Maid in bad taste
Television commercials are sometimes irritating, but often entertaining. Now and then, however, one comes along which manages to convey the wrong message in the process of selling its product. A recent sight on our TV screens is an ad for a shopping website, that features a domestic helper who says that the family she works for is into saving money. In closing, she smirks, “Washing machine? Madam asking toh no, main askoongi na… toh click click.” On the last word we see a smiling man apparently e-shopping. Apart from the infuriatingly demeaning word “askoongi” which we doubt exists in any Hinglish lexicon, no matter how informal, there is the very clear message the ad sends out — that the head of the household will buy a washing machine if the maid asks for it, but not if the lady of the house wants it.

Previously, ads which cast domestic helpers in a negative light have been criticised — such as one that showed a maid stealing a mobile phone. The implication in this ad also does domestic helpers a huge disservice, and we are only surprised that organisations such as the National Domestic Workers’ Movement (NDWM) for example have not condemned this ad and called for its removal.