Dick Smith ‘banned’ Australia Day ad features shipwrecked refugees

It’s official, Dick has lost the plot

Those texts don’t look staged at all!

With Dan Ilic behind this, wasn’t this controversy the whole idea? Frame this as an ad, then see it play out as a piece of viral video that’s picked up for all the reasons you mention in “traditional” media, and at the same time shared widely across social? Awareness boosted, cheeky approach drives interest and in turn sales…

Sounds like the campaign is working fine to me 😉

Stay classy Australia…

Can somebody please enlighten me:

Dick Smith is a successful businessman who is worth millions. These millions were made selling imported, foreign electronics, which were purchased cheap overseas and sold in Australia, with a right, royal mark up, earning him his millions. Corporate capitalism at it’s finest.

If that is the case, then how can he go all “Aussiefied” on us and preach about buying Australian Made products, when he has made his money doing the opposite, selling cheap imported, foreign made goods?

Or am I referencing the wrong Dick Smith?

I’ve never seen an ad so obviously designed to be banned.
Crude and obvious innuendo? tick
Racism? tick
Directly attacking some of the networks’ biggest advertisers? tick

Actually, there’s not even enough ambiguity in the innuendo for it to be innuendo
The question is, is it too crude/controversial to get the PR coverage it craves?

Cringe…

Wow. Just, wow.

I loved it (although it was a bit “Mrs Slocombe’s pussy” circa 1976!) You just can’t make fun of boat people, can you? They’re a protected species and appear to have more rights than rest of us! It’s just a shame all these do-gooders have found Dick so hard to swallow (sorry, couldn’t help myself after that.)

Wow. I think Dick has lost the plot.

“A tactic adopted in the US is to create a controversial ad ahead of a big TV event, but to have it banned – which generates free media coverage without having to pay to air it.” – Probably spot on with this one.

And… It’s just a really badly concepted, scripted and produced ad. It’s more an insult to advertising that refugees.

Ha ha. No one has ever accused Dick of being subtle. This will be viral in no time. Mission accomplished!

Let it run, seriously, let’s get the mother of all shitstorms going.

And then sell tickets.

Who’s with me?

Not sure “banned” is the right word to use. It’s not PG-rated, so they can’t show it during the news. Seems like it’d be fine elsewhere.

I think the add is great letts get back to being true aussie
Bring it on dick

This is so wrong. We really have become to politically correct. There is nothing wrong with this ad. I think its great. When can we decide things for ourselves or will we need hand holding and decisions made for us because the authorities think we are to stupid to make decisions for ourselves. Give us our lives back.

Well done Dick.Put it on social media. People will probably take more notice there than as a TV commercial. We all fast forward through TV commercial Don’t we?

I agree with Dick…the day of the aussie larrikin is obviously over! How stupid to ban this ad from airing, to once again save precious people who can not take a joke from being offended. Heaven forbid someone gets offended! Those television stations are the precious ones. After all Dick Smith has done for this country. Australia needs to grow a set!

When the old duck comes on and says, “There’s only one Dick I’ll be eating on Australia Day” had me immediately drafting a stern letter to the Advertising Standards Board had I not been pissing myself laughing. Great stuff!

Excellent work from Dan Ilic and Dick Smith. The negative reaction from agencyland folks is as typical and tired and boring as their TVCs.

I love dick! Nice.

This is to advertising what Pauline Hanson was to politics and Andrew Bolt is to journalism. Pandora’s Box.

I thought this ad was harmless and entertaining.
What is happening to our country when we can’t have a bit of fun.
After all, the profits from the sale of these advertised products are generously donated to charities and political correctness surrounding the ‘boat people’, what could be more obscene than this present government facilitating the deaths of men, women and children in the process of them making their way to our shores.
It seems our country is being sold out on many levels and in the near future, I fear we will lose the essence of who we are as Australians.

Fantastic,well done Dick

Surely this campaign is just the tip of the Iceberg ….

The electronic dick is rebranding himself as the comestible dick….and not paying for the airtime. What’s new?

We should all get behind him. Get some dick into you this Australia Day 🙂

Obviously a PR prank to create a bit of controversy and have the video go viral on social media (which I expect it will). But will it actually make people purchase Dick Smith’s products? Doubtful. More about putting the Dick Smith brand (back) on the map.

Nice one Dick 🙂

Dick Smith fabulous Aussie!

Good on you this is fantastic and I have sent it to everyone I know to watch on Youtube…..

