1 March 2002
John Li

To coincide with Chinese New Year and to re-launch their new range of South East Asian cuisine, Sainsbury's has produced an advert. And yes you guessed it; it re-enforces all the usual stereotypes of Chinese culture and people. In some ways I welcome the fact that Sainsbury's decided to have an advert with a "Chinese feature" to coincide with Chinese New Year. It is good commercial recognition of Chinese shoppers and it recognises the appeal of Chinese food.

However, in the advert Jamie Oliver does high kicks over woks, while attempting to cook Chinese food and at the same time he tries to speak Chinese, but all he does is make high pitched sounds that attempt to mimic the Chinese language. Just because there is a female voiceover who speaks perfect Cantonese at the end; it does not excuse his actions and the fact that he mocked the way that Chinese people speak.

These aren't my intimate friends having an irreverent laugh with me; they are strangers trying to sell their products on TV. It isn't funny and that is certainly not how Chinese people behave. In the advert he may be doing his usual comical routine, however this time he does it to get a cheap laugh at the expense of Chinese Culture and people and I am not laughing. I can take a joke but it is not funny when stereotypes are used, which are derogative and tasteless.

The advert lacks sophistication and in my opinion, is not done in a tasteful manner. I have seen other adverts that have advertised Chinese products without using the usual stereotypes, so why does Sainsbury's feel that it is acceptable that they should? As a general observation it is interesting to note that when other ethnic foods are advertised, undermining stereotypes are not used in the adverts. This is because it would cause an outcry. So why do it to the Chinese, is it because we are well known for being meek and quiet?

As a person in the public eye, Jamie Oliver, is a role model re-enforcing the fact that it is acceptable to mock Chinese culture and people. This is covert racism done under the cover of a comical routine that is borne out of stereotyping and ignorance of my culture and people. It is not a message I wish to be sent out to the British public.

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