Duet Ice-Cream: Obama
Advertising Agency: Voskhod, Yekaterinburg, Russia
Creative Director: Andrey Gubaydullin
Art Director / Illustrator: Vlad Derevyannykh
Copywriters: Aleksandr Parkhomenko, Evgeny Primachenko
Published: March 2009
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149 comments
Is the ice cream as tasteless as the ad?
it is feminist as your mum is
Better copy than the ad, hahah
This is just racist.
Are you stupid ????
You are wrong. It is Anti-Semitic Sexism, which is even worse.
Are you guys shittin´ me???
If you think this is racism go and get a new job....or better get a bit sence of humor!
::::: you can t pull this card on everything!
I don't care for this kind of advertising. Leave it to the Russians to enjoy it.
I like it. It´s totally absurd and has no idea at all but it makes me smile. And to me it´s clear that they didnt mean it in a bad way so skip the racism debatte.
Ya this is racist
mmm ok. i really want to know if obama has not won the election, what can they put on this ad?...
please excuse my bad bad english
it is so cute！
STUPID
Small ad from a small mind!
It's not great but it's very funny! Good one.
Nice and funny. Very cute
Not very funny or cute
No, very funny and cute. You just don't like the flavor...
funny, i like it))
RACIST :x
beautiful one. political correctness sucks, that's right!
Topically
it's not racizm
they have never seen real black man, have no relations or communication with black, so black man associates with dark colour only. it's naivity and humour.
Learn how to spell!
*learn to spell.
hah man. learn history "no relations or communication with black" and facts. russia is one of the most popular places amongst africans to go studying.
hah man. i live in russia and i saw black men 2 times for all my life. russia's large, do not think moscow is a whole russia.
Topical, but the headline is show-and-tell. The exclamations are also disappointing.
what's racist in that? nobody says it's bad there's a black in the white. just catch the trend and try how it tastes ;)
Uh, if you don't get it no one can explain it to you, idiot.
Boring.
It's not about the product at all.
funny & good idea...
but do not use obama in advertising anymore... i see him in every ad campaign...
WAHHHHHHHH................MAMA I WANT OBAMA ICE-CREAM. WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..........
why is everything considered racist if it shows skin color? skin color is how we visually differ....
Made better:
http://www.dossiernet.com.ar/modulos/imagen/2408.jpg
actually its white in black not the other way around (see the picture of ice cream) the chocolate is on the outside while the vanilla is on the inside
The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time
No. You're wrong. See the picture closer. There's a bunch of chocolate inside the vanilla cream. Sorry!
It's wrong, because a - as we see on the package, the concept of the icecream is "duet", not something in something; b - icecream is for kids, this ad isn't; c - it is racist. In Russian it sounds "cherny v belom". It just sounds wrong. Maybe because it's in Russian and in Russia. Besides "cherny" ("black") isn't the politically correct way of saying "black" in Russian ("temnokozhy"/"dark-skinned" is.) I'm not offended by this "anecdote" idea, which should have remained as a company's/agency's inside joke, but I can't be impressed either. This is MY opinion, any other person who understands Russian language and culture just a little bit may have a completely different one. Cheers.
It sounds like "Temny v belom".
OK. Sorry about my false presumption. Maybe my comment was a bit harsh. I know it was tempting and risky to go for it, it's just that I would have kept it as an inside joke.
If you're not American enough to know how wrong this is, you have no business butting your head into our politics for the sake of putting a bad portfolio piece into your book. It's exploitive, easy and unintelligent. I'd hate to see the rest of your work if you thought this was good enough to post.
I'm American enough to know that every time someone mentions skin color, people run around screaming racism. There's a black man in the white house, and that's what this ad is saying.
wtf? this is the worst ad ever made. suposed to be funny but turned out to be just racist!
Come on... last month THE WHOLE WORLD was talking about how there's a black guy in the White House, and mostly in a very positive way. Just pointing out a person's race isn't discrimination. And the art direction on this ad is lovely, BTW.
LOVE IT!... There's nothing racist about this ad.
