There’s a catch phrase in the environmental movement that says “Think Globally.   Act Locally.”  Global advertisers might be well served by doing  the reverse.

Of course companies selling internationally need to localize their messages to appeal to regional and national markets.  But they must also think globally. 

You have to assume that any ad, no matter how/where it’s targeted, can and will be seen by anyone, anywhere.

So, while Yum Brands (owner of KFC) pulled the ad in Australia, they seem to attribute the problem not to the content of the ad itself, but that  

“a KFC commercial being shown on Australian television has apparently caused offence, particularly in the United States, after a copy of the commercial was reproduced online without KFC’s permission.”

Indeed comments following the first ad, above, have said “you dont understand cricket or Austrialian Culture.”  Okay, so maybe you could give that one the benefit of the doubt, albeit a poor choice.

But, clearly not when coupled with this ad below, from Korea, featuring black, West Indian “savages” soothed by their civilized Korean captive, when he magically produces fried chicken for all.

Just a note about the ad content–while the lesson is that advertisers should anticipate response from anywhere to any ad, regardless of target market, that doesn’t excuse racist content to begin with. 

What do you think?