NEWS AND VIEWS

Yahoo advertisement's degrading reference to "Ukrainian Savings Bonds" demands action

by Mark Pavliv

After regaining control of my car, I thought I was hearing things ... CBS FM and CBS News Radio recently broadcast an ad for Yahoo Internet Services in which humorous reference is made to fictitious "Ukrainian Savings Bonds" as being a bad investment. The ad's purpose was to suggest instances in which mistakes in judgment could have been avoided if only Yahoo had been used to research the merits of that investment.

The proposition that good research is desirable is widely accepted. However, targeting an ethnic, racial, or religious group is not - or at least this is what we want to teach our children.

The specific reference was integrated into a highly respected news network broadcast in a slick, pop-style marketing format ad aired during the morning rush hour.

After regaining control of my senses (at first I thought I was hearing things), I assured myself that someone would complain, of course there would be many listener calls objecting to the ad - and Ukrainian people would prevail.

Upon arrival at my office, I thought to myself: "What if everyone thinks like that?" I immediately picked up the telephone and called the New York City CBS Radio front desk, where I was directed to someone in listener relations and then transferred to marketing and sales, where I was promptly deposited into "voice mail."

After identifying myself as a person of Ukrainian descent and indicating my disbelief that such an ad was indeed aired, I felt responsible and somewhat vented, but knew I needed to do more.

Later that morning, the opportunity presented itself. A return telephone call from Bill Kelbeck, the director of marketing and sales at CBS FM, was received at my office, I found myself on a speaker phone before a group of CBS executives who wanted to understand the concern. I pointed out that the ad was negative in intent and degrades Ukrainian self-worth with reference to a hypothetical savings bond.

I was surprised to learn that I was the only call in the New York/New Jersey listening area. This fact did not deter me from my objective and I continued requesting an explanation. The explanation was that CBS, like most networks, purchases ads in the bulk and the ad in question was "one of three being aired in rotation." I was also told that "in recent years control over content has been relaxed." I responded by suggesting that the ad receive continued play, but with all other ethnic and cultural groups placed on equal rotation in the ad as well. I also identified myself as an architect who had performed various design services for CBS as a professional architect in private practice and have always respected the network and had faith that CBS would take the appropriate action to address my concern.

After a long pause, Mr. Kelbeck agreed to act to take the ad out of "rotation," but indicated that this would impact only one of the six national markets and that the ad would receive continued play elsewhere. He suggested that I contact the marketing agency responsible for the ad and bring the lapse of "good judgment" to their attention.

Western International Media, also known as Initiative Media, located on Sixth Avenue in New York, was the agency responsible. The agency is one of the largest and best recognized in the world.

I thanked Mr. Kelbeck for his sensitivity to the issue and knowledge of the Ukrainian culture and heritage, in addition to his pledge to follow-up on this matter.

No longer simply an offended listener, I was now on a mission. All focus on my business that day and much of the week had stopped. Numerous calls to the ad agency's sales office in New York, creative office in San Francisco, and headquarters in Los Angeles were all passed on to someone else. Ultimately, I found myself being diverted back to New York. Account executives were unavailable, creative department staff were not responsible, and sales personnel were interested only in sales. Undaunted, my mission forged ahead.

Meanwhile I was fnally thinking: was it possible that no Ukrainian was moved to make the effort or take the time to register a complaint or concern? Was this another case of apathy? Or an example of human nature which often incorrectly assumes that someone else will do it?

Finally, by the end of the week, I received a call from the ad agency. They noted the concern and promised to direct it to management. This was a positive response, but not necessarily an absolute end to the ad.

In the interim, play of the ad seems to have stopped. I question myself: "Did I overreact, or did I react as all Ukrainians should in such circumstances - responsibly, positively and absolutely."

Mark Pavliv is principal architect and founder of The Architect's Studio, an architectural design and historic renovation firm in Ocean Grove, Pa.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 23, 2000, No. 30, Vol. LXVIII

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