This Painful Ad for a Chinese Cab Co. Mocking the Royal Family Is Creating Quite the Controversy
- Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:42am by
Mike Opelka
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File this one under “It seemed like a funny idea at the time…”
A promotional ad from a Chinese cultural exchange program is ruffling feathers. British citizens and fans of the Royal family are expressing outrage at the two-minute clip that uses look-a-likes of Prince William, Duchess Kate Middleton, and Queen Elizabeth II.
The ads are promoting a fleet of 50 cabs in London that have been decorated with giant pandas to promote the Chengdu Association for Cultural Exchange. Chengdu is the place in China where the giant panda-breeding program has achieved considerable success and is now a popular tourist attraction. The cabs are hoping to bring more visitors to the region.
In the promotional video, the script seems to make the Duchess of Cambridge look like a gold-digger. When the trio decide to take a taxi to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, the faux Duchess protests:
“I just don’t understand why we cannot take the royal limo. I didn’t marry royalty to schlep around in a taxi.”
But it doesn’t end there. After “William” informs his new bride that taking a cab would set a fine example in these difficult economic times, “Kate” again reacts sternly:
“Rubbish, people want to see that they can be like us if they just work hard”.
The fake Queen’s reaction is also adding fuel to the fire.
Watch the entire clip here:
In response to some of the negative reaction, the Chengdu Association for Cultural Exchange is holding to their statement that their ad is “harmless fun.” What do you think? Is it offensive to the British monarchy? Weigh in below.
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blazingaway
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 2:09pmstupid
Report Post »lamarlamar
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 1:31pmIf you can’t find the humor, TS! I think it’s funny!!! Maybe they can do one about Moochel Our Belle and BammaMan!!! Talk about a couple-of-jokes!!! Lighten up world,…… if we can’t laugh at ourselves,….. who can/will laugh at us???
Report Post »MRMANN
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 6:10amThe Brits certainly need to lighten up. Look @ us in the USA–countless parodies of the sitting president & first lady are seen constantly. The Brits are so hung up on their royalty, a concept most Americans find to be repellent and repugnant, as well as simply ludicrous. Thank goodness we don’t have royalty here.
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 12:01amScrew the British.
Report Post »Tri-ox
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:28pmChinese rubbish.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:28pm“Royalty” = most expensive kind of welfare recipient a country pays for…. LIke Michelle Obama.
You dimwits in the UK need to wise up to that fact and stop flipping the bill for these reprobates. But it’s your choice…. we formed the USA so we didn’t have to put up with that kind of stupidity. Exclusions being Obamas, Carters, and a few other commies that managed to get elected while the country was asleep.
Report Post »gosutag
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:03pmIncorrect pronunciation in the video. Cheng Du is not pronounced as such. It’s pronounced Chung Du.
Report Post »brickmoon
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 2:34pmI don’t know if the question of whether it is offensive or not would be as much of an issue if it were a little more inspired, better written and produced.
It should include English subtitles, as the music buries the dialogue.
And I’ve seen better acting in the propaganda shots depicting the reactions to the death of Kim Jong-il.
Report Post »TROONORTH
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 12:15pmPoorly acted. Very poorly written. Actors looked nothing like the real thing. Tenuous connection between royal family and the theme of the ad. But was it funny? Let’s substitute Ron and Nancy in a similar ad and see if it is funny then.
Report Post »crs2012
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 12:24pmfunny…. and Chengdu too…. :)
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:16amI like it.
F#@k Royalty.
Report Post »THX-1138
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:56amI hope he makes a ton of money. (And hires a professional advertising firm….)
Report Post »blanco5
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:45amchina can do whatever it wants. They OWN the world now.
Report Post »Tax Revolt
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:11amThey own the worlds governmental debt. What are they going to do if a government decided not to repay its debt? Start a war? Take over the country? Would the citizens of that invaded country let them? In all honesty, in today‘s age all monies are 1’s and 0′s on a server somewhere. A few choice simple key strokes could easily change everything.
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:27amChina is in debt and only owns 2 trillion in U.S. T-Bills.
They are not the Superpower and they do not own the U.S.
The IMF owns the U.S.
Report Post »Blackman Standing Tall71
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 1:19pmI love driving my Japanese vehicle.It‘s the most reliable vehicle that I’ve had.
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:25amthat was some really bad acting
Report Post »65Mustang
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:20amI find it derogatory.
Report Post »rosegrower
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:20amWhat do Jews have to do with a CHINESE cultural exchange? Go back to the HuffPo, where they will believe your jibberish!
Report Post »brntout
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:17amRichly brilliant IMHO.
Report Post »hayesstephen
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:17amWell we know who the no class, low bred twit is don’t we.
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:16am…
Report Post »The “actors” looked nothing like the royal family members they were portraying. Especially the “young” woman who was portraying the queen. Is there a shortage of old actors?
Plus, they could not act. What a lousy performance. It was definitely painful and boring to watch. I thought it would never end.
ProbIemSoIver
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:24am@LEADNOTFOLLOW
Do you feel the need to lead ?
Is your universe is Black and White?
Do believe that if you do not want to be a follower, you must be a leader?
The universe is Not Black and White.
You don’t have to be a leader or a follower. You can be an individual.
An Individual does not follow and does not lead.
An Individual does not need a “leader”.
Here is a 3-minute perspective changer for you:
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewUP-Fdhqk
ForMyKidsVA
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:11amIt’s satire but rather a dumb move by a foreign entity seeking visitors especially during the Jubilee year.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:04am“It can’t be more than 114 degrees. ““Dock that taxi driver a days pay”
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:59amSchlep? The royal family is Jewish? Verblunget goyim ?
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