The stage is set -- the ad tagline reads "INNER PEACE," a beautiful, young Asian female clad in a sexy version of a traditional Mandarin dress kneels to serve her client. She concentrates on not spilling a drop of the drink as her customer reclines comfortably, nonchalantly holding the cup. A drop of sweat or a tear (it`s difficult to see in this reprint, but it`s clear in the full-page ad), rolls down the Asian woman`s face.

This is "Inner Peace"?
Understanding this advertisement and its implications means analyzing the undertones of the imagery. As my friend Alexis Stodghill said, "the fact that the Asian girl is sweating or crying, while the white girl is smiling and having a great time, conveys the message that it is normal and good for white people to seek pleasure at the expense of Asians."

In conjuring up stereotypical white master/sweatshop worker relationships, the advertisement appeals to ideas of "Orientalism". The Asian woman in the picture is a "China doll," painted rakishly with red cheeks and lips. Even the title of the advertisement, "Inner Peace," as Alexis adds, crudely associates all things Asian with being "Zen." All these elements -- the title, the Chinese-looking pillow, straw mat, etc. -- contribute to the glossing racial undertones that group all Asian cultures as a homogenous, exotic entity. 

So what`s the big deal?
The bottom line is, this picture is an advertisement. Essentially, SKYY Vodka believes that the imagery will sell to a public that buys into these stereotypes. Even if people don`t accept this imagery as the truth, it stands as the ultimate fantasy as how they choose to perceive Asian women. 

And while the racial undertones may be obvious to many Asian Americans, many people looking at this advertisement might not even bat an eyelash. In fact, even the marketing department of SKYY Vodka had no idea that the advertisement could be construed as "racist." Teresa Zepeda, the marketing director at SKYY Vodka, told me, "It honestly never occurred to us that the advertisement was racist! We thought that Oriental fashion is gorgeous and wanted to do an advertisement placed in Asia. We are a really culturally diverse company -- we`re not that kind of people."

The scary part of Ms. Zepeda`s statement is that, to a certain extent, she is right. These stereotypes have been so embedded in American mainstream culture historically that they almost seem natural, and not blatantly racist. And that is where the real danger lies -- when certain stereotypes become so naturalized that ignorant statements become truth, "other" cultures remain exoticized, and racist images become mainstream "art."

SKYY Vodka`s Response
After speaking with me briefly on the phone, Ms. Zepeda faxed me this letter:

August 6, 1999 Dear Jennifer, We are surprised by your comments on one of our ads, but appreciate you taking the time to let us know how you feel. The execution "Inner Peace" is just one of many ads in our campaign known as "Skyy Cinema." All our ads depict a potential scene from a movie in which our product, Skyy, plays a key role. Like the colorful but exaggerated world of film, our ads are photographically rich and dramatic. They capture a moment, and the reader is left to their own imagination as to what precedes and what follows. No copy is used, no claims are made, it is simply Skyy Vodka bringing you this moment to catch your attention and hopefully entertain you. We assure you there was no intention to be insensitive to prospective consumers…we want to sell more not less! Through the bamboo, floor settings, cushions, etc., we attempted this scene to take place in the Orient. The intention was to show a woman having a moment with SKYY. A young woman traveling through Asia, who stopped in a peaceful spa to receive a massage in the native tradition of that culture. Thus, the person serving the drink is Asian, i.e., indigenous to the country. Your interpretation of racial stereotyping is distressing. Skyy is closely linked with independent film and also supports a number of filmmakers without applying any creative control. Our risk is the same as any in the creative process in that you cannot control how an individual will react to the end product. No filmmaker`s work can universally satisfy tastes, and the same is true for advertising. We realize that whenever you portray people in ads, there is always the risk of misinterpretation including racial bias, sexual bias, religious bias, and even political bias. We have throughout the campaign, cast a range of models in different cultural roles, none of which relate directly to the ethnicity of the model cast, but rather to the style of the moment we are communicating. Together, our advertising agency and ourselves have an ethnically and culturally diverse team with a wide range of opinions going into ad development. The magazines in which we advertise (high profile ones such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, or Elle) are all discerning about their editorial and advertising content. Their product must meet high standards relating to decency, sensitivity, and ethics. We regret that your interpretation has give you cause for concern and thank you again for sharing your thoughts with us.  Sincerely, Teresa Zepeda Marketing Director, Skyy Vodka

 

What do you think? If you have something to say about this ad and a message you`d like to send Skyy Vodka, post in the forum -- we will forward postings to Skyy Vodka.