Qantas Causes 'Blackface' Outrage on Twitter, Some Say Reaction is 'Silly'
Australian airline Qantas has apologized to its followers on Twitter after posting a picture of two men in blackface as part of a marketing gimmick.
The airline, which sponsors the Australian Wallabies rugby team, held a Twitter contest that awarded two tickets to fans who came up with the best idea to show their support. The winners said they would dress up as player Radike Samo - an Australian of Fijian heritage – with oversized afro wigs and black make-up on their faces. The airline then took a picture and posted it on Twitter, PerthNow.com reported.
"Looks like our Twitter winners of the Bledisloe Cup tix lived up to their promise! Good work," the airline tweeted on Sunday.
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After a twitter backlash with many people saying the photo was offensive, Qantas took down the photo and apologized.
"We understand it caused offence to some people, which is why it was removed. We are really sorry if it has upset anyone," the tweet read.
"We are apologising to those who found it offensive, obviously it was not our intention. Just meant to show their support of Radike."
Stephen Ryan, chairman of the New South Wales Aboriginal Council, which fights discrimination against Australia’s aboriginal peoples, condemned the marketing stunt. "It is hard to believe that a company that has used Aboriginal iconography to try and improve its image didn't know that this could easily be construed as racist,” he said.
Samo, who posed in the picture controversial photo with the contest winners, said he was not offended.
"These guys were actually paying me a tribute,” he said. “It was a bit of fun and I think it's great they regarded me as their favorite Walllaby.”
"I didn't have an issue with it at all. I was glad to be in a photo with them so I don't know why anyone is getting worked up - that sort of reaction is just silly,” he added.
