In this morning’s AGBell Update, the Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf called on its members to contact Pepsico and object to its Super Bowl commercial, complaining that it “perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language.” The blurb reads:
AG Bell Speaks Up on Pepsi Super Bowl Commercial
AG Bell’s Board President, Karen Youdelman, and Executive Director, Alexander T. Graham, spoke up about Pepsi’s upcoming Super Bowl commercial featuring a deaf storyline (http://www.pepsi.com/bobshouse/). In a letter written to PepsiCo corporate executives, Youdelman and Graham stated, “Although we appreciate Pepsi’s efforts to encourage new promotional ideas from your rank-and-file employees and your willingness to celebrate diversity, we would be remiss if we did not call your attention to the fact that…your advertisement perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language.”
Youdelman and Graham then called upon PepsiCo to continue “…to educate the public…and promote appreciation for those individuals that go above and beyond to overcome the absence of something many of us take for granted - the miracle of sound.”
AG Bell encourages its members to contact us at info@agbell.org or Pepsi directly at http://www.pepsiusa.com/help/help.php?or= with your comments.
First of all, there is nothing in the Pepsico Super Bowl commercial that “promotes” sign language except for the mere appearance of it nor does it imply that all deaf people use sign language. It intends to convert people into loyal Pepsico customers. In this case, and ironically, methinks AGBell doth protest too much.
If Pepsico did an ad with deaf people who have “near-perfect” speech, I wouldn’t have a problem with that either. Heather Whitestone, considered an uber poster child for AGBell, had people practically swooning over her speech skills during the 1995 Miss America Pageant. The subsequent attitude of many hearing people towards deaf people was “why don’t they learn to speak like Heather?” Although Whitestone received her share of criticism, I don’t recall any specific organizations officially calling for a mass protest of Whitestone due to her actions perpetuating a “common myth”. Simply put, some can speak, some can sign, some can cue, some can do all, some can do some, and that’s all there is to it.
Over the years the Oralism vs. ASL dispute has been played out mostly by individual members and some radical groups while their respective national organizations stood on the sidelines, wisely avoiding the fracas and instead focusing on furthering their missions. Surprisingly, that is no longer the case with AGBell’s announcement. They need to re-learn the art of persuasion. For example, AGBell could have simply congratulated PepsiCo on their inclusion of at least one segment of the deaf population, and ended on a more positive note, informing Pepsico that its members may not relate to the commercial.
But ultimately, the Superbowl commercial failed to convert me over to Pepsi because I’m staunchly sticking by my Diet Coke, yo.
Update:
AGBell has posted their letter to Pepsi on their homepage. To see the letter, click here (PDF document). Some excerpts:
Since you have chosen the Super Bowl as the forum to launch this campaign, and because of Pepsi’s size and stature, we feel a responsibility to offer our perspective on this somewhat misleading stereotype presented in your advertisement.
Your advertisement perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language and are, therefore, isolated from the rest of society.
We would also like to remind you that with the amount of money Pepsi will spend on just one 60 second spot to air during the Super Bowl, you could help an untold number of families obtain hearing aids and other professional services that are costly and in many cases not covered by medical insurance.
Update II:
The NAD President, Bobbie Beth Scoggins, has responded to AGBell’s letter. To see their letter, click here. An exerpt:
We are disappointed with the negative tone of your letter and obvious lack of respect for deaf people who use ASL. We are also sensitive to the fact that many members of the AGBell deaf and hard of hearing section know and use ASL. We find it deplorable that AGBell continues to perpetuate the myth that the use of ASL isolates deaf people from mainstream society, a stereotype that is far from the truth. We know that this is not the first time that AGBell has reacted in this manner to high-profile use of ASL, which AGBell may perceive as detracting from its exclusive focus on speaking and listening. As such, we are not surprised that AGBell continues to close its eyes to successful deaf ASL users as positive role models.
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Hi Shane!
I’m speaking only as an individual here, but I think where AGB was coming from was frustration that almost every commercial that features a deaf person has them signing and not speaking. If there were more commercials that had people deaf using their voices, it would be another story.
Picture it– some little adorable seven year old girl wakes up with a flashing light, puts on her CI, goes to a school and follows the teacher via CART interpreting, gets picked up by her Mom and they go to the Mall where she waits in line for Santa, hops up on his lap… and says–WITH HER VOICE– “I want a bicycle for Christmas.”