Actually...It's "flavor of almost a half decade." (at least)
It's not racist...It's just a cheap and pathetic attempt at being relevant. Like someone said already,it's "black in white" not the other way around... the headline automatically kills the ad.
"Our factories make cosmetics. We sell hope." -M.Factor
Please to be enjoying glorious Russian Racism! "Nogger Black Icecream" anyone?
Oh don't be so silly!!!
What racism do you speak about? C'mon black man on print is NOT racism, it's just a black man on print. Gosh, you people are obsessed.
Cute idea. I really like it.
Why does a Russian ad have English copy? Have any of you ever been to Russia? This ad would not appear like this - ever.
It's really upsetting to know how people really feel about blacks. This ad is racist as anything ever depicting blacks in advertisements.
This is awesome. I like, I like.
THIS TRIPE HAS BEEN POSTED ON ADSOFTHEWORLD.COM THEREFORE YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE WORLD TO CRITIQUE IT.
IN MY OPINION IT IS OF VERY, VERY POOR TASTE INDEED, IT IS NOT FUNNY, NOT WITTY, WHICH IS A SHAME AS IT'S BEEN ART DIRECTED BEAUTIFULLY.
Well, Obama *is* half black, half white-like the ice cream bar in question. I don't think it's racist.
that's not the white house. it looks more like the capitol building. the whole idea is lame anyway. the novelty of a darker complexioned president wore off some time ago. i'm just glad this one is actually competent.
i'm black. this didn't offend me or hurt me. (but believe me some ads do)
I'm white and it didn't offend me, either.
I don't know where some people see the problem here, but I want some ice cream now. ;)
funny, i think this black president will happy when he see this ad!
they are going to be really mad over at kiss my black ads!
http://kissmyblackads.blogspot.com
fuck u all
Bad. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
only comments by russians are likeness ones ....
Not racist, funny.
This is not racism.
And i want to know why an ad with W. is Wow and an ad with Obama is racism? Bah.
Free Adv means free world.
ahahahaahah...omg lol
easy to say "art director".
Wonderful and genial! this is irony, not racism...
funny
Like someone before me posted, this irony... and for me its very good political irony, becouse I see white ice cream covered with thin black chocolate cover, with a litlle extra pale chocolate inside, meaning it is white man with brown skin and maybe with a litlle, just litlle black inside... its perfect political irony coverd with the picture of a black president inside a white house, so it want be too obvious, but a true meaning is inside the icecream which is oposite, white inside and with black cover. If someone has watched Soviets propaganda movies http://www.amazon.com/ANIMATED-SOVIET-PROPAGANDA-ENGLISH-SUBTITLES/dp/... from the cold war era, he would know that a soviets (now russian) people had a grea affectian towards oppressed black people in USA, so bearing this heritage, one could never look at this add like racism... only like a political metaphor.
Looking at this add, from the add bussines side of view, I can only say its great succes... think about it, how many adds go and travel the world like this one and make this kind of fuss. The purpose of add is to make some noise, no matter if its good or bad.
p.s. Sorry for the gramatical errors but english is not my native language.
Is the Ice Cream as awful as Obama?
I love this ad! It is cute! I think it's less about analyzing the ice cream bar for shades of brown and which color is more dominant...that's ridiculous. It's how you interpret it. For those of us who aren't racist, we interpret it as a cute ad, juxtaposing the black/white of the ice cream flavours and the "white" house and the "black" president. Yes, it has an added layer because this is the first black president in a white (male) dominated world, but that is not a jab. It's a happy thing. Just like ice cream is happy. Just like Obama is happy! I am curious to see Obama's reaction. I think we need to know how to relax. I find nothing offensive about rainbows and icecream. What about the GLBT socieity? They're not upset because the rainbows are on the OUTSIDE of the White House, are they? How far does one want to go with the interpretation?
I despise how ignorant many Americans are. We did not have African slaver in Russia nor are we ashamed of every doing it. Therefor we have silly jokes and humor as we make fun of are selfs. You are being racist if you insult us for having a humor you have no understanding of. We have many African decedent from run away slaves, students and Africans who joined are arm forces.