I do buy Dick Smith’s products and they are so good, especially the Magnificant Honey.

Spotted Dick is food steamed pudding , very well done.
Happy Australia Day!

SO what I’m getting from this ad is that muslims travel to Australia because they love Dick and would risk their life to get a mouthful of Dick products

lol positive comments. want to post your credit along with the comment?

hah yeah after all this is the man that towed an “iceberg” into Sydney Harbour on April 1st……lol nice work…..nice strategy

Who doesn’t love Dick?

Lets run it!

I’m sick to death of MKR promos

It’s official – Dick Smith is a DICK

Clever Dick.

I dunno. The pro-Australia message is pretty strong. My guess is it’ll do well.

Stay tuned for next week, where we show what might look like people running for their lives in a desperate attempt to escape genocide in Syria… when in actual fact, they just *really* love their Vegemite!

Love it!! Thought it was very funny. Good on you Dick. For those people who think the shipwreck scene is being racist, obviously the people in the scene don’t think so otherwise they wouldn’t have agreed to be filmed!!

I think all the commenters just like saying “Dick”

Ok, Vegemite is a crap example because it’s a brand that Dick attacks. Insert any other ‘local’ brand name there.

Besides the boat people bit, whats not to love? Our farmers are doing tough, our manufacturing industry is doing it tough. Did you know whole crops of Oranges are being dumped by Aussie farmers due to the cheaper imports?
I wonder if those slagging Dick off here work for the agencies that have mutli-million dollar accounts with the likes of Kraft? He gets the message across and bravo on the donations.
Good on ya Dick!

OH NO HE DI’INT!

soooo I’m confused. PG TVCs can air anytime after 10am on weekends – if they wanted this to air in the 6pm bulletin on Australia Day this should be fine. And on weekdays it can air after 7pm….. what’s so wrong with that, Dick?

and yes, I am aware that I know way too much about commercial placement codes….

The comments confirm the advertising industry takes itself too seriously! By Australian creative standards this is terrific stuff!

awful

Onya Dick!
Great marketing. And yes, it WILL prompt me to buy Dick’s products.

I laughed.

I’m no wowser, but there are some things you just don’t do … and poking fun at refugees in a TV ad promoting food is one of them.

Not that bad, an obvious puff and profits going to charity so…

Agree the 1 min long ad does indicate this was never mean’t to air, as does the following backgrounder ready for the viral push, but again, no worries
http://www.danilic.com/dick-trouble/
http://instagram.com/p/UyM4bZHyew/
http://vimeo.com/57966280

Let’s see if they discuss it on Can Of Worms
‏@canofwormstv Do you have a worm? Want to film it with @danilic in Sydney tomorrow? Email worms@zapruder.com.au with your worm & phone number.
Retweeted by Dan Ilic

Why can’t we be patriotic and support Australian Farmers and the charities he supports with the proceeds of these products?.I buy the products already and enjoy them.

The production of this spot was only ever done at the level of a viral video anyway. The same goes for the very fake looking text message.

I’m with Heather, but at least it will raise awareness.

The products are bloody good though (well, the tom sauces is a bit sweet for my taste) and in these days of Packaged in Australia from imported ingredients, he should have all our support. Check it out and put in an order:

http://www.dicksmithfoods.com......oods-range

I love it how us ozzies can laugh at ourselves… Well most of us!!

This is slick, Dick. It comes in just the right way, just like the doubletalk at the end of Austin Powers’ flicks. You figger the Aussies would gobble this down with their tasty sens of humour That sucks, Dick.

Well done Dick. love a send up. havnet had a good send up for years.
Run it again somewhere else Dick or maybe buy your own TV station???

@Phyll Lansley “It seems our country is being sold out on many levels and in the near future, I fear we will lose the essence of who we are as Australians.” — You mean as ignorant, bigoted dicks…?

Good one Dick,love it hey we’re Aussies aren’t we?!

OK ContraDicktion, I’ll enlighten you.
I worked for Dick Smith during the electronics days and his stated policy was to buy Australian if Australian existed AND it did not disadvantage customers. The vast majority of products were imported because there were no Australian equivalents OR the suppliers wanted far too much for them compared to imports. But things like metalwork for kits (where he made a lot of money) were locally sourced.
I get heartily sick of all the holier-than-thous (especially in the advertising industry) who tut-tut about Dick Smith then drive back to the office in their Porsches, BMWs, Audis, et al.

