Georgetown Ford Dealer Regrets Using Racial Slur to Peddle Cars

A dealership in Georgetown has found itself in the middle of a public relations debacle after it was caught making racist comments in an effort to sell more cars.

Attempting to show off the fancy air-conditioned seating in its Lincoln vehicles, Mac Haik dealership ran the headline "Tired of the Wet Backs????" at the top of an email ad that was distributed to over 1,000 customers last week.

Among these customers were members of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, who, not surprisingly, took offense to the distasteful (and over-punctuated) headline.

Execs at Mac Haik placed the blame on the dealership's general sales manager, whom they promptly fired, and promptly made a public apology after meeting with the Hispanic Chamber.

"We would like to assure everyone that immediate action was taken against those responsible for writing and placing the subject advertisement," said Haik General Manager Michael Winot. "I did not see that ad, and when it was shown to me, my first reaction was 'No way!'"

Image from Statesman

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Allen Y Chen in News on October 3, 2007 12:02 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

truecraig

Bigotry in Georgetown? Scandal!

smason

1. You're being pedantic.

2. You're baiting me, but I'm an idiot and I'm going to reply anyway.

No, because he's not using a epithet, he's simply stating his back is wet. But if you were in the same situation and instead said something like "I wish I could do something about these wet backs" and gave your listener a sly wink and nudge, then you're fucking racist.

guest

So when my co-worker comes into work when his AC is out in the car and says "my AC is out and my back is all wet from the ride" should I infer that he's a Mexican who swam across the border? I mean, he did call himself a wetback right? According to your logic that is...

guest

Except that "Where my dogs at" is untimely and this one, while not PC, is at least relevant to a lot of people's feelings. Not that they're right or wrong, just that illegal immigration is a hot topic right now.

smason

I think the fact that it was "Tired of The Wet Backs????" should be enough to convince anyone that the headline was overtly racist, playing on the recent explosion of xenophobia. I don't know how you can honestly believe what you're saying when you defend the ad under the guise of the PC police being overly sensitive.

On the same note, it seems odd to me that I'd be reading an article condemning racist advertising while a BT advert runs in the sidebar featuring an illustration of a Chinese take-out carton with the subtitle "Where my dogs at?"

guest

I guess it's like the n-word? You can't say it if you're white but it's ok to say if you're in the racial group being marginalized by those words? I actually like the ad. It made me giggle. It's stupid, sure, but it's also aware of it's own stupidity rendering it silly.

guest

Let's just say there is a Hispanic owned taco rest. in town that highlights it "wetback" burritos and tacos on their menu. Maybe people are a little too PC nowadays? Personally, I found that creative; its sort of like someone saying something about a comment being dirty when you didn't mean that at all. They're usually the dirty mided ones, maybe you're the racist ones if that was your first thought?

guest

HAH!

Oh. Sorry.

hee-hee-hee.

guest

#2, allegedly the ad was meant to refer to the fact that the new air conditioned seats would eliminate the problems we as Central Texas drivers often face with sweating through our clothes even while sitting in our cars. I fail to see how anyone with even one ounce of intelligence would think that headline was harmless or just a bad joke that wouldn't have serious repercussions once the "send" button was clicked. People really scare me sometimes.