Disability in adverts

Slosh

Last night I saw two adverts, one after the other which left me with very differing feelings.
The first was a straightforward advert, the latest in a series using humour to sell a certain brand of spherical chocolate sweets . This one had three people discussing an incident at a wedding which one had attended, and which involved her injuring the bride and getting together with the Best Man, nothing unusual except that she was in a wheelchair and was played by an actress who was clearly physically disabled. Well done to that company for its positive portrayal of disability and also for touching on the taboo of disability and s**.

The second was by a disability charity, SCOPE ,I think, giving an an acronym for what to do if you meet a person with a disability.
I can't remember the whole thing, the word was HIDE, and the first two letters stood for say "Hello", and "Introduce yourself".

This left me feeling saddened that such an advert is felt to be needed, I tried to imagine it being aimed at another group which can be discriminated against and marginalised such as Muslims, or the LGBT community and couldn't see that such an advert would be allowed.

I still have very mixed feelings and can't help but thinking that the first advert would do far more and in a way that was not condiscending.

barbara12

I saw the one on scope slosh and thought the same, how sad that this is needed in this day and age..but like you say at least the person had a disability..I honestly dont think these adverts help, but could make things worse...

tkachev

I saw both adverts this weekend. I do agree that it is sad that they feel people need to be educated on how to treat a person with a disability and that isn't just something they would naturally do, common sense and all that. HIDE-say hello, Introduce yourself,don't hide/run away and I cannot remember what the E was for.

My favourite advert was the visa flow one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAajeXXMGzA

Elizabeth x

stickywicket

Interesting. And complicated.

I have been spoken to, when in the wheelchair, as if I had the mental age of a rather dim 4 yr old. I would rather hope that this is not what SCOPE are aiming for.

To be fair they have some good adverts but this isn't one of them. In fact it's a bit cringe-making.

It's the old umbrella term 'disability' that's the problem. As if all disabled people are disabled in exactly the same way. You come across it in 'disabled' hotel rooms where everything is at a low level for wheelchair users and so inaccessible for creaky knees; in 'disabled' toilets where the lock is tiny and / or too stiff for stiff fingers; 'disabled' paths at beauty spots which are fine for wheelchairs but not scooters or vice versa.

I do understand the difficulties of all these things but let's not pretend they are solved when they have merely been nodded at.

I confess I tend to keep my distance from people with learning disabilities until I know them because, when using RDA, I found such people could be immensely strong but with no concept of my own weakness. Their hearty handshake would leave me in intense pain and I have been hugged way off balance many times.

We are all individuals. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Therein lies the problem.

Slosh

I'm so glad it wasn't just me feeling uncomfortable about the SCOPE ad. I was talking to my daughter today and she showed me the ma*t**rs post watershed ad they did for the paralympics. Very funny.

frogmorton

Apparently Scope reckon about 2/3 of people feel awkward around disability and the advert is aimed at helping those people get confidence to interact with people who have a disability.

It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do - getting us talking about 'disability'.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPu5F-R7i2s

I think it's a really good advert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9zUEmatYBQ

Then we might look at the other videos and learn something???

I have never forgotten when I was trying to find a club for a person who had Cerebral Palsy to join...I think it was an art group...and the reply was "We don't want that sort here!" o-k!!

Love

Toni xxx

Slosh

I thonk the aim is good but personally felt it was condescending. I think a better approach would have been to have adults with CP saying what makes a difference for them.

stickywicket

I've now watched the original advert plus the two links in frog's post and I still think it's a bad one.

It has got us talking about the ad / ads portraying disability but it hasn't got us talking TO disabled people other than each other and we already do that.

I do understand where the people are coming from who are talking about the 'things not to say to disabled people'. After all, we have those sort of conversations on here about the crass things people say. I did find some of it amusing but some of it possibly off-putting. It seemed at times as if any innocent question might be deemed offensive therefore it might be safer not to talk to these disabled people.

frogmorton

stickywicket wrote:

I've now watched the original advert plus the two links in frog's post and I still think it's a bad one.

It has got us talking about the ad / ads portraying disability but it hasn't got us talking TO disabled people other than each other and we already do that.

Good discussion Stickywicket I think the idea might be; that the next time someone, who has watched the ad, meets someone who has a disability they might feel brave enough speak to them. People could have lots of reasons to be nervous; fear of the unknown, fear they lack the ability to communicate with someone, anxiety that they won't understand the person to name a few.

