AAPI voices speak out against hate

Over the past few months, the world has woken up to the growing threat of violence toward Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. But to AAPI communities, the threat of anti-Asian racism—which intensified drastically since the onset of the pandemic due to scapegoating, according to critics, by political figures including former president Donald Trump and their followers—is not a new one.

Although overall hate crimes in America's 16 largest cities dropped 7% last year, hate crimes against Asians increased 149%, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. One of the first public statements President Joe Biden made after taking office addressed the issue. He followed it up with plans last month for his administration to combat anti-Asian violence more aggressively. “We can’t be silent in the face of rising violence against Asian Americans,” President Biden tweeted. “These attacks are wrong, un-American and must stop.”

On April 18, the U.S. Senate will vote on an anti-Asian hate crimes bill put forward by Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono and Democratic Rep. Grace Meng. But for many, the measures are woefully late.

“It’s troubling to me that almost a year later we are just now addressing Asian discrimination, stereotypes and microaggressions,” says Frannie Rhodes, senior VP and U.S. executive director of creative talent at MullenLowe U.S. “I have experienced these actions throughout my years in the industry.”

The advertising industry is no stranger to anti-Asian discrimination, and it’s often in plain sight: in the ads and creative work that come out of agencies, in a lack of representation or representation limited to stereotypical roles that mirror the model minority myth. Here, members of the Amp community share their experiences with anti-Asian discrimination in advertising—how it manifests within workplaces, as well as in ads and media—and the kind of allyship and progressive action urgently needed to combat hate.

Discrimination within the ad industry

 

 

“I think the bigger issue is that we as an industry haven’t taken the proper steps to understand and educate each other on what the cultural sensitivities surrounding Asian people are. Asians are statistically sought-after candidates for entry-to-mid-level positions, but are the least likely to be promoted to leadership roles.” —Dan Koo, art director, Wieden+Kennedy New York

“Having a diverse leadership team—not just diversity at junior levels—that holds empathy, respect and genuine consideration for different views and backgrounds will establish a safe space for people to share their culture and stories, and create better work together. It should not take senseless violence to remind ourselves of the work we must do.” —Kitty Tsang, partner and director of strategy, Ready Set Rocket

“Because there tends to be a lot of AAPIs in the data, ad tech and engineering space, there are plenty of us who are individual contributors, but there’s that bamboo ceiling that really needs to be crushed. When you look at the very top, we don’t have enough representation. I would challenge agencies to reframe how we define leadership traits. Asians are not typically outspoken people, so much of our cultural upbringing doesn’t translate well into how the U.S. traditionally defines leadership.” —Danny Huynh, executive VP, client business partner, UM

“During my career I’ve been told to my face that ‘Asians don’t count’ from senior leadership when reviewing diversity in the creative department. I can’t tell you how hard that was to hear as an Asian, a female and a leader. It hit me so hard that I don’t think I’ve fully recovered to this day. More recently, I had a conversation with an employee who was frustrated about not seeing more diverse female leaders in leadership and didn’t think to acknowledge that he was talking directly to a diverse female leader.” —Frannie Rhodes, MullenLowe U.S.

“Asians do not face the same biases as other people of color in advertising. We face different challenges, and that includes a climate where many of us feel invisible. As someone who previously kept their head down in this industry, I believe it has never been more important for Asians to be seen and heard. That starts with leaders listening to what their people have to say.” —Michael Chen, copywriter, RPA

“Holding ourselves accountable for brands, media partners, talent agencies, etc., is a huge piece of this. Our budgets and time are our value statement. We should start evaluating not only who we support, but also who should we start supporting.” —Niki Lim, director of business development, Big

“Systemic biases against Asians are nothing new in our industry’s history. In the same way that the model minority stereotype and other racial prejudices permeate how Asians are perceived in society, these notions bar us from life and job opportunities and take away our ability to voice our own narratives. We need to keep in mind that Asians are an incredibly diverse group of varying heritage and narratives.” —Hung Lang, strategic planner, Blue Chip

“It is true that Asians have been subjected to systemic bias in the ad industry. But it has often been in ways more subtle than that experienced by other people of color. Now more than ever, we as agencies need a greater diversity of voices to inform our work, and help us recognize and overcome anti-Asian bias.” —Shun-Luoi Fong, account director, Human Design

Bias in ads and media

 

“Asians continue to be underrepresented in contemporary advertising. The exclusion of Asians is a failure to recognize our humanity and the reality that Asians are as nuanced as any other group of people. It’s a blind spot that often leaves advertisers stumbling into the pitfall of typecasting Asians and ultimately reinforcing stereotypes that Asians have struggled to dispel.” —Kim Nguyen, lead analyst, Dagger

“Not too long ago, Dolce & Gabbana got some well-deserved flak for an ad that depicted a well-dressed Chinese woman struggling with how to eat spaghetti with chopsticks. This is an egregious example. In American advertising, things are less egregious thankfully, but there are still subtle signs of anti-Asian bias, such as interracial couples often consisting of an Asian woman and a white man, vs. an Asian man and a white woman.” —Maddie Dao, client strategy account lead, PMG

“The film 'Crazy Rich Asians' gave me a moment of pause after I watched it. Despite the satirical tone, I felt very removed from the Asian culture depicted in the movie. We’ve seen more Asian representation recently in Hollywood film, but it reminded me that our history here in the U.S. is quite complex. There are so many Asian ethnicities and stories that still need to be told.” —Frannie Rhodes, MullenLowe U.S.

