One More Note from Baltimore: The Questionable Taste of Nestea (in Bus Stop Ads)
Posted by Rachel on April 4, 2009
In Baltimore this week, my colleagues and I all did double-takes complete with internal “what the…?” at the sight of some bus stop ads for Nestea’s red tea. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the *exact* wording, and this is a situation in which guessing is not somewhere I really want to go. However, to the best of my recollection -and I am happy to be corrected- the ads read:”Nestea Red Tea: Tasty and Exotic, Like We Bottled A Foreign Exchange Student. Liquid Awesomeness.”
Now, it’s the “tasty and exotic” part where I’m not 100% sure of the wording, and I’m just going to go ahead and apologize now if I somehow am remembering it incorrectly.
I didn’t have my camera so I don’t have a photo to share, which is probably a good thing. I’m just going to walk away before I make a million comments along the lines of the ads being unsavory and leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
Update: It’s actually “Tasty and foreign, like we bottled an exchange student.” Lavendertook found an image of the ad on flickr as well.
lavendertook said
WTF exactly. I think it was “Tasty and Foreign, Like we bottled a College Exchange Student.”
I saw this today at a DC Bus shelter and was dismayed and just googled to see if anyone else has commented on this.
lavendertook said
Here it is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36430054@N07/3410895969/
Rachel said
Ooh, thank you for finding that. I’ll fix the post. Looks like they *are* using “exotic” in other venues to talk about the product.
nm said
That’s … remarkable. Also remarkable is the fact that they seem to expect a lot of people to be watching that No. 1 Ladies’ Detective show on HBO and wanting to try some of the tea. I am sort of icked out in every direction.
Rita said
I was also offended — especially when a female colleague posted it on her FB page as funny. It’s not only demeaning, but makes exchange students (male and female) into a commodity. Same old objectification of women(tho no gender is specified) that we fought against in the 70s.
Mrs. B said
OMG my co-workers and I saw this as we were coming in from lunch today and I made it my business to get an email over to this company! This is a disgrace and I am absolutely offended by it!
Senior L. said
You guys are ridiculous. Ready to whine about anything that isn’t 100% PC. Weak. I think this campaign is stupid, but it’s not offending me. Exoticism and mystery surround those who come from other lands, and this campaign tastelessly plays with that notion. Quit getting so bent out of shape every time your plastic, prideful ’should i be offended-meter’ beeps.
Rachel said
Oh, y’all, Senior L has it all figured out. We couldn’t possibly remark that we don’t appreciate something without it being some over-the-top “bent out of shape” reactionary drivel from our “should I be offended?” meters. Weaksauce!
Although…Senior L. does say that the ad is “stupid” and “tasteless,” so apparently having an opinion is okay, as long as you’re Senior L.
See also:
FAQ: Why are you concentrating on X when Y is so much more important?
A Mookerjee said
As someone who came to the U.S. as a foreign student, I will say that I do not consider the ad offensive. It is certainly zany but does not smack of racism. Au contraire, it is creative advertising campaigns such as these— that attach playful but positive tags to foreigners (i.e., “tasty”)—which can help mitigate the mild, albeit growing xenophobic sentiments against foreigners working on H1-B visas in corporate America today.
Nia said
As a Latina who has been an exchange student in two countries, this reminds me of drunk, middleaged men chatting me up in pubs. Of professors making jokes at my expense. Of jokes about stereotypes related to my country and my culture. Of people who assume that just because my country is a holiday destination, we live in a permanent holiday.
The idea of “bottling a exchange student” and using it to suggest something nice like a sweet drink isn’t just offensive. It’s scary. Do people honestly think that we travel to the other end of the world for their amusement?
Rachel said
Nia, thank you for your comment – you said it much better than I could have.
Foreign exchange students = tasty | Working World said
[...] reported sightings of the ad: a New York Ave. bus stop in DC and bus stops in Baltimore as well. (Anyone seen them anywhere else? More quick Google searches show that the new Nestea [...]
an exchange student said
as an ex-exchange student, i didn’t find it offensive at all. in fact, a HUGE amount of my exchange student friends found it absolutely hilarious.
it is not poking fun at a country or labelling any individual country as a holiday destination, it speaks of exchange students – the people themselves. and yeah, foreign people are more ‘tasty’ and ‘interesting’, etc. there’s a reason americans find the french accent sexy, and a reason that a lot of francophones find the american accent sexy.
the ad is silly. stupid, immature, awesome, whatever you want to label it, it’s done in a lighthearted manner. lets lighten up, be happy, and laugh at things!