Super Bowl Sunday may invoke some anger from Arab-Americans, as a new Coke ad is being called racist. The ad, which is still set to air on Sunday, features a Arab walking through the desert while pulling along his camel.
While not appearing overly offensive on its surface, some Muslim groups are upset less with the actual image, and more at the lack of creativity.
While other racial groups may get to enjoy a bit more diversity in their characters—both in movies and television programs, but also 30-second commercials, some Arab-Americans feel that the depiction of Arabs in entertainment either pushes the idea of sheik’s or terrorists.
According to Zap 2 It, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee wants to know why there are such strict limitations on how Arabs can be portrayed on-screen.
“Why is it that Arabs are always shown as either oil-rich sheiks, terrorists, or belly dancers?” said Warren David, the president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
In the Coke ad, called racist by some, an Arab walks in the desert pulling his camel. He eventually sees cowboys and Las Vegas showgirls racing towards an alluring Coca-Cola bottle.
Other allegedly racist Super Bowl ads have caught the ire of fans watching the Big Game, too. Both Pepsi and Doritos have recently been under fire for airing commercials deemed racially insensitive.
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