Great!
Why should foreigners be offended by something that was never made for them in the first place? The text is in Russian, therefore butting into politics over a foreign ad shows that too many people are idle during the crisis and have nothing better to do than criticising posters.
It's all right if a black woman makes a joke about Africa, but if you're caucasian, and a man, anything you say can and will be used against you. THAT is racism. Plus the fact how sensitive Americans are on this shows it's their problem.
Good ad! Look at how many comments it got. It's pretty much modern art.
FUN;)
top ad,where can i get the ice cream from!it wont offend most black people just the pc brigade who have never worked with or who dont know any black people!
this is just awful, rasist
If people are offended by this then there is something worng with them!!!!
I am a white UK citizen and the white cartoon face on the wrapper doesn't seem racisit so why highlight the Black element.
This is a total storm in a teacup and how it is making world headlines is beyond me :-S
It is not racist.
Although if it had the Ku Klux Klan milling about in the background (and Obama had a worried expression...) then it would be poor taste and perhaps racist.
It reminds me of a joke:
Q. What's balck and white and red all over?
A. A newspaper!
See - it's a play on words, like the advert.
I'd tell the Americans to lighten up, but I'm too scared due to fears of being called a racist (I'm a white Englishman for the record :-)
Russians are once again proving to the rest of the world that in general and, on average, they are a racist nation of bigots. Just ask poor foreign exchange students from African and/or Middle Eastern countries studying in Moscow or elsewhere. They constantly experience harassment from neo-Nazi groups and extortion by corrupt police. I pity anyone, who is not fair and blond, to be in what was once described as "Saudi Arabia with trees."
This is absolutely NOT RASISM, because Russia never had that "little slavery problem", so please keep all that politically correct bullsh-t within the borders of your country. We don't owe anything to your blacks.
Hey, all of you, saying "Racism" or "Rasist"!
Do you really know what it means?
McCain said in his speech "congratulations to first BLACKSKINNED president of America" - isn't he a racist, don't you think? He said it because "now every citizen, even black, has a chance!" He said, that it is a plus of american democracy...
But do you understand, that it's a racist talks? If there were no racism, he had no reason to show this plus. It were normal for no-racist country - but only in America they show black president as something great, something new - and it is a call of racism!
Fuck you. There's nothing bad to call somebody black or white because of their skin color. This is only truth, nothing else. I'm white. He's black. She's yellow. We are friends. So what?????
Your fucking point of view is coming from the past times - when "blackskinned" were equal "slaves". But we live NOW!
Does any blackskinned feel the shame because of his color? No!
Crazy freaks, tolerant idiots, fucking feminists.
Obama is black. This is truth. And it doesn't matter. Until you see something bad in color of the skin or in saying truth - there will be a racism. Because of you, all of you, screamig "RACISM"!!!
icecream is funny. Stupid composition. Stolen rainbow. Bad style. Awful fonts. Only funny idea, a joke. And it's really funny )
cut----------------
Russians are once again proving to the rest of the world that in general and, on average, they are a racist nation of bigots. Just ask poor foreign exchange students from African and/or Middle Eastern countries studying in Moscow or elsewhere. They constantly experience harassment from neo-Nazi groups and extortion by corrupt police. I pity anyone, who is not fair and blond, to be in what was once described as "Saudi Arabia with trees."
cut----------------
Ku Klux Klan - is an american organisation, isn't it? And American democracy is only for americans, as we can see? Invasion in Iraq is only an oil-control question...
and if russians are a racist nation - all americans are total fat bottomed stupid burger-eat nation...
guest, You're simple like a kid, really...
Small advert, from small company, about smal product. No Racism only ice cream and money for simple job.
Sorry for my english, dont have any practice for a long time.
Here russian point of view, its our reality, take it for granted.
Frankly most of the Russians have white skin, and really we dont care about its colour like you in europe and america.
We have another history, we simple dont see blacks until middle of the 20 century!!! Hard to be racist when you dont see any black men in your country!