Heartstrings tugged all around!! And then the company pitchline– “Have a Coke and a Smile!”
We see more commercials like that, then AGB probably wouldn’t feel compelled to write letters like the one to Pepsi.
Cheers!!
John S.,
Oralists are rarely portrayed on TV so it’s understandable how they’d be frustrated. I think it has something to do with sign language’s relative novelty. It’s kinda ironical- novelty often is a factor when parents decide not to have their deaf kids sign, but it’s just what entertainment and advertising are looking for.
I want to meet the 7 year old,hearing or deaf, that reads well enough to use CART. This was addressed, BTW, to John S. That would be just another perpetuation of a differnt myth….that CI implanted oral deaf children are superior to nonimplanted signing children. Get over yourself.
Problem with that is AG Bell members tend to be embarassed or ashamed about their hearing loss and try to hide it as much as possible. Putting them on a television commercial will just horrify them even more.
I have a suggestion– why don’t AG Bell go back to the good old days of eugenics and breed themselves out.
AGB needs to STFU.
I appreciate PepsiCo’s approach and will watch the commercial but I am, too, sticking with my diet Coke.
Wow. Well I think we should counter this with thanking Pepsi for making this commercial.
I agree with other commenters and bloggers - AG Bell is being extremely petty on this.
Amen.
Another amen here.
Thanks, DP, for the link to write thank you!
(god, it sure feels weird wearing a rented suit again in here… ;)
Ignore AGBell… *shrugs*
If they are so confident about AVT and oralism, they shouldn’t be petty. Is it because they are trying to prevent many parents of deaf child from knowing about other alternatives such as American Sign Language, especially that superbowl commercial has reached the mainstream?
Besides, historically the media has often portrayed oralism favorably so what is AGB’s problem? ASL and Deaf Culture have been pretty suppressed for a long time by the media.
We owe it to Pepsi and hope others will follow suit. A hearing person I know from the deaf Jack Russell Terriers group said that if she was to vote the best commercial, this will be the one.
One more thing I want to add…
This quote, “…your advertisement perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language” strikes me as ironic. Here’s my take:
So, AGB is worried about the public thinking that all deaf people can only communicate using sign language when the fact will show that many deaf people can do both at a separate time.
It is many of AGB’s oralists who are not encouraged to sign by their families. I would like for AGB to end perpetuating their own myth that ASL will hurt speech. Many researches out there will dispel their myth and not support AGB’s fear of public thinking all deaf people can only communicate using sign language.
The public is not stupid, thank you, AGB folks.
I think AGBell is CRAZY!!! Saying that by having deaf people signing is perpetuating a myth that there only are deaf people (rather than hard ofhearing as well)or that they can only sign is as bad as saying: “oh, well the two deaf people are white - this implies all deaf people are white; or all deaf people are male ” I don’t know what they’re getting at..
did the “battlefield” expand somewhat by the actions of AGBAD?
AGB needs to seriously get over themselves! There’s speaking on tv all the time (which is what AGB aspires to be?) and do you see anyone complaining?
If a AGB really wants to go ahead and put some random oral deaf on tv with imperfect speech, then go ahead. But do it as another campaign … there’s no need to start employing the crab theory to go about it. It just looks like a severe case of jealousy!
I seriously doubt that ABG would want to put an oral deaf person with imperfect speech on a commercial.
I would *love* to see that happen. LOL.
Not in a lifetime! Why do you think they are known for only displaying selected few successful oralists to convince others?
AGB has plenty of people who don’t have “perfect” speech, and has always welcomed its members in the “spotlight.”
Good find, Shane. It also could be argued that TV programs promote the fallacy that all deaf people have superhuman lipreading skills.
No kidding!
Yes they should - I’m sick of their annoying stupid question many hearing people love to ask when they first meet deaf people - “Can you lipread?” and pointing their fingers to their mouths.. Even when I hand them a paper and pen and ask them to write what they have said.. When I tell them we get only 30% of visual information via lipreading, they are always like oh really? sigh..
