Advertising Race

Race is always a susceptible topic but more so when it comes to the media. In the media, particularly advertisements, an ad can use either a character or characters of a certain race to advertise within that race or another race entirely. The way I see it an advertisement can utilize either race or racism. An ad uses race when it tries to appeal to a particular group, whether it be blacks, asians, whites, and so forth, using members of that group. However, an ad uses racism when it appeals to a particular race by using a member of a different race which most often involves a racial stereotype. The first use of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben were racial stereotypes that were meant to appeal to white customers. The fact remains that race can never be equal in the media because what may be acceptable for some may not be acceptable for others.