Black skin is exotic, no offence to blacks from most of the common people here, but we think about africans graciously, with humour (africans student), call them negri (in russian its not offence, neutral world)....some stupid skinheads beat them sometimes...but that is all bad news for today.
OK maybe we racists, but at least we never have black slaves and segregation ever in our history. And i dont think all russians ever lived on the planet earth kill more than hundred blacks in all our history. Forget about angola(and others soviet big games in africa)its different story.
About neo-nazi in Moscow?
Yes we have right radicals in Russia, its one of the result of the USSR fall, west win we lose, we received in complex nazis, coca-cola, internet, baseball. Nazi still here, baseball dont.
It is problem, but black students not their priority target its exotic, they fight another etnic groups from Kaukaz and Middle Asia.
-Just ask poor foreign exchange students from African and/or Middle Eastern countries studying in Moscow or elsewhere why they deal with geroin and same shit in Russia?
I like it. I don't think it's racist- it is the wya things are: black person in White House. Looks cute and good idea.
Slave fuck white in USA!!! GOOD JOB, ABAMA!!!
Stupid idiots seeing racism in everything...
Q:How many Americans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: 100. 1 screws it in and the other 99 make sure that rights of blacks aren't violated in the process.
Только замороченный дебил сможет увидеть в этой картинке расизм.
Стёб - да, но расизмом тут не пахнет. Карикатуры на чьих-то святых рисовать - это они за правое дело считают, а в этой глупости расизм разглядели...
Good Negro - Cold Negro (Russian Proverb)
i live in Russia all my life. 15 years in Moscow. never heard such proverb.
This is absolutely NOT RASISM, because Russia never had that "little slavery problem", so please keep all that politically-correct bullsh-t within the borders of your country. We don't owe anything to your blacks.
This is absolutely NOT RASISM
это кал, а не реклама
Никакая это не глупость и не расизм, а стандартный рекламный ход
Пьяных русских показывать в космосе на станции МИР в голливудских фильмах - вот это достижение великой цивилизации с пустой американской головой
Hey, guys, you are actually racism geeks.
Take it easy
Not racist whatsoever! You and your political correctness! What is racist there? If white guy advitises anything - it is good, but God forbid to place picture of black guy - hey this is racism for sure! Are you kidding me? Where have you found racism there? Who was insulted by anything? There is in the world too much of "positive discrimination" (or politically correct guys like their version of 'positive' racism?) anyway... not big deal at all. And by the way, Obama is a nice guy in the nice house. So, good luck to them all - house and Obama :) and the ice cream :)
Обама - черная сволочь
Сказала белая сволочь
Долбоебы
This is russian way!
Your Obama is a niggas pig.
идиотам и кретинам померещился расизм :)
http://knup-ru.livejournal.com/479692.html
РУССКИЕ ВЫ ПИДАРАСТЫ
Actually, the right version is
РУССКИЕ, ВЫ - ПИДАРАСЫ...
maybe it helps u in future? =)))
вообще-то оба варианта правильные. Но пидарасы - это те кто без причины обзывает других таковыми, а в данном случае ещё и те кто не зная языка пытается повыделоватся, придурки!
I am Russian by my nationality. I have been living in America for more than 10 years. I love America and Americans and have great respect for our new president Barack Obama. I count myself an American by my spirit. I want to say I am sorry for all Russians, not all of us are ignorant.
Please sorry for yourself only, not for whole country where you do not live and know nothing about.
We do not have problems with a rasism at all, Russia it is a multinational country, do not forget it. The most racist country in the world is United States.
this is so antifeministic, antigay racist movement
If this is racist, than how about Obama Condoms? It must be even less politically correct.
obamacondoms.com
There are many American stores in the United States that sell vodka called "Putin-ka". I wonder what the Russians think about that?
Get upset? Get angry?
We have Putinka vodka in Russia too, we even have vodka called Medvedevka. And we're not upset, not angry. Maybe because Russians are not very political people.
We - get angry? get upset? WHY?