Get a life, AGFell!!! Way to go Pepsi!!
me too way ti go pepsi
[…] Graham Bell organization, they are now speaking up against Pepsi over the commercial. DeafDC Blog AGBell Tackles Pepsico SuperBowl Commerical How […]
In my vlog, I tackled the deaf driver safeworthiness issue. Now someone else attacks one of the deaf myths.
AG Bell is just whining because with this ad, sign language is going to get a whole lot more attention than their organization will.
It’s a paradox because their mission is for deaf people to blend in with the mainstream (hearing world). This whining is definitely not blending in. ;)
hmm that’s an irony… how do you promote “deafies can speak” if they speak and look like hearing people?
I’m very disappointed by AGBell’s response to such a wonderfully groundbreaking approach to celebrating diversity in general and encouraging awareness of deafness in particular.
I was thrilled to see the ad in the press, and I look forward to watching it with my ASL-using daughter, who is also a CI recipient. I’m appalled at the argument posed.
I just don’t know why AG Bell would do anything but support this move as a public step towards showing those who are deaf as special, rather than as “special needs.” They should be representing and advocating for their members, and not driving exclusionary negative campaigns against ASL-using deaf. This incendiary and pointless statement only serves to alienate members of the deaf community, of which AG Bell members are presumably a subset.
I think they should retract this statement, but it has definitely changed my view of the organization.
Beth
:) I’m with you, Beth.
I’m a CI user and I’m just laughing at their statement. Like J.J. said, it really backfires on them.
Like Shane pointed out, we’ve seen Heather Whitestone and Marlee Matlin who have spoken on TV plenty of time.
They were attacked for that by some culturally deaf (not all, but some) and now we get the same reaction which is surprising to me by an organization who whines that they do not feel represented. That’s just damn too funny!
I like DP’s proposal of just ignoring them and encouraging Pespi to do more with thank you notes.
We’ve gotten a lot of positive responses to that ad!
I got a lot of emails from hearing friends who immediately thought of me and said they laughed and loved the commercial!
It so happens that I have an implant myself but I’m also in support of ASL and the Bi-Bi method in Deaf Ed.
It’s my understanding that AGB’s mission is to make the deaf appear hearing as much as possible and to learn to speak only without depending on sign.
Given the nature of the advertising industry, novelty is going to trump over all. Deaf with good speech ain’t as attention getting as signers.
Remember that AGBELL people are NAZI, RACISM, CRIME against DEAF’s ASL language……They should be arrested and put them in jail for a long time!! Long Live ASL!!
While I do not think it was worthwhile to issue a public statement denouncing the commercial (it is petty, everyone needs to learn to laugh)
You sir/child/ma’am should be taken out back… and shot
Hey, I think you should be in jail for forcing kids to disown their hearing parents.
We have two different deaf cultures and both side do not like each other but we must be nicer and I did disagree with president about something.
Quote from the letter that I have to agree with “Your Advertisement perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language”. There been so many people who think that deaf people only know sign language. I am a proud oral deaf and it is madden that people still think that I should sign only when I speak very well.
As one of the member of AGBell, I did like the joke but it only shows one side of deaf culture.
I think none of you guy read Alexander Graham Bell’s history. He is a son of a deaf woman and he married a deaf woman. His goal was to open a doorway where both deaf and hearing could talk together. If he were not alive back then, you would never get Video Relay because it was base on his idea of talking together. (You use a phone line to talk to another deaf person)
Helen Keller once said that Bell dedicated his life to the penetration of that “inhuman silence which separates and estranges.”
If we live in the timeframe of Alexander Graham Bell, you would be found in Mental Hospital. Doctor would have done some the worse things in life inside that place.
If I understand now, both side want to improve the lives of many deaf children but it is our job to fix thing that need to be fix like CC in every movie that come out. TV show should have CC but it cost over $400 dollar to just burn it on tape or get live CC. What happens if you are a deaf actor who is fighting with sword and it is time for you to talk but you have to keep fighting?
The real world is more powerful than all of us but we must show them that as a deaf person we can do everything. We have not done it.
AGBAD is just put manure in their mouth. Egg Foo Young with many grease will give wonderful manure for put in their mouth.
The truth side of AGBAD is shown public. Now you cant lie or excuse not know of they want to change deaf image of ASL.
I really thought AGBell had better things to do. This has backfired on them for sure…had the ignored it..this commerical would just be another Superbowl commerical.