“Like other commuters, I get around the city using Chicago’s public transit system. One morning as I reached the train platform, I did a double-take on an illustration of a Black woman and an Asian man, both wearing face masks. ‘Please wear a mask or face covering,’ the caption read. During this period of polarizing sociopolitical beliefs, bolstered by increasing anti-Asian hate crimes for the false notion that Asians are to blame for spreading COVID-19, using a depiction of an Asian person to promote mask-wearing only reinforces racism against the AAPI community. While inclusion and diversity are important, how, where and why they are represented should be designed thoughtfully to avoid exacerbating deeply rooted systemic racism.” —Hung Lang, Blue Chip

“While I was really proud to have representation in 'House of Ho' and 'Bling Empire,' those shows represent the top 2% of who we are. More traditional entertainment represents common stereotypes of AAPIs as being data scientists, doctors, lawyers, criminals or heroes well versed in the martial arts, and Asians that are ‘fresh off the boat.’” —Danny Huynh, UM

“We have to step back and realize the absence of the AAPI experience in contemporary advertising. What glimpses you do see are a type of restaurant, a specific part of town, a character in a video game or a doctor/engineer. What that communicates is this is the only way you fit in society.” —Niki Lim, Big

“Our industry has come a long way from producing racist imagery and stereotypes of Asians. But outside of Lunar New Year, a holiday that drives retail spending, I don’t believe we have much representation in advertising. That makes it easy to feel like an outsider, even if you were born in this country. It’s great to see Awkwafina in campaigns for Google, Nintendo and GM, but we should tap into other Asian talent as well.” —Michael Chen, RPA

The work that’s pushing positive change

“Films like 'Minari' and the rise of K-Pop and other Asian artists are slowly helping combat Asian stereotypes. Social campaigns supporting Rina Sawayama in the UK (#SawayamaIsBritish) are a perfect example of how media can influence people’s perception of the Asian community.” Nami Soejima, senior VP, strategy, UM

“The #HateIsAVirus community—started in April 2020 to combat racism against Asian Americans fueled by COVID-19—has mobilized to arrange virtual fundraisers that raised $30K+ for essential BIPOC community organizations and small businesses across the nation. Their newest initiative, commUNITY Action Fund, aims to raise $1 million to give back to local and national community organizations that have been actively working to dismantle racism.” —Linda Chau, CEO, PAAPR

“Hornbach’s 2019 ad depicting an Asian woman aroused by the scent of a white man’s dirty laundry was incredibly insensitive and distasteful. This ad strikes a nerve, especially in light of recent events, and is a painful reminder of historical trauma that many Asian women have endured. The narrative centers around the perceived desirability white men have over Asian women, and touches on how, historically, Asian women have been fetishized as the perfect domesticated wife. It is that sort of conditioning that robs Asian women of their selfhood and allows racists to project their ignorance.” —Kaleb Sindac, Graphic Designer, Bakery

“Spotify’s ‘Stop Asian Hate’ campaign was incredibly meaningful, especially during this tumultuous time. Music has a long history of transcending barriers and blending cultures, and Spotify used its platform to connect with listeners by showcasing Asian artists and amplifying organizations supporting the Asian community.” —Kim Nguyen, Dagger

“I can’t forget the burst of emotions I felt when watching Xfinity’s 2019 ad with artist Kim Jung Gi deftly maneuvering each brush stroke to depict Asian faces in all types of professions. The media tends to stereotype Asians as holding only boring white-collar jobs, but I see myself coming to light in his art as a creative, a hustler, an Asian American storyteller who brings passion and moving ideas to better our society.” —Hung Lang, Blue Chip

“In 2020, two campaigns made admirable efforts to properly frame the epidemic and fight bias—the Ad Council’s ‘Fight the Virus. Fight the Bias’ and W+K’s ‘Call It COVID-19’. More recently, New York's Transit Authority updated its anti-hate public messaging campaign to specifically remind people to look out for possible hate crimes and to not stand by for intolerant acts. It’s a small thing, but it reflects what we need more of from organizations and businesses.” —Maddie Dao, PMG

“Nike was one of the first major brands to recognize the rise in anti-Asian violence and bias, publishing a post shortly after Lunar New Year condemning racism. A social media post won’t fix the problem. However, considering the minority experience in America is feeling invisible and being made to feel like our problems aren't problems, receiving solidarity from a significant, global brand early on validates and sheds light on the AAPI community's real experience with racism.” —Kitty Tsang, Ready Set Rocket

“Ajinomoto’s Take Out Hate campaign brought attention to a new expression of racism that took hold during COVID-19. People were avoiding Chinese restaurants, which were closing at double the rate of others. The campaign rallied viewers to order Asian takeout, effectively asking them to check for unconscious bias. I can’t help but appreciate that this came from a manufacturer of MSG, which is vilified despite being used in many classic American snacks.” —Michael Chen, RPA

“SK-II’s Change Destiny campaign, produced by Forsman & Bodenfors, is definitely worth noting. While this touches on a specific social issue in China around ‘leftover women’ who have not yet married after the age of 25, the stories they highlight resonate deeply with the experience of Asian communities and Asian women in particular. This campaign does an excellent job of challenging the narrative that Asian women are here to serve, and instead acknowledges their right to live their lives in full control for themselves without the validation of societal pressures.” —Kaleb Sindac, Bakery