Here is an advertisement from Banco Provincia in Argentina that features a prejudiced old man and a transgendered woman. The bank’s tag line: “Your life changes when there is a bank disposed to change.” Initially, I was doubtful, but concluded that there may not even be an ounce of cynical manipulation. Watch the ad and see what you think.
One interesting note: the man uses the female formal form addressing her.
christao408 
It’s an interesting ad. I’ve always been cynical about banks. It would be interesting to see if the bank does play a role in social change in Argentina.
@ElusiveWords – Yeah. Research trip to Argentina! Question: have you noticed a decreased volume in Xanga posts? I feel like there are a lot fewer posts these days, generally speaking.
Well, you and a few (e.g. Zakiah) continue to be very consistent. But a lot of my subscribers have decreased posting. I wonder if it’s the pressures of work or just a loss of interest or other priorities.
@ElusiveWords – Yeah, I’m curious about it. I certainly don’t expect tons of posts – most of the time (when not on vacation) I am happy if I can get two or three entries written a week. But I sense that fewer people are writing. I’m sure in Sheldon’s case, it is a matter of school and moving into the new condo. That would be enough to keep anyone busy!
Yeah… I think Steve is buried in work. Jason has been pretty regular too (I’m sure he’ll see this comment). I too would be happy with two entries a week. I think I’ll have to write about this.
Bank meets soap opera? Interesting none-the-less.
@ElusiveWords – Hahahah…it’s called Twitter Young’ns these days… :-
The whole slogan makes the commercial weird though…I don’t know…it’s a positive message, but in a brainwashing kind of way…It’s like pairing conditioned stimulus in a Pavlovian kind of way
@ElusiveWords – What I mean to say is people probably posted less because they use twitter.I just had a conversation today with a woman in her 50’s sitting next to me about it.She talks about how the younger generation are using twitter a lot, and it’s replacing blogging, since most of the people have no attention span for more than 100 words.I thought it’s interesting, and it really made me think about how my resistance to use such new technology may one day render me as an “old timer” who’s not with the times…So I might sign up for twitter to check it out…but I don’t really think I would want to twit anything… :-
@Wangium – interesting, is the attention span that short nowadays? How will they survive a university course and some of those mind numbing lectures? I have day long planning sessions. (well I don’t survive those either).Uhm… I better turn this blog back to Chris.
I liked this video a lot Chris. How sweet of the man, to acknowledge his mistake. I know its not about him but about the bank and the social change etc, but the more people see such ads and videos, I think they will become more broadminded.
Actually it is almost midningt here, but you have started a new day. so the mini wishing you a good morning.
Like I said on FB, I find it really interesting. Intense and subtle at the same time. I don’t know if you remember the Indian ad of ING that I posted… irrespective of whether they live up to the ad or not- the ads do make us feel good/hopeful.
@ElusiveWords – It’s the magic of adderall or however that drug is spelled
@ElusiveWords – @Wangium – No, it is a fascinating conversation, no worries about hijacking it. I can’t tell whether Jason (who just turned… gasp… 30) is considering himself a young’un or not. In any case, I have to wonder just how connected I need to be. Is it a form of narcassism that someone needs to constantly be writing about what they’re doing every few minutes? Is it a form of coddling that they need constant feedback and gratification? No doubt the world will change in many ways to favor these shorter attention spans but there are some important skills – the ability to sit in silence and reflect, for example – that will be lost.
@Wangium – Yes, I was a bit skeptical of the message but at the same time, couldn’t really find anything to be cynical about. It seems sincere.
@Dezinerdreams – Yes, it does remind me of that ING advert you posted.
@ZSA_MD – Thank you for the “good morning” mini. Yes, I suspect that there is a subtle scheme underways by the leftist pinko commie liberals. They infiltrate the airwaves with these “diversity is okay” ads, tv shows with gay characters and openly gay actors, and news reports of Kansan-Hawaiian-Kenyan presidents… and then slowly we’ll come to think that such a world is okay! What a horror!
I actually didn’t like the commercial. I can’t picture something like this ever happening because of a bank. Then again, that’s not America lol
@Rm2046 – Oh, I suspect things like this don’t happen because of banks anywhere. But it is the first time I’ve seen such a sympathetic portrayal of a transgendered person in an advertisement, especially in one for a country known for its machismo.
good to me.
@yang1815 – I think there is a Nebraska bank that is running a similar commercial. Something along the lines of, “It happened it Iowa; don’t let it happen here.” =)
@christao408 – meh?! hmmm… I guess I DVR everything so I rarely watch commercials haha…