The Hitler Billboard - Once Again, Folks, I Don't Make These Things Up

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS:

 

for a photo of the billboard, see: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000010718

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HITLER BILLBOARD PROVOKES INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION

 

Pattaya, October 19, 2009, [PDN] a billboard of Adolf Hitler giving the Nazi salute, erected on Sukhumvit Road to advertise the opening of a new Louis Tussaud‘s Waxworks in Royal Garden Plaza, has provoked international condemnation, especially from the Israeli and German ambassadors to Thailand.

 

Louis Tussaud‘s Waxworks MD publically apologised on Sunday, October 18, for the billboard which shows the German dictator, with the caption ‘‘Hitler is Not Yet Dead‘‘ written in Thai.

 

The billboard, which has been displayed for two weeks on Sukhumvit Road, is among a number of others depicting famous dead people used to advertise the imminent opening of a new branch of Louis Tussaud's Waxworks. The display of Nazi imagery is not illegal in Thailand, nor is it anywhere near as emotive as it is elsewhere; in Germany, for instance, a similar action would have incurred up to a three-year jail sentence. The museum MD, Somporn Naksuetrong, admitted that he had received somewhere in the region of 100 complaints, as well as a protest letter from the Israeli Embassy, which prompted him to cover up the offending image.

 

Two significant individuals had apparently received negative feedback concerning the Hitler billboard, namely the ambassadors of Germany and Israel. Germany’s Ambassador Hanns Schumacher had apparently seen the offending billboard when he visited Pattaya to attend the opening of the Child Protection and Development Centre last weekend.

 

According to the Bangkok Post, Mr. Schumacher told representatives of the Pattaya City Council and the local business community that "this kind of utterly tasteless advertisement would hurt the feelings of many people.” The German Embassy was also reportedly stated as having said "It could also create negative consequences to Pattaya as a popular tourist destination."

 

The Israeli ambassador Itzhak Shoham was even more vociferous saying: "It is totally unacceptable to have such a monster like Adolf Hitler on public display. The Israeli embassy had received many complaints about the Hitler billboard.” According to the Bangkok Post, he further said "The image of Adolf Hitler and the writing underneath are not only offensive to the Holocaust survivors but also to anyone who deplores racist behaviour. They bring a chilling memory of a dictator who systematically murdered in horrific methods 11 million people, men, women and children, during World War II." Pattaya is a resort popular among Israeli tourists and to have seen such an image, Ambassador Itzhak said, would have horrified them. The embassy asked that the offensive billboard be removed immediately.

 

Mr Naksuetrong , Tussaud’s MD apologised for the offensive billboard saying "We weren't showing his image to celebrate him," according to AFP, further saying "We think he is an important historical figure, but in a horrible way. We apologise for causing any offence which was not at all intended. We did not realise it would make people so angry.” "We think of Hitler as an important person, but not in a good way," he said. The Bangkok Post reported Mr Naksuetrong as having said "In the museum we don't show him with other world leaders, we show him in the scary section." The museum, however, is considering replacing Hitler’s wax image with someone less offensive. In addition, by way of an apology, the museum is making a peace offering by giving discounted entry to the museum.

 

Editor’s comment (Pattaya Daily News Editor)

It’s not enough for Tussaud’s MD to claim ignorance about the potential effect such an image would have, especially upon tourist sensibilities. It’s high time Thais, including public officials who must also share the blame, consulted international agencies to assess the potential impact of any controversial move, especially in such popular resorts as Pattaya.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Make no mistake, I am in no way supporting, forgiving or forgetting what that maniac did, but the billboard is advertising a wax museum. Wax museums have all kinds of horrible people depicted in them. Should the museums not be allowed to advertise them?

[Guest tdperhs]

What a horrible thing to do. It could be just a gateway insult leading to worse things like showing images of George W. Bush calling out "Bring 'em on!"

 

Somewhere along the way we have to start separating paranoia from social justice.

[Guest fountainhall]

the billboard is advertising a wax museum. Wax museums have all kinds of horrible people depicted in them. Should the museums not be allowed to advertise them?

 

I have looked at that advertisement. Can anyone show me anything on it which states that it is advertising a wax museum? I can see nothing (but then I do not read Thai). From what I see, it is an image of Hitler giving a Nazi salute and the words "Hitler is not yet dead".

 

If the entire top of the space were taken up with the name of the wax museum clearly written out, that would be an entirely different matter. As it stands, I consider it a disgrace. Even if Sukhumvit Road became a gallery of monsters of the 20th century with Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, General Tojo, some African dictator responsible for genocide and their like, I'd still consider it a disgrace - unless they make 100% clear that the are advertising a wax museum.

[Gaybutton]

Should the museums not be allowed to advertise them?