Saying “Wow. Just wow” is so 2007.

Right thats it – this isnt fun – its embarrassing !

You are a joke Dick Smith – you have lost my support.

Bat shit.

Dick Smith is a great businessman. Made his fortune selling imported electronics goods and now wants us to think he only supports Aussie products and jobs- umm ones that are sold by him anyhow.

This ad was designed to be barred from the start.

Good on you Dick!!!
We are giving away this country, thank God for you trying to help our farmers and manufactureres.
Lets get behind him and get him in the senate ( @ least he has Australia’s interest @ heart )
Dick has not lost it, this is Old Style Sence of Humor

I feel like this is a joke and any minute now someone is going to yell GOTCHA

Who doesn’t love Dick! At least vegetarians can enjoy Dick on Australia Day!

GOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!! (Aussie rules type of course) just going by the sheer weight of responses to this thread Dick more than done his job.

Most negative comments are from those who also work for multinationals and feeding overseas brands

Nothing like aiming low. Australia’s lowest common denominator is such a safe bet. In my opinion the ads sucks regardless of the PR strategy. It failed to get a G rating. That is not ‘banned’.

What can I say but “I love Dick too!”

I think if there is one thing that impedes successful astro-turfing of comment threads it is not planning out the names in advance.

Torn between hating or loving this. I have to say it is quite entertaining though all I can remember from watching it is a whole lot of dick references.

So here’s the thing – even though most of the products he attacks are owned by multinational companies, they are still produced here in Australia, therefore employing Australians. And Australian farmers as the ingredients are mostly sourced here. (The people who are damaging Australian farmers are Coles and Woolies with their mafia standover tactics.)

It’s all lovely and heartwarming to get jingoistic, but how many Australians does Dick Smith employ compared to Kraft?

All this sort of rubbish does is feed the “foreign hordes are coming to get our jobs” retards.

Good onya DICK, take it to them!!! were in STRAYA people we used to have a sense of humor!!! All these do gooders crawl under your rock.

GREAT AD!
Definitely achieved what he was trying to do.
Got everyone’s attention.
TRUE BLUE AUSSIE and everyone loves it cause it’s true!

As a NZer seeing this ad, I think it’s absolutely awesome.

Sad Aussie seem to be full of so many stick-up-the-arse cry babies who are worried about what some scummy boat people trying to get into the country illegal are going to think.

PS I hate doing this but considering the amount of astro turfing insinuations just wanted to say I ain’t involved in anyway. (My inner 5 year old is giggling right now and I found it really hard not to let him turn this into a dick pun thing i.e. work dick, play with dick….. Just saying…..)

@ Rosco.

Thanks for the heads up, that is interesting to know. I don’t drive a BMW or a Porsche. I cant stand flash car brands tbh. I am not swiping Dick, just asking a question about Dick. Thanks again.

Click through to the video on Youtube.

It appears to have more likes (318) than it does views (304)?

Could the lower view count be due to rendering, with the likes being instant and the views taking their time?

Or is something else going on?

I thought it was great!!. Please don’t get precious folks. I appreciate dig as much as anyone even if it is at my expense. My ancestors were boat people as well and I think they came for the food or was it gold- not sure. Some how I think they wouldn’t have keen on the stuff Dick had on show. We prefer our food with out wrappings or packaging, oh forgot patriots all eat Maccas.

I love Dick – always have and always will. Big fan.

Sure the ad is cheesy, but it will work and sell product.

Nothing wrong with a few dick jokes

Poor taste… and I’m not just saying that bcuz his Ozemite tastes like sheeet

One of the headlining articles on SMH right now – it appears to be working…

Once it gets shared on Facebook, it’ll do the rounds for sure. Who needs the television networks?

@ContraDicktion views have been the same number since I first saw it hours ago. YouTube problem no conspiracy.

The I love dick stuff is funny enough in an Are You Being Served way, the only problem with this is that’s it’s laughing at refugees. It’s very bad taste, I’m actually pretty surprised at these comments.

Dear Mumbrella Commenters.

I am overwhelmed with disappointment.

So far, no-one has yet said that there is nothing wrong with some dick innuendo.

Lighten up Australia…..you are losing your sense of humour!

this isn’t about taste…it’s about fun. Just to annoy all those sourpusses (is that PC?) I will go out tomorrow and buy all the Dick Smith Products – knowing the profits will go to charity. Good on you Dick!

