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I can't believe how thin-skinned and petty this all seems. Here's a commercial from British Airways.
"Ooh, I think it's a plot! Are they dissing the English? It must be a slam of some kind! How do I know if it's a seat sale or not? I'm so confused!"
The problem is we don't know what it is if we can't understand the words. The purpose of a commercial is to sell a product...to convey information...not leave the viewer guessing. If you choose to leave viewers guessing because they don't understand the language, you have chosen to offend them. If you're offending them, you, obviously, don't want them as customers....at least that's the way it looks whether that was your intent or not.
No, English words do not confuse me because I can read them. A commercial in a foriegn language with some english words printed in it, as if English were an aftertought in a country that speaks English as their native tongue, does.
Because I don't speak spanish, I cannot determine what is being sung in the commercial. I don't know if it's this weeks specials or the national anthem of some other country. I just don't know. Because the commercial is in spanish and I don't speak spanish, I feel left out. It comes off as a declaration that Target isn't after my business because I don't speak the right langauge, which is spanish in this case. They may or may not have intended the song to be background music but it doesn't matter because it doesn't come off that way to someone who doesn't speak spanish.
I cannot assess whether or not the song is or is not important to the commercial because I do not recognize the song (as in the Aloutte commercial they did before) or understand the spanish lyrics. So I'm left to wonder whether or not the song is or is not important. I lack the ability to answer the question because I do not speak spanish. This results in the commercial making me feel uncomfortable and relating those feelings of discomfort with the name Target. I still have no idea whether the song is or is not important to the commercial. I'd need to hear from somone who speaks spanish who I trust. For all I know the song is making fun of America or offering special spanish speaking only discounts to those who understand what is being sung. I can't say because I don't understand it. THAT is the problem.
I watched the commercial again just to see if I missed something but I see nothing that should have tipped me off that the song is just background music, if it is indeed background music, which I cannot verify because I don't speak spanish. Even after being told, by an annonymous person on the internet, that it's background music (I still have no idea what the song is about) I still get the feeling of the words being sub titles...that the commercial is in spanish with english words for those of us too ignorant to speak the right language. I still get the feeling the target audience is NOT English speaking Americans and how commercials make people feel matters far more than what anyone intended. For me, this commercial is a major fail but that's ok. There are plenty of stores advertizing in English for me to pick from. This commercial makes me want do drive right past Target.
This, and your other other posts in this thread suggest to me that you're protesting just for the sake of protest. I don't speak any Spanish either, but it's perfectly clear the song is a silly pop song with lots of 'ula ula's' (just like the sha-la-la-la la's in songs of the 50s and 60's) and barely half a dozen other words. There's no way an intelligent person could believe those few lyrics make fun of America or offer special Spanish-only discounts. The idea is absurd.
It's a cheerful, but silly ditty. Alongside the visuals, the ad is clearly promoting a carnivale-type atmosphere and shows that you can buy all the stuff you need for summer in Target, whether you're Latino, American or Calathumpian.
This, and your other other posts in this thread suggest to me that you're protesting just for the sake of protest. I don't speak any Spanish either, but it's perfectly clear the song is a silly pop song with lots of 'ula ula's' (just like the sha-la-la-la la's in songs of the 50s and 60's) and barely half a dozen other words. There's no way an intelligent person could believe those few lyrics make fun of America or offer special Spanish-only discounts. The idea is absurd.
It's a cheerful, but silly ditty. Alongside the visuals, the ad is clearly promoting a carnivale-type atmosphere and shows that you can buy all the stuff you need for summer in Target, whether you're Latino, American or Calathumpian.
The purpose of the song is not clear to me because I don't know the words. THAT is what I'm protesting. If I knew the song as hip hop (like I know Alouette as a children's song), there wouldn't be a problem. I've never heard this song before and I don't understand the words so I have no clue what it is. Because there are English words in the commercial, it comes off as English subtitles in a Spanish commercial and that sends a very strong message. It may be hip hop and background music, but I still don't know that because I cannot understand the words. I looked up the words to Aloutte when I was a kid and figured them out. I'm not bothering to do that for a commercial. If Target doesn't care if I understand their advertisements, they are declaring I am not the customer they are after and I'm perfectly happy to take my business across the street.