Anyway, I hate the commericals…just kick off already…
Wow, I am sickened by the letter AGBell made. I didn’t want to believe that they weren’t tolerant of ASL. Sadly, as it appears to be, I am naive.
Thanks a lot AGBell, for making your true side of the organization apparent. -sighs sadly- Now I hate AGBell even more.
David (Pepsico) defeats Goliath (AGBell)! So AGBell is
a colossal, gigangtic, vast, huge fool!
The battle is by no means over yet. I’m proud that Pepsi supports this commercial, and surprised at AGBell’s move. However, think about this. AGBell is complaining? Hallelujah! Now they know how we feel! So, we do nothing. We continue with more commercials and media featuring deaf individuals using ASL and they’ll continue to gripe and whine. Let ‘em. Let them see how happy we are being deaf, let the WORLD see how artistic we can be in the media. Let them all see us! Then there’s nothing AGBell can do.
Don’t fight ‘em. Leave ‘em. Turn ur heads up, stick back your shoulders, and walk proudly.
BF
Raining in the Northwest….great comment. Here’s something else to think about: The NAD represents all kinds of deaf people and they were on the spot when the ad was created; lots of communication between the NAD and Pepsi, etc….so who is AGB to snub NAD with their whiny letter to Pepsi?
I’m oral, and AGB just sounds mean-spirited here.
In general, I’ve thought of AGB as being an organization that should be free to advocate for its interests. The pro-ASL protests at recent AGB meetings have struck me as intolerant.
By that same token, AGB’s criticism of Pepsi’s presentation of ASL also smells intolerant.
Members of underrepresented minority groups historically have fretted on the rare occasions when the mass media actually represents the minority groups. Somehow or another, that rare representation doesn’t capture the full richness of the minority group in question. In response, some individuals trot out the predictable and unenlightening allegation, “But you didn’t represent X, Y or Z.”
In fact, I remember some Deaf people upset, even furious, about the widely broadcast scene of a deaf person using her voice when Marlee Matlin spoke during the Oscar award ceremonies back in the 1980s. One source of insecurity was the prospect that hearing people would subscribe to the myth that more or all deaf people should be able to talk. That criticism was unwarranted, in my view.
It just seems to show that, in this instance, AGB is not learning from past mistakes within the deaf community.
The Pepsi commercial is great. (Unfortunately for Pepsi, I don’t drink soda, so I won’t be buying their product.)
There’s a big difference between deaf individuals being upset and an official letter from an organization. Did the NAD issue an official letter or statement to Marlee Matlin or Heather Whitestone about their actions? I don’t think so.
for Pete’s sake, aren’t you people overreacting just a little? There was nothing whiny, sickening, petty, intolerant, attacking, nasty, or critical in AGBell’s letter — just information. They didn’t put down anybody. (Wish I could say the same for some of the comments here, but understand the need for a place to vent to others who would understand.) What can be wrong with sharing information that SOME deaf people do not communicate by signing? When did it become wrong for one group representing deaf people to say that they do things differently than the other group representing deaf people? If PepsiCo turned around and made a clever, catchy commercial featuring oral deaf people, will signing deaf people write a flurry of blogs and letters complaining about an unfair representation of THEIR segment of the deaf community? I’m not a supporter of AGBell, nor a member, and I think they’re just doing what they do. DP has the right idea to just ignore them, and let US send PepsiCo positive letters complimenting them on the commercial.
For the record, I looooooove Pepsi, my favorite cola drink! Diet Coke tastes like a science experiment! ptui…
Hi Curious Eyes!!!
Well-said!!!
I think the charges of “intolerance” are entirely misplaced here. Just because the Pepsi letter wanted to promote oralism (or at least speech), doesn’t mean that the letter was automatically putting down sign language.
And count me in the group (apparently, there are very few of us) that doesn’t really care whether he drinks a Pepsi or a Coke. But I will buy Pepsi products for the foreseeable future because of the ad!
Instead of faulting Pepsi for perpetuating a “myth” — not a neutral term, but a pejorative one — that deaf people can only communicate using sign language, and targeting a comment campaign against Pepsi for its alleged offense, it would have been more gracious of AGB to have stepped forth with constructive proposals on how to create a positive and marketable commercial with oral deaf actors.
