[Video below.] A Facebook group is trying to get Israel’s leading cell phone operator, Cellcom, to pull a new TV commercial showing Israeli soldiers near the West Bank separation fence, arguing that the advert is “racist.” The commercial, produced by the Israeli branch of international advertising powerhouse McCann Erickson, shows IDF soldiers on patrol along the separation fence who stop their jeep when it is hit by a soccer ball from the Palestinian side of the fence. The ball soon bounces back to the Israeli side, at which point the soldiers decide to hold an impromptu game with the Palestinians.
The voiceover accompanying the advert says: “After all, what are we all after? Just a little fun.”
The Facebook group, called “I too got nauseous watching the new Cellcom ad,” severely criticized McCann Eriksson’s use of the separation fence in its advert.
“We could go into the media messages spouting racism any which way, but if you have come here than you too think they’re uncalled for,” reads the introduction to the Facebook group. “The McCann Erickson copywriter displayed an unbelievable propensity for bad taste.”
The group also centered on what they feel is offensive in the new commercial, pointing out the fact that the supposedly “good” soldiers fear the possibility that the “monster living on the other side of the wall could steal the ball – but when the ball returns to Israeli hands, we discover that that monster isn’t fierce at all, and actually feels like playing with the soldiers – oh joy!”
The group ends by demanding the immediate removal of the commercial.
“What our group can agree on is the shame we feel seeing a major Israeli commercial company approving such a beastly advert to be aired in its name, and which brings us to demand – take this racist commercial off the air immediately!”
To watch the commercial, click below:
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{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel/Haaretz}
Nice commercial. They should get a life.
Sounds like a peaceful and fun loving advertisement to me.
These protesters must be bored. I don’t see anything wrong here.
what in the world are they protesting?
I see this commercial as being positive. Israeli soldiers and Palestinians are playing soccer with each other…over a wall! It reinforces that both sides share a common bond and if the wall weren’t there, could have had fun playing a real game of soccer together.
its been a coupla years since ive been to israel…i forgot how pathetic they are….i guess you have to cater to your clients (yaala ..balagan..the obligatory female soldiers…the ridiculous pretentious voice, come on)