Anti-Indian call centre ad dumped

Melbourne, May 9 (UNI) An advertisement allegedly vilifying Indian call centre has been ordered off television screens by the South Australia state regulatory body.

South Australia based company Royal Automobile Association (RAA) withdrew the offending commercial after the Advertising Standards Board adjudged it to be 'racist'.

The RAA ''Which deli?'' advertisement, made to promote their local call centre, reportedly showed an Australian actor talking to an Indian call centre operator based in New Delhi.

The Indian operator manages to misunderstand Australian's description of a car accident near his local deli. The actor playing the Indian call centre operator also suggests in his sing song accent that they catch up ''for a curry and a pappadum'' in New Delhi.

The RAA advertisement was on air for nine months, before being withdrawn after a complainant alleged that the television commercial degraded India, as providing bad service.

The advertisers did not agree with the majority decision of the Board as the advertisement was stated to be ''popular'' with the viewers.

RAA Public Relations Manager Adam Thomson told the reporters after the ban that the RAA was ''offended by the implication that one of its successful and popular television advertisements was deemed to contain inappropriate material.'' He cited the market research to emphasise that the ''Which deli?'' advertisement was in fact popular with viewers.

The Advertising Standard Board was not unanimous in finding the RAA advertisement as 'racist'. The voting held, to decide on the fate of the commercial, ended in a tie and the chairman had to use his vote to upheld the complaint and stop 'racist' ad from being telecast to the South Australian viewers.

The majority of the board reportedly agreed that ''the advertisement, by emphasising the Indian race and location of the operator in connection with a portrayal of poor service, with a depiction of material, vilified Indian call centre operators.'' UNI XC AD GC1219