We don't need to go out of our way to speak to people who have a disability at all. That could be a bit patronising, but should we meet someone who has a disability in our ordinary lives we might have gained some insight into how they could feel. Maybe the next time someone opens a door to let one of us through if we are using a wheelchair they will look at us instead of our 'pusher'.

That would have to be a good thing


"I did find some of it amusing but some of it possibly off-putting. It seemed at times as if any innocent question might be deemed offensive therefore it might be safer not to talk to these disabled people."


I imagine the idea was, quite possibly, to make it funny so that people can relate to the people in the video and empathise.

To be fair I don't expect innocent questions would be deemed offensive - it sounds like it's the downright offensive ones which would be. Imagine anyone having the nerve to ask a stranger about their intimate life :shock:

Slosh I genuinely hope it was the opinions of those taking part who were being represented. I can't imagine any of those people would willingly allow themselves to be patronised.

Great chat now sorry I have to away to my bed I am super tired today apologies for any spelling mistakes/grammatical errors :oops:

Love

Toni xxx

stickywicket

I did think of just leaving it at what I'd said but would that count as being awkward around disability

I do understand the aim of the advert. I just don't think it fulfills the aim. The aim is to get 'ordinary' people to be relaxed and friendly around disabled people rather than scared of 'getting involved'. So why show someone who is simply smaller than the others in the office and smartly dressed in a business suit? Perhaps they were hiding because he was the boss rather than because he was disabled.

I think SCOPE did precisely what they are encouraging others not to do. They hid. Originally they were a cerebral palsy organisation. Why not show someone with CP? Because people really ARE afraid of those with uncontrollable limbs who clearly have to make a big effort to speak. Given that many wrongly assume those with CP also have learning disabilities that might really have achieved something. Especially if the CP person were introduced as the boss.

I heard the Paralympics described as 'the acceptable face of disability' and I think there's a lot in that. There are grades of acceptance depending on how 'normal' people look and act. I think we who are disabled can change some perceptions but not others.

I do know that, when I'm in my wheelchair and someone holds the door open for us they do look at me because I say “Thank you” and smile. Not everyone can do that.

daffy2

The aims may have been worthy but the execution of those aims leaves a lot to be desired for me.
The advert made me cringe and I found the HIDE tag distinctly unhelpful. It does nothing to address the problem of labelling people by their disability, eg 'Did you see the new chap Andy , the dwarf?' or 'Did you see the new chap Andy, wears really smart suits?'
Please can we focus attention on treating ALL our fellow human beings with consideration, compassion and courtesy, rather than singling out target groups for special attention. Many years ago I had occasion to take the Town Council to task, pointing out that it wasn't just wheelchair users who have trouble with doors and high kerbs.
Two further thoughts...

'the acceptable face of disability'

- so what's the unacceptable face?
What about those disabilities that aren't obvious/visible?

Airwave!

We seem to be caught up in this web of understanding and misunderstanding when it seems to be a matter of respecting each other. Respect is something that needs to be a part of education at an early age and sonething that flows between all ages and abilities.

I hold the door for my wife as I do for anyone else but I can't get out of the way of mobility scooters or prams. I was insulted the other night at a concert because I didn't clap, I wanted to say that when I could clap at least it was in time but kept my peace.

We need a 'is it ok to.......?' forum like the last leg.

Slosh

"Is it ok?"

I love the Last Leg, and I'm very proud that Johnny Peacock "liked" a twitter comment I made yesterday asking if he would be wearing his tutu again on this weeks show.

Starburst

What bothers me is that we, as society, are discussing the adverts in a different way to be would if the person did not have a disability. We shouldn't be. Disability should be part and parcel of society, not something different. Actors with disability should be proportionately represented in all TV, film and music videos etc. There is an actor in Coronation Street who has Down's Syndrome. He was on a morning TV talk show and they were so patronising. I was cringing.

Slosh

That was my feeling about the SCOPE ad. Imagine the same ad run for different groups who feel discriminated against or who can be the subject of hate crime. Gypsies, Muslims members of the LGTG community. It wouldn't be made.
The chocolate series of adverts present an inclusive view of society and are far more positive.

daffy2

The chocolate series of adverts present an inclusive view of society and are far more positive.

I would agree. Regardless of whether you find those ads funny or not, they show people - ie not "token disabled plus 2 normal for this promo folks "- behaving as friends do. You concentrate on what is being said rather than what the person telling the story looks like.

Slosh

They just fit into the theme of the current advertising campaign. Hope the company involved gets some kind of award.