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| An online advertisement pulled from the web by Dunkin' Donuts last week after right-wing bloggers complained a scarf resembling a traditional Middle Eastern garment worn by TV chef Rachel Ray in the ad represents "Muslim extremism and terrorism." |
The decision came after various right-wing bloggers complained that the garment represents "Muslim extremism and terrorism."
Ray, who signed a deal in March to represent the brand, appeared in the ad wearing a paisley black-and-white scarf resembling a kufiyyeh – a common headdress worn in Palestine and throughout the Middle East.
Bloggers and at least one major ultra-conservative commentator expressed outrage, saying the scarf symbolized "Islamic jihad."
Dunkin' Donuts decided to pull the ad rather than deal with the negative response.
"The intent of the online ad featuring Rachael Ray wearing a paisley silk scarf was to promote iced coffee," said Stephen Caldeira, a chief spokesperson for Dunkin' Brands, in a statement.
"Given the surprising and truly unfortunate interpretation of this ad from some of our consumers, we decided to pull the ad and replace it with another as it is no longer serving its intended purpose, which was to simply promote our iced coffee – nothing more, nothing less."
Some activist groups were not satisfied with the explanation.
The group ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) has demanded the company apologize for acknowledging the complaints, which the group called racist.
"The scarf pictured in the ad is not actually a kuffiyeh," said the group in statements calling for a boycott.
"But the anti-Arab racism of the right-wing, pro-Bush ideologues like [conservative commentator Michelle] Malkin, is so extreme that they launched their campaign because they "thought" the scarf was this traditional Arab garment. In Malkin's twisted world anything "Arab," even a scarf, is "terrorist." The fact that a giant corporation like Dunkin' Donuts quickly pulled the advertisement is a sign that the pervasive racism, chauvinism and xenophobia peddled by right-wing bigots is a real danger."
The Arab American Institute (AAI) did not go as far as to call for a boycott, but circulated emails encouraging people to write letters to the company's marketing and customer service departments, to elected representatives in the state of Massachusetts, where the corporation is based, and to the Boston Globe.
"Let's be honest," said AAI Communications Director Christina Zola. "They pulled the ad because they were scared of the anti-Arab sentiments that run high in this country."
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) also stopped short of calls for boycott.
ADC spokesperson Laila Al-Qatami said the organization supports any efforts by other groups to boycott, but that it's very hard to work up a large enough number of people willing to turn away from such a major company in order for a boycott to be effective.
"We're pushing for a more positive approach," Al-Qatami said.
She said the group wants to encourage Dunkin' Donuts to create a new ad that features people from various different ethnicities.
She said that as frustrating as the influence of what she called "inherent racism" was in the matter, and while the group is supportive of more aggressive responses by other organizations, it is understandable that Dunkin' management didn't want to deal with the controversy generated by the bloggers who were "pushing the subject really hard."
Al-Qatami said ADC has been in direct talks with Dunkin' Donuts representatives about a multicultural ad.
The company did not respond to requests to confirm such plans as of press time.
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