Whole Foods removes chicken ad featuring Obama

[maciymommieof3]

 

Whole Foods removes chicken ad featuring Obama

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By Pei-Sze Cheng, NBCNewYork.com

An Upper West Side Whole Foods has removed a sign that used a drawing of President Barack Obama to advertise a sale on chicken after complaints that the ad was offensive.

The sign outside the supermarket on Columbus Avenue and 97th Street featuring an apparent caricature of Obama advertising an upcoming sale on whole organic chicken outraged neighbor Woody Henderson.

"There are certain things that have been used to put down black people -- watermelon, fried chicken," he said.

 

Jason Nunez of the Bronx said, "Even if he's not the president, you're going to have an African American promoting the sale of chicken? They can do better than that."

Residents and passersby agreed the man in the sign looks like Obama but not all thought it was derogatory.

"Obviously it looks like the president, but I don't think it's racist," said Joseph Joshua.

A spokesman for Whole Foods said store artists create a variety of pop culture imagery to promote sales and events. The sign advertising the chicken was put up earlier in the week but taken down "once it was brought to our attention by a shopper that it may be perceived as offensive," said the spokesman.

"There was no disrespect meant at all," the spokesman said.

Henderson thinks the chain should take more responsibility. Another neighbor, Jeffrey Schaper, said, "I don't think you can find a more pro-Democratic neighborhood. They're sort of shooting themselves in the foot. It is pretty outrageous."

[romalove]

You know....I think this was an overreaction.

Are we now saying that we can't associate any kind of chicken with black people at all without it automatically being a racist characterization?

Whole Foods did not have any ill intentions.  

[Woodbabe]

I agree with Roma...its almost more racist that people were alarmed by it. People of color can't enjoy chicken? If there's anything negative, it came from the people who got upset. As long as it was a respectable depiction, not mocking, then I think its a step forward actually. Why should only a white man be allowed to promote chicken?

[IhaveHisjoy]

 Someone's ALWAYS offended..someone ALWAYS yells racism..smh

[CorpCityGrl]

I saw that uptown and I think people overreacted.  Someone is ALWAYS offended somewhere and I think it's a bit much.  The store creates signs using a lot of pop culture imagery and I think people are entirely too senstive.

[Ms.KitKat]

 can you include a pic? I'd like to see it. I went to the link but...nothin'

[lga1965]

 It would help a lot if we could see the picture.

[talia-mom]

[krysstizzle]

Why would you use Obama to advertise any kind of food? That's just so entirely bizarre....

[stormcris]

The health campaign perhaps

Quoting krysstizzle:

Why would you use Obama to advertise any kind of food? That's just so entirely bizarre....

[Radarma]

 I think it was in poor taste, and didn't mary j blige just go through something like this last year with promoting KFC?