"Natural" Representation of Asians in Advertising Advances

Living in multicultural, coastal cities such as San Francisco, the "natural" inclusion of Asian characters in advertising doesn't seem like a big thing. But for mass advertisers to give the middle of the country something other than karate experts and Chinese laundrymen is certainly a step forward.

Bill Imada makes note of this with some good examples in his recent AdAge article:

AT&T, Priceline, Walt Disney and IKEA are just a handful of the many marketers who have included Asians in their commercials. And unlike the past, these Asian actors have roles that don't perpetuate or accentuate some of the tired stereotypes that have plagued Asians and Asian Americans for decades.

I particularly enjoy the Priceline ad, in which William Shatner continues to amuse us by sending up his own bizarre self, and leaving the viewer to identify completely with the other characters in the ad, regardless of their ethnicity:

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