Thankyou ASA... Branson or Virgin Media?

Branson is a redhead, and redheads should be the only peoples able to take the 'Mick' out of one another and it remain politically correct, Right?

Wrong. Branson's company 'Virgin' is huge and is not associated with redhair at all. For a mainstream media company like Virgin Media to release an ad like this was bound to cause a stir. The advertisement in question "How do you spot a ginger in the dark?" is a likely publicity stunt in bad taste by a mainstream media company unassociated with red hair.

Richard Branson is a redhead and his success as is the success of many redheads is a testament to the idea that there is likely to be no 'glass ceiling' for a redhead. Redheads are in general and world wide an economically privileged minority but this doesn't mean we are free from or should be open to being freely discriminated against or subjected to wrongful prejudice.

This idea of a lack of a 'glass ceiling' for redheads does add to the view that its fine to make prejudicial comments and discriminate against redheads. This abhorred view and perception is legitimised and reinforced by various forms of media like the advert released by 'Virgin Media'. The advert has offended everyday redhead's, complaints were made and acted upon. Rightfully so. Not all redheads are wealthy media giants (from humble beginnings or not), English Princes or looking to find any kind of ceiling. Legal cases fighting against assaults targeting redheads and employment discrimination of redheads are a reality. These types of discrimination are more likely to become frequent if adverts like this are not stopped by responsible organisations like the 'Advertising Standards Authority'.

According to the reports it is the FIRST TIME in 47 years the ASA have stepped up for the redhead minority. Thank you ASA.

Virgin commented that the show 'Dating In The Dark' is meant to challenge "...people's perceptions of attractiveness". I look forward to seeing the show if that's the case... publicity stunt or no publicity stunt?

Below are some news reports found on the Virgin Media advert banned by the ASA:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/dec/16/virgin-media-offensive-ginger-people

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/advertising/bransons-antiginger-ad-is-banned-by-watchdog-1841978.html

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/redheads-fight-beauty-bias-20091217-kzh7.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/16/britain-bans-anti-redhead_n_394494.html

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/comments/0,22638,26494363-5006347,00.html


NOTE
I have to note that this blogg 'gingerism.com' does support an animated character (only associated with red hair) named 'Dogg' who is 'all' in bad taste (in my opinion). Dogg claims to send the message that "discrimination is wrong".

I feel I have to make a comment not for Dogg, but in defense of gingerism.com. Dogg is in the world of new media... Dogg, is hopefully asking some questions about what he himself is writing instead of asking questions of mainstream media companies like 'Virgin' who should be held accountable for this kind of thing in the world of licensed and regulated media such as the big bucks mainstream broadcast media. That said... Be responsible Dogg.

We (redheads) need the support of organisations like the ASA. Thanks again.

2000 npower advertisement contained blatant gingerism

This advert was used in a 2000 campaign by Midlands based energy company nPower. The campaign caused hundreds of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (A.S.A).

This advert was used in a 2000 campaign by Midlands based energy company nPower. The campaign caused hundreds of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (A.S.A).

From the BBC:

The Advertising Standards Authority is considering criticism of an advert for npower featuring a ginger-haired family beside the slogan: "There are some things in life you can't choose". A spokesman for the company said it had not meant to offend redheads, but was merely trying to use humour to show that people could change their gas supplier.

Read more here and here.

The A.S.A considered the 219 complaints as "not justified" as can be seen in their 2000 Annual Report:

Complainants objected that this national press advertisement was offensive to people with red hair, who, they believed, already suffered abuse and stereotyping. The Authority considered that the light- hearted humour of the ad was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence

Bizarre medical article links menstruation problems with red head births

This is a particularly strange article written by Dawn Starin, an anthropologist at UCL. The main focus is the apparent link between menstruation problems and the birth of a red headed child.

Apparently, women with red hair have an increased risk of endometriosis; experts guess that the gene determining red hair might be located near other genes that make women susceptible to endometriosis. And what are the problems associated with endometriosis? Abnormally difficult or painful menstruation, menstrual disturbances and infertility and of course premenstrual tension leading to "witch-like" symptoms.

Special attention is also given to the global prejudice against red heads, including this interesting snippet.

In Corsica, the home of the redheaded Emperor Nero, if you pass a redhead on the street you spit and turn around claims Sylvia Stevez, the founder of Association Francaise des Rousses, a red-headed liberation movement.

The article also dips into folklore and the ancient prejudice which has metamorphosed into the gingerism we see today.

Think back, way back to biblical times. Remember Judas, the red haired, red bearded, ultimate betrayer? Or, Mary Magdalene, the redheaded "reformed prostitute"? The ancient evil Egyptian God of chaos and storms, Seth, was another famous red-head. Throughout history and across continents redheads have often been viewed as "others" or witches, not quite human.

Final interest can be given to the impact of gingerism in very recent British history.

These past few years have not been good ones for British redheads. First, Frank Dobson, the London mayoral candidate, told a press conference his mother warned him "to steer clear of redheads". Then, an advertisement campaign staged for NPower, a British utility company, implied that redheads were a sorry lot. Redheads were up in arms. So much so that The Advertising Standards Authority made NPower remove their ads. (Ed: actually, the npower ads were not removed.) And then, Neil Kinnock suggested it might be disadvantageous to be a ginga if you wanted to be prime minister. Of course, he lost the election.

Read more

Side note: If anyone can obtain more information about Association Francaise des Rousses (in English: French Association of the Red Ones), could you please post your findings in the comments.