China's Political Backlash Over Chewing Gum Ad

The American chewing gum company, Wm. Wrigley, thought that using the Chinese national anthem in a new TV ad that started airing in Russia would be a great new quirk in attention gathering advertisement. Instead a fierce and angry backlash from China has resulted.

Just like some in the U.S. who would elevate the American Flag to a near religious idol status, the government and people of China zealously protect the dignity of their flag, national emblem and national anthem. Little did the chewing gum marketers realize what an angry response the TV ad would receive. It has since been pulled from the Russian airwaves after five days of airplay.

Last year, angry demonstrations took place when some cartoon image, supposedly of the Islam faith's Muhammad was used in an editorial cartoon in Denmark. What seemed like a harmless political commentary on MidEast problems resulted in a loss of life and injuries after the demonstrations turned more violent.

All of this illustrates that cultural differences can create a serious conflict between two societies. In Britain for example, the Union Jack is often used in all sorts of advertising, and is seen as an expresion of British pride. But the Chinese would clearly ban this type of use of their flag. SNL and Conan O'Brien sometimes offer Jesus skits over their history, yet even the cartoon depiction of Muhammad was enough to provoke anger in the Muslim world. In Iran, Iranian President Mohmoud Ahmadinejad raised anger of religious authorities for being seen in a video watching women dance without veils. In some cultures it is seen as an insult not to sleep with your host's wife, while in other societies angry husbands have been driven to murder over affairs. What one culture believes to be acceptable standards for social conduct, advetising or entertainment varies greatly.

Because the world is so united by a huge common media, it is so easy for one society to cross some line and anger another culture very easily. This is one strange effect of a world united by media, but not becoming a single culture as individual societies still claim their individual values.