Is Coke Racist?

A Coca-Cola Super Bowl ad depicting an Arab walking through the desert with a camel has angered Arab-American groups who've described it as racist.

The ad shows the arab waling through the desert; He sees a giant coke and just then, other groups emerge (Cowboys, Las Vegas showgirls, and a bike crew modeled after the post-apocalyptic marauders in the 'Mad Max' movies) and race by him towards the bottle. In the ad, Coke asks viewers to vote online on which characters would win the race.

However, the online site does not allow a vote for the Arab.

Warren David, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimionation Comittee (ADC) said "Why is it that Arabs are always shown as either oil-rich sheikhs, terrorists, or belly dancers?"

Imam Ali Siddiqui, President of the Muslim Institute for Interfaith Studies, said in an email, "The Coke commercial for the Super Ball is racist, portraying Arabs as backward and foolish Camel Jockeys, and they have no chance to win in the world."

"What message is Coke sending with this?" asked Abed Ayoub, ADC’s director of legal and policy affairs. "By not including the Arab in the race, it is clear that the Arab is held to a different standard when compared to the other characters in the commercial," he said.

While CBS declined comment. Coca-Cola spokeswoman Lauren Thompson said Coke took a "cinematic" approach with the ad, employing the characters as a nod to movies of the past.

"Coca-Cola is an inclusive brand enjoyed by all demographics," she said in an email. "We illustrate our core values, from fun and refreshment to happiness, inspiration and optimism across all of our marketing communications."

Is this a cool ad, or is everyone being unnecessarily sensitive?

Perhaps Coke would've done themselves a world of good by putting the Arab in the vote. If he wasn't there to pander to some hidden racist ploy, then why put him in the ad at all, if he wasn't going to be voted for, some say?

Seems like a reasonable argument to me.

While the bickering goes on back and forth, one group said it would ask the beverage giant to change it before CBS airs the game on Sunday before an expected audience of more than 100 million U.S. viewers.