder (Sociology 101).
whoa. 6:25 - that immigrant line hit HARD
The double dutch McDonald's commercial was one of my favorites! "Big mac, filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, french fries, icy cold, thick shakes, sundaes, and apple pies!" I loved it! I held a tape player to the television to record it!
The Jackson Five and Alfonso Ribiero, Pepsi commercial was also a favorite!
I saw those and other commercials as a child. Perhaps there was something there, perhaps not. However, if you're a parent and a television has more of an effect on your children than you do. Perhaps you're negligent as a parent.
People are not upset about these forty year old commercials because they have a life !
Got 1 😂😂😂😂
Outside of the choir, the Calvin commercial was relatable & reachable. I grew up with the Calvin commercial & there is a point missed about Calvin having a job with dignity, during the spike of gang violence. That commercial wasn’t ALL bad. We knew you can’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
All this may be true…
But did you get his point?
@@geekmeee no please tell me, I’m
Just so dense. Yes and I shared my point. He’s not the only one with one.
@mariestinson3284 thank you it was during a bad time in history when gang violence was running rampant. So stuff like this was positive. Minstrel? What the hell? This kid is overthinking this.
Calvin is not a stereotype but an archetype of the at-risk teenager who benefits from the character-building that comes with getting a job and taking on adult responsibilities rather than hanging out on the streets getting into trouble with his loser friends. While it is a bit of an exaggerated fairytale it's not exactly minstrelsy.
It would seem some people on this thread both missed the point AND bought the stereotypes. 🤦🏾♂️
You might be still trying to evaluate past commercials on your modern wokeness. And don't forget, the actors are black, the singers was black, the consultants were black... if there was an issue, they would have resisted and protested accordingly.
Cosby had no issue, "blacking it up", for his Jello puddin' pops.
quote "the past is a foreign country. They do things different there ." As a teenager through the majority of the 70s - I observed these cultural absurdities .
Tbh. I'm not mad at these commercials.
interesting
I’ve always thought these commercials were racist, like, laughably racist.. Seriously, wtf?
Hey man this was really good. Thanks. I just subscribed 😊
Don't be talking about my Calvin! He went to places and did things. And matter of fact when those commercials came out, that's exactly what the hood was like. I lived it. And if half of the people in my neighborhood were Calvin they'd be alive right now.
Lmao wow. No, maybe Calvin would have been going to college. There ain't no life in fast food. Working fast food would probably be the thing that makes you start selling drugs instead
@@cxri9454 There ain't no life in fast food? There damn sure no life in selling drugs.
Except a lot of black people don't live in the "hood" and didn't then. The commercial wasn't the worst, but there were still problematic elements, like making it look like people in underprivileged areas don't work, and it's a miracle that one of them does. But I can see your point, but then make commercials without all the stereotypical "black" additives too.
"People aren't offended by these ads, and that offends me"
I never felt targeted by these ads. Me and my friends and family would laugh at them because it was like McDonald's and other companies were going out of their way to court black consumers with stereotypes that absolutely did not represent us. I never felt like McDonald's was targeting me because the black people in these ads did not represent me whatsoever. I was one of those black kids who was always being told I was too white by the kind of black kids McDonald's was targeting in these ads. These ads had no effect whatsoever on whether or not I chose to go to McDonald's. I also had an uncle who worked at McDonald's in South L.A. in the 70s. He had a lot of fast food minwage gigs and said the McD's gig was not as bad as the others. He said it was because everybody's task was so compartmentalized that it was simpler than other places where you could just get thrown on to everything. He was on fries, moved to burger grill, then register. He said if you weren't doing your task efficiently, they had a way of punishing you by making to clean up the dining area and bathrooms a lot more often. This is something everyone had to do, including managers.
@angusorvid8840 Thank you for your testimony.
Jesse dollemore send me your way
me too !!
That damn Jesse Dollemore! Jesse is a good man and tries to do what's right even though I disagree with him a little bit sometimes.. I still sub to him..
@@kenrickeason he is a good man. I also dii I sadder sometimes but that’s not a bad thing.
if you think the three stooges acted dumb in blackface, you should see how they act without it
I had never seen that! I'm betting it has been banned!
@@jasonrodgers9063 its probably pulled from syndication, but it's on the dvds. they are hiding from civil war soldiers and disguise themselves in black face
Ugggh.... I thought this was gonna be a flash from the past funny vid. Have you seen our community today? "Calvin Got A Job" will forever be classic. Stop being offended by EVERYTHING.
This is how black americans used to talk in the 80's and the 90's. Got a problem with it, take it up with your parents.
I love this, man. haha
Up until 1997. Worst year ever for the Black identity and respect.
@@coreym162 Curious, what happened in 1997?
@@edsanville Probably the effects of gangster rap changing how Blacks behaved.
I'm a Black American and I did not speak like that in the 80s and 90s.
That gospel McDonalds ad was kinda lit tho
.....
Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven
There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today
Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell
Come to Jesus Christ today
Jesus Christ is only way to heaven
Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void
Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today
Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today
Holy Spirit Can give you peace guidance and purpose and the Lord will
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Mark 1.15
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Jesus
What, it isnt normal to dance holding hamburgers?
This is why the Dave Chapelle skit showing the reality of this commercial was genius 😂😂 one of the ladies on the stoop dies from eat too much of the shit, his wife is cheating on him because he’s never home trying to support his family by working there , 😂😂😂
I AINT GIVIN YOU SHIT😂🔥
That skit is pure gold .
My black grandmother took me to McDonald's before church all the time
Well you ain't black according to this guy. lol
Advertisements always carry the smack of condescension but I always find it funny when commercials end up insulting their customer base in the effort to impress them with their knowledgeability. It's the race equivalent of the "Hello, Fellow Kids" meme
You can never be mad at McDonald's breakfast
McDonald's food is shit.
Regardless of the racial commercial advertising narratives ....... If you look at the legacy of McDonald's & their corporate practices in the fast food industry ??? And the hormone chemicals allegedly put in their food & drinks ???? Plus there's a suspicion about their meat .... I wouldn't eat there ......And let's be frank !!!! I simply don't like McDonald's !!!! 😮
Happily… Calvin and Them were, at least, getting a Paycheck from Madison Avenue.
Sociology aside, did anyone else notice how BIG the 70s food was? Egg mcmuffins are literally half that size now.
You're not wrong, it's called shrinkflation.
Do not like your stereotype? Quit acting like the stereotype. I do not care about commercials, nor should you.
This is really eye-opening. Those first commercials I wrote off as tone death white guys being chronically out of touch and didn't necessarily see the harm. But those Calvin ads 😬 the dangerous thing is, it's that same out of touch same mindset that led to the Calvin ads, and it's when you view all of this together that you can see how toxic these attitudes can be. Great vid
You: "In this video, we're gonna explore historic stereotypes in early targeted marketing toward black consumers and how businesses really missed the mark in some bizarre, embarrassing, and sometimes retrospectively funny ways."
Me: "Wow, that sounds interesting!"
You: "I'm also gonna be asking the question, why aren't people more upset about this?"
Me: [clicks away]
on another comment you wrote a whole paragraphs calling this guy a woke snowflake your ass did NOT click off
Sadly, these ads resemble a Norman Lear black comedy.
DYNOMITE!!!
"My name is Florida! Florida! That's the name of a state! Why is my name Florida? Oh, Lord!"
Family Guy reference 🤭
Good Times, Sanford and Son, All In the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude; Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman...
@@davidmitchell6873 - J.J. (James Evans, Jr. aka comedian Jimmy Walker)
So…how exactly is a young man getting a job, being responsible, and having goals negative? I’m not following your train of thought on this one🤔
I remember bringing this up to people in the late 90s. "How come ncdonalds always have black people in their commercials" and i was told i was crazy.
The late 90s.
When people knew what a woman was.
Such horrible times.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
You didn't have me at the beginning then in the later half explained it very well. Great video. Quality content.
Separate but unequal; same as segregation. Corporations have no soul; pun intentional in more than one way.
This is such a well executed video man. Very impressive take on the topic but also high production value. Consider me a new subscriber.
It's a thin line between fries and shanks.
'Calvin got a job" was what immediately came to mind when I saw the title LMAOOOOO
Tbh its not just immigrants that hate black people because of their portrayal on media. Ive dated a few white dudes whom's family liked me because i did not 'act like the black people on BET' and other media they have seen that shows black people i guess in a 'negative' light, and you mentioned anti blackness in the black community, its there and its strong, if you act differently than the 'black monolith' you're pretty much ostracized and called a race traitor and several other things. The fact that its 2024 and people (of all races not just black) arent allowed to act as an individual without facing scrutiny is insane.
You're not allowed to leave the plantation.
Democrats hate when you try to think for yourself.
It isn't the MAGA folk keeping you down.
As George Jefferson said, the white man will work for me because the only color they see is green. McDonald’s advertised this very well.
You know, making a video about complaining about a series of old commercials that were attempting to appease and represent the black community - which weren't done to your standards - is quite hilarious considering that the image of the black American to every other race is extremely negative right now, more so than it's ever been. Maybe focus a little less on how people portrayed black people in commercials 30 years ago and focus on how to fix the problems in your community today so you aren't treated as a pariah
Race was NOT an issue back then.
The marxist liberals have created that war.
No one's upset because those commercials gave those Black people jobs, and a few became celebrities.
I think there's sometimes inadequate effort put into considering these sorts of things in the context of their time period. There are different ways that can manifest, for example, blackface started out as something a lot less problematic where the blackening of the skin was more of a mask, than an effort to portray anybody the way that the art form would eventually be used by the end. Whether or not that's an accurate way of viewing it really ought to be a bigger topic of debate because folks mostly show the later films as a way of depicting the practice, even though that was near the end and doesn't necessarily represent all of it, just the bit that was late enough and popular enough at that time to be recorded.
