An advertisement created for a local grocery store chain on the island of Crete is going viral and my personal inbox is getting filled with commentary from my friends and some strangers after I posted it on my Facebook page as a “must see” video.
The commercial is for INKA, a chain of local grocery stores in Hania that support locally grown produce and products. Created by a talented group of folks at the production company Indigoview, the spot features a scene from World War II and the German occupation and a family listening to a radio report announcing the German invasion of the island encouraging resistance.
At the end of the ad, when German-speaking invaders are at the family’s door, the supertitles state:
“Back then, we resisted.”
“Today, the enemy has changed shape.”
“INKA encourages that we select local products from local businesses”
“We give our children work.”
“INKA, we prefer local products.”
No doubt a powerful message— and a controversial one for many.
A dear friend derided me for supporting this “borderline racist” message and was shocked that I found the commercial to be amongst the best that I have ever seen.
“You should support local produce,” he wrote. “You shouldn’t make anything foreign be the enemy. The concept alone is shocking and borderline racist,” my friend wrote.
I explained to him— and many others who felt similarly, that I respectfully disagreed and that it was the intention of the ad to stir and provoke the local population into action. Crete (and all of Greece, for that matter) is facing an existential threat and any attempt to support local farmers and local products is a good one— even if it takes the viewer back to World War II when the threat was a different one.
Others shared the video, calling it “brilliant and provocative” and another friend who lives in Hania said the ad reminded him of the importance to “shop local”.
Bearing in mind that the ad was produced for a local population and a local chain of grocery stores on Crete— I’m curious to hear everyone’s feedback on this issue and encourage comment, below. Is this “borderline racist” as my dear friend believes? Or was this ad “brilliant and provocative to a point that reminds me to support products from my region and country” as another person wrote?
Watch the video and share your feedback below. Curious to see the debate unfold.
[vimeo id=”92212066″ width=”600″ height=”350″]