Yeah, let’s make fun of people fleeing protracted refugee camps and war torn countries….way to go Dick. Youre the biggest hypocritical Dick around. No way I’ll EVER buy your products again.

Call it whatever you like.

If this is Australian made and owned – Im not going anywhere near it. Dick Smith is playing on the type of patriotism that fueled the Cronulla riots.

Sub standard products
Sub standard comedy
Sub standard Australian

Wait till all those Fairfax NZ subs get their hands on this story, it’ll be nothing but duck jokes.

This ad makes me want to be Australian…

Brilliant.

@pom

If that’s your attitude , you’re not invited.

It’s just downright funny! Hey critics where is your sense of humour?

Kind of ironic that a tool who made his fortune flogging imported electrical goods is now the poster boy for local manufacturing… What a DICK!!!

A bad joke once is funny. A bad joke used time and time again is just downright bad humour.

Would Dick like to have had his kids use this joke time and time again when they were primary schoolers just because some dolt used a cheap shot to make a headline?

Funny. But puerile.

I agree with all the Dick lovers; I wasn’t sure I could swallow another pun-ridden campaign but as it turns out I think it’s a very good fit for viral marketing.

You can pork your boyfriend on tv, but you can’t love Dick.
Get a sense of humour people.

What’s happened to the good Aussie humor. Shame on all you supposedly do gooders. To think that you do not support your own country fellowman. I thought it was encouraging these illegal refugees to accept OUR AUSTRALIAN CULTURE… NOT TO CHANGE OUR WAYS TO THEIRS.

Just to add to my comment… It is for CHARITY. Dick does not come across as being racist, he is just stating fact and raising money for a great cause.

“Yeah, let’s make fun of people fleeing protracted refugee camps and war torn countries”
Many of those people pay a lot of money to come here. people that can afford to come here the right way. And pass safe havens but think they can pick and choose. thats not a refugee. Refugee status vanishes the moment you pass a safe haven. these are illegal immigrants

Good on ya dick. hope everyone gets some in them this aussie day.

Good on you Dick Smith!

Embarrassed – I feel so very sad for you

Call it whatever you like.

You obviously haven’t tried the PRODUCTS……………

Sub standard products – Great products
Sub standard comedy – Great comedy
Sub standard Australian – GREAT AUSTRALIAN

seen a lot adds on TV then that one

So who’s going to produce the “I love Dick’ T shirt in time for Australia Day? I would proudly wear one in protest of the wowsers who are so politically correct, they’re draining the Aussie blood from our SOH organs

Good Onya Dick, very funny, wake up Australia, this man loves his country and is passionate about doing all he can on our behalf. More power to Dick! Legendary Dick!
How could you not love Dick?

There’s a thin red line between being racist and being patriotic.

Is there an equivalent term of astro-turfing for “going viral”?

Jesus Christ that was boring.

Possibly the best ad ever

Bloody good on you Dick! Rosco says it better than ANYONE – Yes Dick went elsewhere when WE didn’t produce the goods – and now his products are great, his tactics are great, and all you wowsers out there – for goodness’ sake lighten, up, get a life (and get some more DICK! – you obviously aren’t getting ENOUGH!!)

…And yes Ros…I want an ” I loive Dick” badge!!!!!! (a bloody BIG one!
)

On go on, laugh. It won’t kill you and it might make you feel better!

Can’t blame a bloke for trying to make a quid but from the looks it may have a clashed withthose aweful lamb ads…

Love it! Yes, agree he made his money from imports but the man does love his country… And it’s a funny ad! Didn’t get the racism issue, it is what it is. Better than most the safe/PC ads out there. Lighten up people! Whatever to TV, I think it will go great virally. 🙂

I love his penis and potato soup!

Let’s use the plight of refugees who, from their wartorn homes, trek halfway around the world for years through squalid camps to come to Australia by however they possibly can, risking death at every point……..to sell FMCGs.

Dick

Go for it. The country has become a haven for the PC brigade who want everything for nothing.

I love dick. I just don’t want to pay for it.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS 2013, NOT 1913.I AM A LOVELY OLDER LADY AND HAVE MORE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE THAN ‘DICK’. IT’S NOT ABOUT THAT THOUGH IS IT? THEY HAVE GOT ONTO THE RACIST BANDWAGON.
PACK OF DRONGO’S AND DICKHEADS IF YOU ASK ME!
HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY EVERYONE!!

Fantasdick.

