Saturn Electronics Inc., the German company that came under fire for releasing an advertisement on German television and online channels that involved the trampling and burning of the Jamaican flag has reportedly pulled the commercial in the wake of continued backlash from Jamaicans and apologized.
According Outaroad.com, the initiative was taken after consultation with Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jamaican Government. A letter reportedly addressed to Jamaica’s Ambassador to Germany, Joy Wheeler stated in part, ” we must nevertheless take note of the fact that the humorous approach we selected has led to some misunderstandings in Jamaica and among Jamaicans living in Germany. We sincerely regret this and would like to apologize if we have angered or offended anyone with our ad.” Additionally the letter states, “at no time was it the company’s intention to offend the national sentiment of the Jamaican people,” and that it was meant ‘tongue-in-cheek.’
The Jamaican Government has reportedly accepted the company’s apology in a letter of response. In a Jamaica Observer feature, Reggae artiste Barrington Levy who had put his signature to a licensing agreement with the company for use of his song, ‘Murderer‘ in the advertisement said he had no knowledge that “the visual would involve offensive use of the Jamaican banner.” As Levy puts it, “they could have found a different method” to go about it.
Issue Resolved
Mistakes were made and acceptance of that mistake acknowledged by the company and acted upon. So what’s the word? One Jamaica
#1Love
By: Sophia McKay
Source: OutaRoad.Com
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