I would also think that AGB, as the target of some ungracious comments itself, would be more sensitive to the sterile discourse in which oralists and signers have too frequently raised concerns or objections over modes of communication.
There are things about AGB that I respect, but this critique and invitation for AGB members to target Pepsi with comments are inelegant.
Perfectly said (which seems to be always the case with you, anyway!)
AGB wasn’t “just sharing information” — they actively encouraged their members to contact PepsiCo, this was thinly disguised pettiness on their part. I do not recall other (or “Deaf”, if you want to be more specific) organizations taking similar actions in the past, not even when HW or MM took the oral stage.
Constructive is the key word; AGB could have been more constructive in their suggestion.
John S., thanks.
I seem to be stuck in this role of devil’s advocate, but for what it’s worth: all AGBell did was suggest that members write in their comments. Why are we assuming that those comments are going to be negative towards ASL users?? And just because some AGBell member says, “I am an oral deaf person,” does that make ASL-using deaf people look bad in any way? No, it does not. Naturally, the hearing world is inclined to look favorably on an oral deaf person because they speak the same language. So what? Who is going to build bridges between the ASL-using community and the hearing world? When did it become “pettiness” to write to a company about their advertisement showing a signing deaf person? I think it’s good to remind major corporations, as well as the rest of us, that there is diversity within the deaf community, and not every single blessed one of us is an ASL signer.
I don’t assume that those comments will be “negative towards ASL users.”
For an AGB member to say, “I am an oral deaf person,” does not make ASL-using deaf people look bad in any way.
We’re in agreement on those matters, Curious Eyes.
But that’s not the issue here.
I also agree with you that it is good to “remind major corporations…that there is diversity within the deaf community.”
But AGB is not pursuing that goal in a constructive manner.
CE, I think this is one of the very few times we’re disagreeing here. AG Bell said: “your advertisement perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language.”
I think that’s quite disingenuous of AG Bell to say that. In fact, I find it hard to believe that it’s a myth. Heather Whitestone spoke without using ASL, Marlee Matlin accepted her Oscar without signing. We have Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye, a television program, where the main character is deaf and oral.
The prevailing view in the media is that deaf individuals who are successful do not sign and usually are able to lipread with perfect accuracy.
I agree that some commenters here are blowing out of proportion, but I do think AG Bell’s response to that commercial is also out of proportion.
Deaf Pundit … you disagree with me??!! *gasp* there must be some critical thinking going on here! ;)
OK, kidding aside, how about this: don’t you think it’s ironic that both sides accuse the other of perpetrating myths about deaf people? AGBell wishes PepsiCo to know that not all deaf people are signers; Deaf, ASL-using people want PepsiCo to know that not all successful deaf people are oral communicators. And we each accuse the other perpetuating myths that aren’t wholly true in either direction. On the one hand, we have AGBell promoting oralism, CIs, AVT, and “overcoming the absence of … the miracle of sound” — puh-leeze! that’s really over the top, I gotta admit. And on the other hand, we have DBC and other groups promoting ASL for deaf babies, in schools, and for all parents and kids to know about the deaf community. It’s no secret that I’m in favor of the latter, I hope. Certainly, both camps have been guilty of hyperbole, no?
All I’m saying is let them have their say. No sense in getting our britches in an uproar, although it’s fun to exchange barbs this way. :)
*grins*
Yup, I do see the irony here and there has been hyperbole on both sides. I’ve pointed that many times in my blog over the past few months, earning me a spot on quite a few people’s blacklist. ;)
And I agree, in *this situation*, it’s not necessary to get into such a huge hubbub over it. It’s just a commercial.
But that’s pretty much the point here. It demonstrates to me that AG Bell is not the little nice, innocent, educational organization that so many people are claiming it is to be. Why is AG Bell bothering to respond over a commercial?
I could understand a television show… but a commercial? It’s not gonna change the world.
AG Bell’s comments definitely aren’t worth the flames, but I do think it’s worthy of notice.
Yeah, we should let AG Bell have their say, and I say let them hang themselves with their own words. No need for our barbs. ;)
If you read between the lines, there is a very strong undertone that ASL is inferior to oralism. Words such as “mainstream society” “isolated from the rest of society”
So this letter IS criticizing ASL users and trying to create a perception that ASL users are inferior.
Contact AG Bell directly with your comments. The following text was at the end of its update.