C’mon……what’s the matter with you all. We are becoming sooooo restricted in all parts of out life – what’s happened to our freedom? – so over-governed. We Aussies love it !

|If anything it shows a few people need a good dicking!

Please tell me he is going to bring out a line of t-shirts….

“I love dick!”

Hopefully we will see a Mardi Gras float this year promoting it, instead of ANZ “with pay to be gay” models…

Well done Dick, we all must fight this political correct bull crap and get our freedom of speech back.

How bloody ReDICKulous!
Don’t be DICKtated to, people of Australia!
Get back your sense of humour,
Where are all the larrikins gone?
The Larry Pickering organisation should bring out a new calendar!
If we all buy an Ozemite, tomato sauce and a few more products, how much good will we be doing for charity – DO IT PEOPLE – Do it for DICK!!!! 🙂

Arghhh!! I wish people would actually READ the article. It wasn’t “banned” for being racist. It wasn’t even banned at all. The innuendo was deemed too M-rated for a PG-timeslot… something that occurs every day with all kinds of media… do you really want your kids listening to TV grandma talk about what dick she’s gonna eat on Australia Day? Anyway, it was all done on purpose… Dick’s pseudo-outrage at being censored is PART OF THE CAMPAIGN. Let’s not be so quick to jump on Dick’s imaginary bandwagon and just have a giggle at what is actually a pretty funny, quirky [and surely effective] campaign… IMO 🙂

Don’t mind the innuendo, but making fun of the boat people seems a bit harsh! Imagine if some other country used the Bali bombings for one of their ads – I’m sure most of Dick’s supporters would be offended!

Too many brands jumping on board the Australia Day bandwagon, including Dick Smith (I recall the Breast Cancer pink campaign everywhere in supermarkets). Step into a duopoly supermarket today and you can buy Australia Day paper towels, tissues, jars of foods etc. The only thing I didn’t see was Australia Day toilet paper …

‘I love Dick’ could have been done without the jingoism but it achieved the desired result in terms of PR.

@Angie T: What a silly thing to say, as if they’re taking it too far…………….. 😉 Might not be toilet paper but its pretty damn close!
http://www.huggies.com.au/napp.....tralia-day

Gen Y need to harden up………these are the classic commercials.

Go Dick Go.

See Dick run
See Dick at the beach
See dick in your f…. . Hey wait a minute!

better than most TVC’s

I love this ad. This is what you used to be able to do in this country before the wowsers and the control freaks got hold of the national psyche.
Whether or not this ad is intended to be “banned” and run as a viral campaign matters not to me. Singo started using our own identity to sell stuff way back in the ’70’s – when we still had some idea of who we all were in this country. That was before multiculturalism and mind control became the tools of the big boys.
Bring it on Dick – and anyone else who feels like doing the same thing. stick it up the guiltmongers as hard as you can. And if grannie wants to eat dick for Xmas, so be it!

Sorry – Australia Day, not Xmas!

What Jean Arnold said!

What. A. Dick.

It’s 2013 and we live in a global economy. Not only is this style of advertising and the ridiculous stunt like aura around it outdated, so is the strategy behind Dick Smith’s company.
We buy products every day that are made across the world. And we sell our products internationally – that’s the way it works now – certainly according to the business reports I read!
Dick Smith insults our intelligence by thinking that this 80s style business model and marketing strategy is still relevant in this day and age.
it is not larrikinism or in the name of good fun, it is banal and childlike and those of you who have supported it with your back slapping, go aussie go comments should take a long hard look at life around you in the age of contemporary economics.
And you want to support Aussie farmers – great so do as I do – start buying some products straight form the farm – they taste better anyway!
However at the risk of sounding like I have no sense of humour I will send the first person a case of vegemite who can tell me they wrote in with a computer made in Australia with no foreign parts or software on board!

So what’s the bet 2/3rd of the comments in this thread are Dick Smith himself?

Bad bet, I would say…. Dick has a bit more integrity than that.

Please…. You’re face won’t crack…. It’s funny. Just don’t picture that old lady giving Dick a BJ.

Thanks Beery! And tbird from NZ who made the comment about cry-baby Aussies ,and people sooking about boat people reference. They should come the legal way not illegal,then there would be no need to make a joke about them!
Pom,you are very welcome too!
The whiners are those who are now crapping on about too many Australia Day products like Huggies!The more the better.
Do the Americans whinge about their Independance Day Celebrations,advertisements and products.No they wear it with pride,and have a blast.
Judging by the majority of comments by TRUE BLUE AUSSIES we ain’t about to be party poopers.
DICK FOR PM!!!