Why do u think that its smth terrible?
Ha! its just a product with famous name. Nothing else. Take it easy)
Funny, rather creatively.
Racism? No!
In Russia there no racism, exept a small group of fuckin' idiots who think they're "real russians". But this ad is just a funny comparison.
Racism is in talking about racism in this ad
Racism is in looking racism in it
It's not racist or smth. But I'm fed up with Russian obsession with USA and stupid American-European political correctness. Soon we'll have to change all the words in any language to euphemisms. If a person doesn't like being called "black" it's his/her personal problems and complexes.
Finding something to rant about on the web seems a goal for some eh? I agree, Russia has NOT had the racism and slavery issues of America...so to them, the notion of racism is quite different. The ad itself well... ironically it's capitalizing on current hype, nothing else. The design is cute, but the actual concept is quite barren. & The designers should have researched on what impact it would have on N. Americans...it's so much like that "Ala" cartoon..., simply lack of global culture and, in this case, giving more thought to concept.
russians never mind
very very nice. but no idea. at least they can enjoined. our democracy.i feel so well.
The ad may be tasteless but the ice cream however may not. Plenty of much worse advertising out there. Get over it
frish ,
smart
funy
selling
attractive
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, simply great copywriting and idea
Its funny how they didnt put the white house, but the capitol. I think that's where the racism is, otherwise it'd had been just a funny word game. Anyway its cute. Like it!
I have two questions. Does anyone know why the ad is in English if the ice cream is sold in Russia? Also, does anyone have ads or pictures of other Duet ice cream products?
It's in English because it's on adsoftheworld.
Here is Russian version (and you can find another print here):
http://www.ravoshod.ru/portfolio/creative/262/
Thank you
lol i bet tiger woods eats this kind to.
In Soviet Russia, ice cream eats you!
Please don't eat our president! Have an apple instead.
You people are the typical interwebs idiot riffraff. YOU are racist because you deny that, oh, yes, Obama is black, and there's nothing wrong about acknowledging it. Yes, people, it's okay. A black dude is president inside the White Capital building. Let's all deny the fracking obvious. Jesus Christ.
And to the douche who says "small ad from a small mind." What the hell are you expecting form an ad? A dialectical discourse between Kant and Thomas? Wake the eff up!
Racist ?
whatz matter with the "colors" ?
I don't consider it racist.
I do, though, think that it was possible to relate the concept in a much more clever and less divisive way, i.e. "Not so vanilla anymore" and maybe a Tagline: A celebration of chocolate and vanilla.
Just a thought.
What next: "Red in Brown" flavor for Easter with Jesus on the cross, featuring cherry dipped mocha? That shouldn't upset the folks who see humor with the Obama flavor.
Any black person who is offended by this silly ad should get over themselves. Now, if only Nabisco could do a similarly light-hearted jest in advertsiing their Oreo cookies here in America, and not have ever self-important, sanctimonious supercillious Black race-baiting preacher man (Reverend, that is) taking offense, I could truly believe race was no longer an issue in my country. BTW,, my mother is white and my father is black and my nickname, given to me lovingly by my girlfriends of both races, is "Cookie". And I am DEE-LISH!
As a student of media and marginalized groups I would say that this ads is Racist. Although it is not obvious it is offensive because it depicts Obama as Chocolate (a Black man) in Vanilla (a White man)Ice-cream bar. This suggests that he is not truly "Black" due to probably his success. A common stereotype world wide of people of African descent is that they are not successful. Modern racism is almost never obvious, as it has been in the past. Years from now the majority of the population will recognize the racial implication of this ads.
~R. Minaya
i strongly feel d ad is OK,only thing i didn't like was the usage of Obama,it was wrong becoz ice cream is targeted to kids & they are mentioning it as "Duet" so Obama nowhere falls under the category of kids or a cool duet( neither he appeals to kids)
I don't think it is racist becoz somehow they are relating the color of the chocolate(dark & it's taste (yummy) with Obama's color & his dedication to work.
oh Russian, trying to catch up with the history of segregation and racism? this is some kind of black joke ? Racist !!!
look at the guy sayng "we dont ow any anything your black" ! black doesnt belong to nobody. stupid, this is just the proof of your racism !