“AG Bell encourages its members to contact us at info@agbell.org or Pepsi directly with your comments.”
Even though the vast majority of us may not be members, that doesn’t mean they can ignore our emails. Let them know what you think!
Thanks for the email address. My thoughts are on their way to A.G. Bell. Provided they don’t catch fire on the way, lol.
Ha ha. If you’re the Jill Thompson from alldeaf - knowing you, your thoughts WILL catch fire.
Mildly put, I’m not a big fan of that organization nor their response to this issue. (A big understatement.)
But let’s show some class and leave them alone as far as contacting them directly goes. We can basically politely agree to disagree (with the AGB) from a distance. That will likely score more points with the less informed or aware members of the general public when they see us as a class act instead of petty and petulant.
I just posted an update to the blog, with excerpts from AGBell’s letter to Pepsi and a link to the letter on AGBell’s website.
Do those of you who use sign language feel “isolated from the rest of society”?
No, Shane. Not at all.
Even after I got my CI… still the same. I do enjoy the sounds and all that, especially music. But isolated to the society? No.
Let me clarify that a little further….it wasn’t because of my deafness. It was because of some issues I had with my stepfather who was Italian came from America at age 12, so my life was turned up-side down with his different values and beliefs that made me feel isolated from the society because I wasn’t dealing with things very well. Not because I was deaf or that I was using sign language.
It’s all about how you perceive things and deal with things in life.
My husband, on the other hand, is HEARING. He WAS isolated from society most of his teen years due to family problems and even lived on street for a period of time before I met him.
Sigh…why do people seem to think that sign language would put one on an island?
Well. This should leave no doubt in people’s minds on AGB’s stance on ASL. Supportive of ASL, my rear!
Shane, AGB can be clever in its choice of words. It’s like the old “when did you stop beating your wife?” kind of question. They beat their usual drum about the first part of the statement (perpetuate a myth that deaf people can only communicate via sign language) and then slyly insinuate that people who use sign language are isolated from society. I really take issue with that kind of double meaning. As successful, deaf, ASL-using people in a vibrant community, and with strong ties to the larger hearing community, we are very far from being isolated from society. Although I acknowledge that SOME deaf people are truly isolated because their families are either ignorant of, or purposely prevent their family members from having contact with the ASL-using deaf community.
I’m also irked that AGBell insinuated that PepsiCo should spend their money on “services” to deaf children instead of a Super Bowl ad. Now that’s REALLY petty, and I thank you Shane, for adding that part to the blog. Jeez… major corporations spend billions and billions of dollars on advertising. Why not tell them all to spend their money on different charitable causes instead of advertisements? I sure wouldn’t mind seeing a reduction in the endless onslaught of moronic ads on TV, and instead use all that money to eliminate social ills such as hunger, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, educational inequity, and on and on.
But again, AGBell is just doing what they do. They didn’t score any points with ME in this letter. I think deaf people should write PepsiCo as many letters as they can saying how much we love this commercial and I hope they will do more like this!
PEPSI COMMERCIAL DECRIED FOR PERPETUATING DEAF MYTHS
As reported by Mr. Ares Fitadits
Special for The New Silent Times
Pepsi, which released a television advertisement for the Super Bowl, unleashed a storm of protests for its insensitive representation of deafness.
The AG Bell Association of the Deaf is leading the charge against Pepsi. Two of its distinguished leaders, board president Karen Youdelman and executive director Alexander T. Graham, assailed the corporation, “Your advertisement perpetuates a common myth that all people who are deaf can only communicate using sign language.” Youdelman and Graham have suggested that the AG Bell membership proceed to http://www.pepsiusa.com/help/help.php?or= in order to comment.
For its part, the Feminist Congress of the Deaf criticized Pepsi for perpetuating myths that only deaf men use sign language. According to spokeswoman Laura Schneider, the media engendered this misconception when it broadcast Marlee Matlin and then Heather Whitestone in the act of speaking. “In recent years, we’ve worked to dispel the notion that deaf women use no sign language,” noted Schneider. “But Pepsi dealt us a setback by depicting only male users of sign language.” The association asked its members to offer comments to Pepsi online.