Margaret Russell..A lady to listen to as well.You hit the nail on the head with each comment. Hit some of the thick heads as well,and maybe they will realise it is Aussie humour,no more no less!!

WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT, MY FAMILY HAS MARRIED INTO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES, ASKED THEM WHAT THEY THOUGHT, THEY LOVED IT, BUT HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING, FROM THEM NOT ME “GROW UP OR GO BACK TO THE COUNTRY YOU CAME FROM”
KEEP GOING DICK

I am sure that the little old ladies that travel on the same bus as myself,would be laughing all the way to town if DICK was the only four letter word they heard!!

WOW, the latest ones here to have a go at the ad, sound like and remind me of others in the industry as they spat venom when leftist organisations (Green Peace comes to mind) mock their clients ads…

The ads funny! its Aussie humor… and those attacking it are being racist themselves.

I guarantee you that this campaign will be part of the syllabus at any marketing/PR/Advertising course there are all around australia. Talk about getting you 100k worth!

For anyone who thinks the refugee gag was “funny” and “larrikinism” – Id urge you to track down an Australian made movie called “Motherfish”, made by comedian Anh Do’s brother, about a womans experience as a boat person. ive always had a sympathy for the plight of boat people, but this film brought it home. Youll never find any kind of blatant exclusivism or any kind of humourous jab at refugees acceptable again, trust me.

Erm…I took it as poking fun at “patriotic” humour. And assumed the boat people reference was part of Dick’s ironic swipe at redneck humour? Now this thread has me thinking twice…but are we just overanalysing this? i think the strategy works, commercially. Appeals in a non-ironic sense to genuine patriots, and has generated a whole lot of controversy among everyone else. End result = increased visibility. commercially speaking, offending the audience presents little to no risk given his core target probably doesn’t much care about the plight of refugees, and thinks dick jokes are funny.

Aussie Patriot, that is hilarious! Mine came by boat too,but not much choice as they were convicts!Bridget probably would have loved some Dick on her bread she stole.
Well,Australia Day is here,the Ad will go off,Boat people will keep on a coming,and I am having some Dick too..on my toast!
Have a great Australia Day!M

Uh, SATIRE OF JINGOISM, MORONS.

I remember, as others will I am sure, a 1970s ad for Australian whiskey, that claimed boldly [quote] “We already make beer better than the Germans, we already make wine better than the French; now we make whiskey better than the scotch” [unquote]

Crude, blatant, simplistic, unsophisticated? Sure, like the Dick Smith ads, it was all those things, but they were/are ads for non essential products, not a dictum for a better way of life.

Look about you, think upon the brevity of all things including existence.
Stop fulminating against remote edges of the sane spectrum, after all, we know full well that we don’t all think alike.

I think it’s hilarious!
The only reason it was banned was because Kraft probably threatened the advertising companies in some way to save their product.
I’ll be eating Dick from now on hehe.

Obiviously we don’t see Dick, in any form as an issue

Great base message. Perhaps the Refugee thing could’ve been better executed which is a pity, because I don’t believe it was meant to ridicule, but show how we should be proud that so many people want to BE Australian.

I think any critics should scroll up and read Roscos comment.

For those who feel so deeply for the refugees’ plight, are those faux PC noises made because of guilty feelings that you belong to a civilization that has pretty much caused most of the problems in the middle-east, from colonial times to the present “war” on “terror”?

Get some perspective. It’s fucking insane to ignore our soldiers killing these people in their own countries, then cry out about their undignified portrayal in a TV commercial.

But the PC movement is just another advertising campaign isn’t it. A load of shit designed to make people feel insecure so they buy, buy, buy!

So was it that said “there is no such thing as bad publicity”?
From my vast career in advertising, I observe a few things:
A week or so ago, I actually had to argue with my mid-teens son that buying DS veggie was ok and it is Australian.
Julian Assange is barricaded in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for speaking the truth about government document that are hidden to “protect the people from knowledge they might misinterpret”.
Our own Pinocchio’s nose daily lengthens as people she had to pay to side with her to gain votes is starting to have bad hair days.
A Dutch politician comes to Australia to convene a “don’t make the same mistakes re Muslims here as we did in Holland” is physically and verbally abused. His party is known as Q – Amy links to Bond, James Bond?

Freedom of speech, opinions seems to have become the domain of government officials, trade union leaders and those with amnesiac tendencies.