What I'm protesting (and that's really too strong a word because I don't care enough to protest this. I'm just saying this commercial makes me NOT want to shop at target.) is that a commercial I don't understand because it's in a foriegn language makes me feel like my business isn't welcome. It comes off as Target targeting spanish speaking people. You see I can't tell whether the song is background or they're singing about the specials this week because I don't know the language being sung. I am, obviously, not the target audience for the commercial. I'm used to businesses trying to get me to shop with them not making commercials that I can't understand. Yeah, I find that offensive. It's like only spanish speaking people need apply.
Now I have no idea was reves and hagamos means, but I certainly can't see them dissing America or singing about the specials of the week.
I will agree it would be an irritating commercial once you've heard it a couple of times.
I have no idea what ANY of those words mean and don't expect to have to google the words in a commercial in order to figure out what they are (if a commercial does not grab the viewer's attention and impart a positive impression of the business in question within a couple of seconds, it is a major fail as this one is for many of us who speak only english). Listening to the commercial it is not clear the words are nonsense. What is clear is they are in another language. I have no clue what the words are or are not and if Target doesn't care if I understand or not, I am, obviously, not the person the commercial was intended for. Because I don't speak spanish, I cannot verify the meaning of any of the words. If Target wanted me to understand, they would have made the commercial in English. They didn't. My conclusion is I'm not the customer they after which is their choice. They can go after any customer they want, which would be spanish speaking in this case but that's not me. If they were after english speaking customers, they should have picked a song we'd recognize so we'd know the music is just background, like they did with Aloutte before. Choosing a song we do not know with words we do not understand sends a very strong message.
I can clearly see the words are subversive and provide codes for Spanish speaking people to run into Target to receive special discounts.
It is sad that it takes a translator to understand the commercial. I wonder why Target chose to do that? And I still don't understand the words. I just know what someone here says they are. I still cannot verify for myself what they mean nor do I care to. You see, Target sent their message when they chose to use a song they knew people who don't speak spanish would not undestand. They delivered the intended message of the commercial. Non spanish speaking people need not apply and that is their choice. As for me, you'll find me across the street at Meijer because I understand their commercials.
I have to just scratch my head as to why Target chose to do this.
I have no idea what ANY of those words mean and don't expect to have to google the words in a commercial in order to figure out what they are (if a commercial does not grab the viewer's attention and impart a positive impression of the business in question within a couple of seconds, it is a major fail as this one is for many of us who speak only english). Listening to the commercial it is not clear the words are nonsense. What is clear is they are in another language. I have no clue what the words are or are not and if Target doesn't care if I understand or not, I am, obviously, not the person the commercial was intended for. Because I don't speak spanish, I cannot verify the meaning of any of the words. If Target wanted me to understand, they would have made the commercial in English. They didn't. My conclusion is I'm not the customer they after which is their choice. They can go after any customer they want, which would be spanish speaking in this case but that's not me. If they were after english speaking customers, they should have picked a song we'd recognize so we'd know the music is just background, like they did with Aloutte before. Choosing a song we do not know with words we do not understand sends a very strong message.
Are they targeting oppressive, uneducated sounding neanderthals who can't think outside of themselves enough to accept that this has a touch of another culture in one of its commercials? No, you're right. People that are that offended over a little song in a commercial are more Walmart. Nice move boycotting target though, but neither they or we will miss you! : ). Check out their yearly sales and profits this past year.
Try to land a smiley face button - those are kind of cool!
Are they targeting oppressive, uneducated sounding neanderthals who can't think outside of themselves enough to accept that this has a touch of another culture in one of its commercials? No, you're right. People that are that offended over a little song in a commercial are more Walmart. Nice move boycotting target though, but neither they or we will miss you! : ). Check out their yearly sales and profits this past year.
Try to land a smiley face button - those are kind of cool!
They are targeting people who speak spanish and know what the song is. I am neither uneducated or a neanderthal (why resort to name calling). I'm complaining about a commercial that was done in a foriegn language that I do not understand airing on what is supposed to be english speaking television because I can't understand it. I cannot determine whether it's a commercial for spanish speaking people or, as you say, a touch of another culture because I don't understand the words.
FTR, I hold two masters degrees and have a family income of over six figures and I prefer to shop where I understand the advertisements.
YOU say this is just a touch of a foriegn culture. I ask, how was I supposed to know that given I do not understand the words? Without the ability to understand the words, this could be anything. Since it's a commercial, why woudl I assume the words don't have something to do with the product being advertised. I'm left guessing. You're sitting here calling me names because I didn't ASSume the same thing you did about the commercial. How mature. At least I know enough to knwo when I don't understand something.
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