We’ve seen Adidas endorsing “eco-terrorism” in their ads. Now HSBC, one of the largest banks in the world, has an ad that’s an epic terrorist love story complete with tree sitters, folk music, and happy, apolitical ending.
Here’s the summary: Cops are attacking environmental activists, pulling them from tree sits, using pain compliance holds, carting them off to jail (as “terrorists” I’m sure). As one activist is being hauled off, she sees her husband/boyfriend is one of the loggers. He bails her out of jail, she’s pissed, but she puts her arms around him on the way home. Awww. The message from HSBC? “We recognize how people value things differently. So what we learn from one customer helps us better serve another.”
Blargh. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.
You know what really disturbs me about this? It’s not even that corporations are trying to capitalize off of social movements (I don’t think this is nearly as offensive as Nike’s blatant rip-off of Minor Threat). What really disturbs me is that the big message here is: Politics don’t matter.
Well, you know what, HSBC, political beliefs DO matter. They matter a lot. They matter more than your interest rates and profit margins and advertising campaigns.
There’s good and bad, right and wrong, and I’m so sick of people acting like “to each his own.” As Howard Zinn says, “You can’t stay neutral on a moving train.” The train has left the station, folks. And I hope I don’t sound too curmudgeonly and grumpy and jaded in saying this, but there ain’t going to be hugs at the end of the ride.
I can almost see the FBI putting out its own little YouTube propaganda. They could cast Anna the provocateur. It would show her working undercover for the FBI, poking and prodding environmental activists to commit crimes, and then when lives are ruined and people are sitting in prison, there can be a sweet hug at the end and the FBI logo. See? We can all get along. Right? Right?
Blargh. There I go again.