Likewise, some of the stuff is rather niche. That sunday morning before church commercial isn't really any more offensive or less representative of black culture than just about any ads that depict white culture. There's so many times where White people are being depicted in weird ways that don't get attention. The main difference is the numbers of white folks out there as well as the power dynamic. But, if society is ever going to get to the point of finally delivering on the promise of all people being created equal, folks are going to have to stop looking for reasons to be offended and just look for ways of improving the world.
Well consider their reference material; black music culture/videos.
If black’s perpetuated it first, is it really “blackface”? At best you could call it “cultural appropriation”.
It’s ok to make stereotypes about whites & asians, but when the focus gets turned back, it’s “racist”.
i’m here after watching the chappelle show episode about the “calvin” commercial. thank you for this 🙏🏼
I realize this is not the same but it's similar. Recently, I started watching reruns of old TV shows that I watched as a kid. (We're going back to the 50's and 60's.)
I cannot relate to being black but I can relate to being female and the way some of the old shows portrayed and treated women was downright disgusting.
I think about being a child watching that stuff and I can't help but think that my brain was warped, at least, a little by the images and scenarios I watched.
I'm sure Black children must experience something similar watching these kind of commercials.
After all: they're supposed to 🎵 "Love that Chicken from Popeye's." 🎶
Bookworm growing up. TV didn't interest me. My significant other always had tv on watching westerns. Those shows were so sexist. Women shouldn't be allowed to vote. It was okay to spank your wife. Folgers coffee ads--the newly wed wife who just couldn't make coffee. Now that he has passed away, I will never hear one of this shows again. Books and music.😉
@quercusrubra3633, yes, that's a great current example of minstrelsy in advertising!!! I didn't even think of it, until you pointed it out!!
@@JanicePritchett-vf3fx Books??? Your grammar is so poor you better just stick to music.
This sounds like a case of PRESENTISM: Use the social norms of today to vilify media decades ago like it happened yesterday, devoid of all context.
It nearly always is with people with way too much free time on their hands and a need to complain about everything.
So, what is a purely black depiction that McDonald's can use for a commercial. I would love to hear your answers.
You gotta admit, the Cross Colours jacket in the Calvin ad is pretty sweet 4:48
...
Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today
Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven
There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today
Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell
Come to Jesus Christ today
Jesus Christ is only way to heaven
Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void
Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today
Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today
Romans 6.23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Mark 1.15
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Jesus
Thank you for explaining about perhaps why my dad was so racist. I know being born in the 20s in a small town Alabama did not help... but growing up with nothing but racist tropes and examples may have helped form his issues. I never really understood why he was so convinced I was either a devil's advocate or a devil (depending on the day and his mood) for simply choosing friends from different groups.
I love the part where the guy turns his backwards hat around, and it's a McDonald's hat because he works there. Just like I did when I was in high school. At first he just looks like a kid wearing his hat backwards, and he completely flips the expectations to show that we can never judge someone's entire character from one particular moment. He was a product of his time by wearing his hat backwards in his off time, but the bottom line was he was a good kid who was proud to have a job.
I grew up as an adopted mixed race kid in an all white british environment and lived through the 70s and 80s and 90s and all of these grotesque stereotypes were a part of my life and they did a LOt of damage.
Internalized hatred is something a lot of non white communities are still struggling with. We always feel that we have to act like the white people and that there's something wrong with our color, our cultures.
Great, thought provoking video. Thank tou
And yet ads that didn't show these supposed stereotypes got flack for "trying to whiten up black people". Can't fucking win.
I find the Mary J “Crispy chicken”
Commercial for Burger King far more offensive than these old McDonald’s commercials. These weren’t so bad. At least the showed happy families and a teen wanting to get an after school job instead of thug life (which WAS a problem in the 90s).
But the living QUEEN of R&B, Mary J… Singing about fried chicken? That hurt.
You know how musicians would do anything for money. It was definitely a waste of a voice, singing for fried 🍗
@@Alan_GA most artists don’t do “anything” for money. Mary J never came off as the type that would, especially at that stage of her career. If she was an up and coming artist, sure. But this made no sense
Say what you'd like, she took the gig and got paid. So the money was right for her to do what she did.
@@sboz86 Not all money is good money. If you’re saying you’ll literally do and say anything for a price, then that’s sad.
That said, I don’t blame her for it. I’m sure she didn’t know the finished product would look so tacky and lame. Like she is just the fairy Goddess of Fried chicken. I don’t know if she’s ever been asked publicly about the ad, my guess is, she would probably laugh and agree it was terrible.
McDonalds doesnt represent our community enough! Also: McBlackface bad reeeeeeee
Sad to see the disconnect in the comments 😔
We all pretty much agree that this dude is a clown.
You are too.