I think this ad is totally cute. I'm black and it made me smile. My AD is white and it made him smile too. It's topical, factual and funny. Too bad copy sucks. What are the exclamation marks for? All it needed to say is, at most, is "Flavour of the week. Chocolate in Vanilla" Looks like a god idea executed too fast, or just not thought through.
Its gay racist, because it has ranbows!!! ;)
(racist is who sees racism everywhere)
Its gay racist, because it has ranbows!!! ;)
(racist is who sees racism everywhere)
вообще отлично!
очень позитивно, остроумно и сама картинка красива!
generally excellent!
very positive, witty and very beautiful picture!
Are you shitting me???
If you think this is racism go and get new jobs or a sence of humor
You can t pull this card on everything.
they don t say black is bad, they just say black in white!
So what???
No you idiot, they are saying that he's a white guy in a black body. People can never see a black person act or talking proper with out saying the word "yo" or "dog" or well educated or well-manner. So therefore they naturally say your a white guy in a blackman's body. Pure foolishness,they even know it's wrong, by trying to cute it up.
is it sick humour or racism?
cute and bold, that is how advertising should work. as I really want to try it :)
I Love it! I makes me smile..
It is racist, but I don't think the Russian care, and neither should the international ad community. The racial situation around the world is very different from America. In America words like the N-word, that has bad history behind it, are frowned upon when used by non-black. This stem from part of American history, but see, the rest of the world, they don't share that history. What do you think the British called black people? African Britain? In a way, this ad is racist because they make the fact that Obama is "black" a big deal. But to them, there's no ill will behind it. Because despite the Russian are classifying people based on their colors, they never enslaved or segregate or trying to take away rights of African Americans. Who cares what they do.
I'm from New Zealand. I am a 'european' new zealander and I date a Russian guy. He's lived his whole life in Russia up until the last 6 years and he's 27 now. I study anthropology, sociology and Russian language and art history at the university of Canterbury. Now, firstly the ad mentions nothing about skin colour. you could just as easily remove obama and replace him with a black bear or a penguin and no one would find this offensive. This is also one of the first times that Russians have used an American icon in their pop culture as a positive icon, i mean ice cream is yummy. Plus there is favouritism over obama cause he's the first modern president people can actually like, unless you're an opposing group as such or nazi. Many things can be associated with people if you think about it, in NZ we have Eskimo lollies shapes like ice people and they taste great and come in pink, yellow, green and orange, only 1 person in the 80 years of making these said it was racist and she was half Canadian half Inuit. now we have 5 resident Inuits living in NZ and they said the lollies weren't racist and were a positive marker that people knew that they even exist. Plus they also said that they themselves call themselves Eskimos in NZ because most people do not know that Eskimo is not the official term. But have been saying this word in positive light since the founding fathers came here, as they were viewed as intelligent people, the Eskimos. and because if you really want to get into the Inuit debate, Inuits are also people from greenland, the term eskimo only refers to those from Alaska or some parts of Canada.
SO if I do not like Obama, I am nazi... this is just great....
I just do not get why some bloody russian agency should care?
This not racism.
This popular russian song not racism too.Just a little humor and fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqibX79KujU
Translate:
Aj, aj, ja, ja [they] killed negro.
Negro didn't do anything,
[they] killed him for nothing.
Bitches killed negro.
For three negro didn't eat or drink,
he put his hands on his stomach.
Only dead negro doesn't play basketball.
His mom was left alone and she brought shaman
who hit the drum and negro stood up.
Even dead negro heard drum and stood up.
Even though he's zomby, so what?
Zomby can play basketball, too."
hahahahahahaahahahahah, it's pretty cool!
I can't see racism here and, who said that is racist, probably don't wear white T-shirts or drink milk! Persons who had the racism inside itself.
151 comments!!! No doubt very successful ad is this.