It looks like there has been some exciting updates from our favorite Chow Fun Food Group. Remember the post by Alvin about the new Chinese Laundry restaurant and the oh-so-original, not-racist ad that was put out back in March?
After much consideration (I'm sure), that ad was pulled and this ad appeared as its replacement.
...
I know I didn't major in art or anything back in school, but am I missing something here? Isn't it the same ad, just without the color?
I personally don't see what's less offensive about it, or if it changed anything really. The whole idea of this restaurant was just a nightmare from the beginning. It kind of reminds me of that club in Las Vegas, OPM? Opium? Weird. I just tried searching for it and the site for OPM takes me to Poetry Nightclub. Did people protest about this back in the days and it just went under my radar? Whack.
Anyway, if you'd like to exercise your rights and voice your opinion, here are the contacts (thanks to the guy I like to call our Fairy Godfather, the Angry Asian Man):
John Elkhay
Chow Fun Food Group
201 Wayland Square
Providence, RI 02906
Please also consider writing to the Providence Monthly, since it published the ad:
Providence Monthly
167 Valley Street
Providence RI 02909
Phone 401.521.0023
Fax 401.521.0024
providencemonthly@providenceonline.com
So whack.
Posted by lisalee at April 4, 2008 5:08 PM
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Ewwwwww. I agree with you, Lisa, removing the most blatant sign of objectification does NOT make this new ad any better. At the very heart of this ad is the idea that using a naked woman will get people's attention and draw them to the restaurant. (or, at the very least, get them to talk about the restaurant.) I think we have to ask whether it's ok to use female sexuality—asian, not asian—to sell a product.Is this supposed to evoke some Pillow Book-style sentiment? I mean, what are we supposed to expect if we go to CL? Naked calligraphers? Puhlease.
Thay guy is not only an idiot, but completely doesn't get it.