I don't think it's a question of what they are allowed to do. I think it's a question of what they choose to do, whether they are allowed to or not. I think using an image of Hitler giving the Nazi salute in a billboard ad was not only tasteless, but an extremely stupid thing to do. How well received do you think such an ad would be in the middle of New York City, especially since all the caption says is, "Hitler is not yet dead"? Fountainhall is right. The ad doesn't even mention that it's for this wax museum.

 

Other than making some sort of statement saying, "I have a right to do that," I can't see the point of creating a billboard ad that any fool should have known was bound to upset people. What kind of ad is that? I would have thought the purpose of of these ads is to draw people in, not alienate and anger people. Of all people they could have used in their billboard ad, they pick Hitler? And on top of that have him giving the Nazi salute? Somehow I think those responsible didn't exactly think it through.

[Guest alaan]

Well if they did it with intention of getting maximum publicity/exposure for their upcoming business/money making venture............it would appear they have been successful......why do you consider that extremely stupid?

 

From a business/money making point of view all publicity is..........

[Gaybutton]

why do you consider that extremely stupid?

We can start with the fact that they neglected to say what is being advertised.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

There is a series of signs and it becomes clear that they are advertising the wax museum. Remember the Burma Shave signs?

[KhorTose]

I hate to disagree with one of my favorite posters, but they are just following a great American tradition of grabbing your attention. I do not find this ad any more offensive then a women with big tits, & a bikini selling beer and a fun life (that is suppose to go with it) on the beach. The truth is that the asshole (Hitler) is dead, but I am okay with anything that reminds people of this monster and what he did from a poster to a wax image. I think the worst thing we could do is to forget this bastard and the evil he inflicted on humanity.

[Gaybutton]

I think the worst thing we could do is to forget this bastard and the evil he inflicted on humanity.

Be that as it may, you'll have a difficult time getting me to agree that placing an image of him on that kind of billboard is a prudent means of remembering what he did. Besides, unfortunately the memory of what he was responsible for hasn't exactly done much to end genocide, has it? Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia, etc. all occurred since Hitler.

 

I'm sorry, but even if the fact they are advertising a wax museum is perfectly clear to anyone looking, I think they should have come up with someone else and they should have known that there was going to be negative reaction to it.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Hitler is not the only one depicted on the signs.

[mahjongguy]

..and they should have known that there was going to be negative reaction to it.

 

Yes they should have known but they apparently didn't, and I don't think it's surprisig at all.

 

If you look at any public relations / advertising agency in Bangkok you will find that the owner is some rich guy and all the employees are young kids fresh out of school with a B.A. in media. They know how to use computer design tools and how to promote an idea in stylish ways but if you ask them about the holocaust they'll go totally blank. Ask them anything about WWII and you'll see how poorly educated they really are.

[Guest fountainhall]

There is a series of signs and it becomes clear that they are advertising the wax museum.

 

There's a problem with ads which build up to their punch-line. When individual elements are taken out of context they can be misinterpreted by many and/or offensive to some. Any decent advertising agency would see the value of putting the museum's name on each billboard. It would have lessened the feelings of outrage, but in no way reduced their overall effect.

 

if they did it with intention of getting maximum publicity/exposure for their upcoming business/money making venture............it would appear they have been successful

 

Having a professional interest in part of the entertainment business, I agree to a certain extent with alaan's view. Any publicity is usually 'good' publicity - eventually! But erecting a large sign of Hitler giving a Nazi salute and telling people he is not dead is hardly the same as George Michael or Hugh Grant being caught dropping their pants. These escapades did them no harm in the long run. Perhaps they even boosted flagging careers. But remember another performer in the headlines in 2001, the actress Winona Ryder, who was caught shoplifting in LA. Is she an exception that proves the rule? Even with a Golden Globe Award, an Oscar nomination and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, to say nothing of excellent movies like The Age of Innocence, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Alien Resurrection and others in her resume, for many years thereafter she was considered box office death. No director or casting agent would go near her. Woody Allen tried, but was told he would not get his film insured (presumably in case she did it again and be jailed), a prerequisite for the investors. After 5 years in limbo, she did make a comeback of sorts - but who nowadays talks of her? To those in the world at large who even remember her, she is just "that shoplifting actress".

 

But back to alaan's point. Certainly, awareness of the museum will have mushroomed. But the mark of all good entertainment marketing is not merely to attract attention, it is to do so in as compelling a way as possible so as to persuade a potential customer to purchase the product. How many farangs, how many Thais will have been so struck by Herr Hitler's appearance as to actually make the trip to the Museum and buy tickets? I may be wrong, but I suspect very, very few. And it may well have alienated the majority of the potential customers it is trying to reach.

