# Racist Commercials Barack Obama is a Monkey in Japanese Ad By Ayman | Published 2008-06-27 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/obama-monkey-emobile References: [animalnewyork](http://animalnewyork.com/news/2008/06/japanese-think-obama-is-banana.php) How does [Japanese company](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/teriyaki-madness-whats-with-bob) **E Mobile** sell cell phones? By capitalizing on Barack Obama's political success through depicting him as a real monkey. A monkey in a [presidential suit](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trump-mobile), but a monkey nonetheless. What were the creative heads of this horrid racist commercial smoking? At least the recent controversial [TheSockObama](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thesockobama)sock monkey had some ground for arguing it was a misguided cuddly toy. But depicting Obama as a MONKEY giving a speech to HUMANS is unjustifiable. See more weird and controversial Obama items: ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 78% | Activity: 89% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Controversial Advertisements:** Opportunities for disruptive innovation exist in creating thought-provoking and socially conscious advertisements that promote inclusivity and respect. - **Cultural Sensitivity in Marketing:** There is potential for disruptive innovation in developing marketing strategies that respect and embrace diverse cultures, avoiding offensive stereotypes. - **Social Media Backlash:** The incident highlights the need for businesses to be aware of the power of social media and the potential negative consequences of offensive content. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Advertising:** The advertising industry can explore new approaches to create inclusive and culturally sensitive campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences and promote positive brand image. - **Marketing:** The marketing industry can implement strategies to ensure cultural sensitivity and avoid controversial advertisements, improving brand reputation and customer trust. - **Social Media:** The incident illustrates the importance for the social media industry to develop effective monitoring systems and policies to prevent the spread of offensive content and mitigate potential backlash. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Nightmarish Mobile Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cellphone-bill.md) - [Banana Peanut Butter Ice Creams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oreo-monkey-business.md) - [Playful Monkey-Inspired Coat Stands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monkey-coat-stand.md) - [AI-Fuelled QSR Animated Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-japan-1.md) - [Fiery Chocolate Bars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monkey-bars.md) - [Gaming Ads-Inspired Video Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/those-games.md) - [Satirical Metaverse Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/first-choice-metaverrrrrr.md) - [Adorable Japanese QSR Mascots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dabuchi.md) - [Tropical Banana Chip Chocolates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fatso-drunkn-monkey.md)