Morale is equally low at the African-American Deaf Federation, but for different reasons. “By depicting only deaf European-Americans, Pepsi renewed the myth that deaf blacks do not watch football,” groused president William Clark. His organization has dispatched representatives to television stations for the purpose of damage control. Moreover, the federation furnished its membership with the contact information of Pepsi for the sake of offering comments.
For its part, the Deaf Environmentalist Network was concerned about the implication that the deaf shun public transportation. The director of public relations, Fern Good, indicted Pepsi for bolstering the myth that all deaf people drive gas-guzzling vehicles. “We are not a monolithic community that contributes disproportionately to the greenhouse effect,” said Good. “In the commercial, the deaf individuals should have been passengers on a public bus.” She added that the bus driver could have done the requisite honking alongside the houses. According to Good, concerned parties should direct their comments to Pepsi on its website.
Alarm also surfaced at the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Deaf Caucus. Its leadership was stunned by Pepsi’s failure to include any gay characters in the commercial. “The hearing world believes that all deaf people are heterosexual,” affirmed coordinator Steven Belting. “Pepsi just reinforced the myth, which is going to make it hard for us to find partners.” Members of the caucus were enlisted to write comments to the consumer relations department of Pepsi.
Comparable preoccupations arose at the Straight Deaf Caucus. Spokesman Pat Olsen explained the predicament, “By not showing the deaf men on dates with women, Pepsi strengthened the myth that deaf men don’t date.” This misunderstanding, which the SDC has struggled to overturn, is now even more pervasive because of the commercial. Olsen has marshaled the resources of his organization in a comment campaign against Pepsi.
Pepsi may find the most comments arriving from members of the International Deaf Alliance. This organization expressed qualms about the United States-centric presentation of sign language. According to director María Sandoval, “El anuncio de Pepsi infundió nueva vida al mito que los sordos sólo usan el lenguaje de signos americano.” She invited the Alliance membership to comment that “el mundo oyente debería enterarse que hay muchos lenguajes de signos.”
It is clear that the feedback, which is likely to swell with the growing scrutiny of the commercial, is having an impact. The Television Advertisements Script-Writers Guild has disseminated this guideline to its membership: Never feature deaf people in another commercial.
Hahaha! This was great!
good one! :)
Hilarious!
Kudos to whoever wrote this. It’s funny and creative and I laughed.
I think that Pepsi actually listened to this multi-faceted protest and yanked any commercials that had captions during the SuperBowl.
[…] AGBell Tackles Pepsico Super Bowl Commercial […]
“Of the more than 30 million Americans who live with hearing loss, the majority use spoken language as their primary mode of communication.”
That is misleading.
It should say: “Of the more than 30 million Americans who live with hearing loss, the majority used spoken language as their primary mode of communication. However, 3/4 of the majority has been switched to sign language as their primary mode of communication.”
Here’s my opinion of that commercial.
http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.....konut.html
Okay, yeah, AGBell was kinda petty. They should have just let the signing people enjoy it. But people, it’s a tv commercial. That’s all it is. Will it change the way ANYONE thinks about deaf people or sign language? No. So, get over it already. Move on to something that really makes a difference. What a waste of energy.
That’s it! I’m going out to buy a coke.
The NAD responded to AGBell’s letter, see “Update II” to my blog, above.
Thanks for alerting this to us, Shane! Seems like both organizations are paying close attention to the v/blogs.
I’m glad NAD sent that response to AG Bell!
Gosh this infuriates me guys!!
How about all the years Marlee Matlin has used her speech for all the
hearies to think that we Deaf are excellent lip-readers and speakers?
AGBell are condescending, nazi-behavioral, oppressive, genocidic,
sadists, living-in-the-clouds mentality. AGBell’s own wife was Deaf
and he believed Deaf should not marry other Deaf. He tried passing
laws
so that Deaf could not have children together.
Just because of ONE tiny commercial, they have to complain? I am PROUD
to see signing on the commercial! PLUS AGBell must not understand its
cultural. This Deaf SuperBowl Commercial is based on a CULTURAL Deaf
joke!!
That is the main point. Its a joke that WE will recognize, and a joke
that will make the hearies think and even laugh with us!
I’d be happy to write Pepsi and shower them with praises. And YES I
can
do it without criticizing AGBell to them.
I will post the thank you links/e-mails to as many Deaf newsletters as
possible so Pe