 

I do not find this ad any more offensive then a women with big tits, & a bikini selling beer and a fun life (that is suppose to go with it) on the beach

 

If the woman was bare-breasted, I sure as hell would find it offensive

[Guest fountainhall]

If you look at any public relations / advertising agency in Bangkok you will find that the owner is some rich guy and all the employees are young kids fresh out of school with a B.A. in media.

 

This may well be true of smaller agencies. But let's not forget that all campaigns with even a modest budget have to be approved by the head of the agency, who presumably has some expertise (?), AND the client. The wax museum can not come out of this and say "I didn't know!"

[Guest Hedda]

It's all in the best tradition of PT Barnum, regardless of what the folks at the Israeli or German embassy think. If it had been some genocidal monster like Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Mao Tse Tung, Joseph Stalin, Attila the Hun or Ghengis Khan, they probably would not have given a second thought to what's was obviously conceived as a marketing device. I suppose the next thing they'll want is the removal of any Hitler's effigy at the wax museum. Pretending that monsters like Hitler didn't exist is hardly a way to learn the lessons of history.

[Guest fountainhall]

Pretending that monsters like Hitler didn't exist is hardly a way to learn the lessons of history.

 

No-one disputes it's an advertising gimmick. I suspect that some of the other monsters Hedda mentions are also included in the museum. And I agree it is vital to keep alive the reasons why Hitler is regarded as a monster. In that case, the billboard would have been far more effective if it had included a real photo showing Hitler saluting with a heap of skeletal bodies from the concentration camps in the background. But that, no doubt, would have been offensive to public taste!

 

The real problem is less the image of Hitler and more the fact that (i) there is mention of the museum, and (ii) it is coupled with wholly inappropriate text. It does not take a giant leap of the imagination for "Hitler is not yet dead" to lead to "Hitler's ideals are still alive".

[Gaybutton]

It does not take a giant leap of the imagination for "Hitler is not yet dead" to lead to "Hitler's ideals are still alive".

I agree with that. I also disagree with the cliche that says any publicity is good publicity. Tell that to Richard Nixon.

 

I don't see a problem with having Hitler in wax inside the museum because according to the article he will in an area with other human monsters.

 

What I can't understand is the argument that this billboard is somehow providing a lesson in history or that an objection to it is somehow denying or hiding what Hitler did. Nobody is trying to pretend that Hitler didn't exist or there is nothing to learn from what he did. I'm on the side of the argument that says placing him on this billboard with that sort of caption was a wrong thing thing to do. By the logic being espoused by some on this thread, it would make just as much sense to place an image of Harry Truman or Robert Oppenheimer in downtown Hiroshima, and then say nobody realized that people might be quite upset about it.

 

I don't think the advertisers placed it there with the intent of causing controversy, thus providing them with good negative publicity. I don't think they had any idea that the ad would cause a brouhaha. I think it was a dumb idea and they should have used someone else for their ad. I fail to see that historical lessons or remembering what Hitler did has anything to do with this issue. Again, from among all the historical figures they could have chosen, they had to pick Hitler?

[Guest mauRICE]

If the entire top of the space were taken up with the name of the wax museum clearly written out, that would be an entirely different matter. As it stands, I consider it a disgrace. Even if Sukhumvit Road became a gallery of monsters of the 20th century with Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, General Tojo, some African dictator responsible for genocide and their like, I'd still consider it a disgrace...

 

Agreed - how dare they. Such advertisements only serve to sully Pattaya's pristine image as a mecca of hedonism and debauchery - a haven for fugitives, drunks, derelicts and the politically correct but socially dysfunctional, served by whores with angelic hearts. They should have put up a billboard for Habitat for Humanity instead.

 

http://www.habitat.org/how/christian.aspx

[Gaybutton]

Such advertisements only serve to sully Pattaya's pristine image as a mecca of hedonism and debauchery - a haven for fugitives, drunks, derelicts and the socially dysfunctional, served by whores with angelic hearts.

You mean you don't see Pattaya as a "family oriented" city? Well, don't tell the mayor. Wouldn't want to disappoint him . . .

[Guest fountainhall]

I also disagree with the cliche that says any publicity is good publicity. Tell that to Richard Nixon.

 

On instructions from my then boss, I once had to place a call to Spiro Agnew, Nixon's disgraced former Vice President - on Christmas Day of all days. I was tempted to ask if he'd wanted some PR advice - but thought better of it

[Guest fountainhall]

I see from thaivisa that not only has Herr Hitler been covered up, he has been removed from the exhibition and the Museum has apologised. Apparently the others featured on the billboard capaign were Bruce Lee, Mahatma Gandhi and Michael Jackson. One other monster of sorts in that lot, but what a dumb idea to link all four. I trust the Museum fires the ad agency.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

OK, now let's get them to do the same with the pedophile.