04/06/2009 / CHINA
The video was posted on The Dark Side HK blog.
I was
just an actor playing a role; I had nothing to do with devising the concept or
managing the campaign. Personally I'd say it was a tongue-in-cheek, satirical
exaggeration for the sake of humour (although I have in fact seen some tourists
and restaurant waiters behave that way). Even people who live here (expatriates and local Hong Kong-Chinese people) often find the crowds and
the noise stressful.
This
incident hasn't gotten much coverage in the local press. I only found out about
it myself through expatriate blogs. I think the videos are stupid and were
a failed attempt by a hotel chain to run an 'offbeat' campaign. They probably
wanted to create a memorable viral campaign on the internet to get publicity
but misjudged what the reaction would be. They failed to read that perhaps a
lot of foreigners actually come to Hong Kong precisely for those ‘local' and
‘dangerous' experiences that are depicted in the videos.
“Avoid the locals, stay in your hotel room!”
That's the message Hong Kong residents got when they saw this advertising campaign for Langham Hotels.
The videos, created by SO-U.TV have caused such a furore on the HK web that they've been removed by the British hotel chain, which apologised for any offence caused. Two of the three videos however, are still available on YouTube (for the time being). The debate goes on... Here's episode one:
The video was posted on The Dark Side HK blog.
"I didn't expect such violent reactions! If I had, there's no way I would have agreed to act in the video!"
Kay Ross is the female actress in the episode two of the ads (below). She's a Hong Kong-based marketing consultant and performing arts enthusiast.
I was
just an actor playing a role; I had nothing to do with devising the concept or
managing the campaign. Personally I'd say it was a tongue-in-cheek, satirical
exaggeration for the sake of humour (although I have in fact seen some tourists
and restaurant waiters behave that way). Even people who live here (expatriates and local Hong Kong-Chinese people) often find the crowds and
the noise stressful.
Good grief, of course I didn't expect such violent reactions! If I had, there's no way I would have agreed to act in the video!"
"A lot of foreigners actually come to Hong Kong precisely for those ‘local’ and ‘dangerous’ experiences"
Isabella Steger, 23, is a freelance journalist from Hong Kong.
This
incident hasn't gotten much coverage in the local press. I only found out about
it myself through expatriate blogs. I think the videos are stupid and were
a failed attempt by a hotel chain to run an 'offbeat' campaign. They probably
wanted to create a memorable viral campaign on the internet to get publicity
but misjudged what the reaction would be. They failed to read that perhaps a
lot of foreigners actually come to Hong Kong precisely for those ‘local' and
‘dangerous' experiences that are depicted in the videos.
I don't think it's racist, but the ad campaign is just unfortunately perpetuating that very wrong expatriate stereotype of Kowloon. It is in fact a wonderfully vibrant part of Hong Kong that unfortunately many expatriates who live here miss out on because they believe it's crime-ridden, dangerous, dirty etc. It's wrong!"
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Comments
Appalled at misleading way France24 reported on this story
Submitted by Kay Ross on Tue, 09/06/2009 - 19:06.Just to clarify, I did NOT write the above piece. I merely answered some e-mailed questions put to me by a journalist who told me she works for France 24. I assumed (wrongly) that the article would appear with her byline - she did not tell me it would appear as if I had written the article myself. And she and her editor used only a very small portion of the information I sent.
The title of the above piece suggests that I'm the one saying tourists should stay in their hotel room and avoid the locals - that is absolutely NOT true.
Also, it is NOT accurate to say "That's the message Hong Kong residents got when they saw this advertising campaign for Langham Hotels." That may be what SOME people (in Hong Kong and elsewhere) concluded, but not everyone interpreted the campaign that way, and in fact many people found it very funny and not at all offensive.
I sent the journalist a long list of positive comments I received from people in Hong Kong (both locals and expatriates), and she chose not to publish them. So I'll publish them here:
"Very funny!" (from an expatriate Australian woman who lives in Hong Kong)
"BTW I loved your hotel video – I laughed so much and you were great." (from another expatriate Australian woman who lives in Hong Kong)
"By the way, I watch that Video of yours and finds it quite funny." (from a local Hong Kong-Chinese guy)
"I found your ad funny as a hongkonger." (from a local Hong Kong-Chinese woman)
"Some people are truly pathetic. They just can't see it was a bit of fun, they are trying to be so politically correct." (from an expatriate British woman who lives in Hong Kong)
"…for what it’s worth, I didn't perceive it as xenophobic or racist or insulting to Hong Kong at least, just a light-hearted play on the travails of a stressed (or neophyte) traveller..." (from an expatriate Austrian guy who lives in Hong Kong)
"…if there was any poking fun at HK, and there was for sure, it was fair game and it’s pretty sad that anyone has to get up in arms about it." (from an expatriate English guy living in Hong Kong)
"I thought the ads were amateurish but I saw the humor. People just have no sense of humor!" (from an expatriate American woman who lives in Hong Kong)
"I think the ad idea was actually pretty clever - lots of visitors find parts of the whole Hong Kong experience rather taxing and bizarre... and what do you know - the Langham hotels is sorta a respite from it all." (from an expatriate American guy who lives in Hong Kong)
"Oh well... I guess it is just a cultural difference... Westerners and Asians definitely don’t have the same sense of humor! It is a pity!" (from an expatriate French woman who lives in Hong Kong)
"I saw the Langham clip – you were great!!!" (from an expatriate Australian woman who lives in Hong Kong)
For more information, see my blog posting "I Confess: I Truly Don't Like Eating Chicken's Feet" at www.kayross.com/blog/
Kay Ross
Chickens feet etc
Submitted by Sophie Team ... on Mon, 15/06/2009 - 16:18.Dear Kay,
I do not believe any of our readers would have linked the article of the title with the teaser picture, as they know how The Observers works and that we have various contributors for each subject. I also assume that you don't disagree with the title of your contribution, as we have already edited that for you at your request.
Of course comments are not always printed in their entirety (otherwise we'd end up with essay length posts).
Kind regards,
Sophie, Team Observers
Sophie Team ...
The second one makes me
Submitted by Alec (not verified) on Mon, 08/06/2009 - 19:38.The second one makes me laugh at the idea of a tourist being pathetic enough to run to the safety of her Western hotel for nice, safe spring rolls after being served - shock! - a chicken's foot.
Unregistered user
People took it very seriously
Submitted by Sherman Lee on Thu, 04/06/2009 - 17:46.I understand the reactions, although people here took these videos too literally as it does try to be funny by mocking some of the Hong Kong traditions and culture.
I think the stories may not have been though through well enough, nor did the script writer truly understand HK culture.
By the reactions that have been seen, as well as the Langham hotels themselves reacting by taking the campaign offine, I’d say no-one thinks its funny at all.
Just not sensitive enough to all the viewers it has targeted.
Sherman Lee