Arab-American Groups Calling Coca-Cola Super Bowl Ad Racist (Video)

by John Beattie on Thu, Jan 31, 2013 at 2:29PM

What happens when you mix a thirsty group of cowboys, a bus full of showgirls, maniacal Mad Max characters and an Arab walking camels through a desert?

The folks at Coca-Cola call it a commercial. Arab-American groups, however, call it racist, according to NBCNews.com.

Start by watching the commercial here:

Abed Ayoub, director of legal and policy affairs of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), is unhappy with this particular multimillion-dollar Super Bowl ad, asking: ”What message is Coke sending with this?

“By not including the Arab in the race, it is clear that the Arab is held to a different standard when compared to the other characters in the commercial,” he says.

The ADC, which made headlines back in 1992 when it complained that lyrics in the animated film Aladdin were racist, isn’t alone.

“The Coke commercial for the Super Bowl is racist, portraying Arabs as backward and foolish ‘Camel Jockeys,’ and they have no chance to win in the world,” Imam Ali Siddiqui, president of the Muslim Institute for Interfaith Studies, said in an email to NBCNews.com.

CBS, which is airing the Super Bowl on Sunday, declined to comment on situation.

Coca-Cola spokeswoman Lauren Thompson emailed NBCNews.com, explaining that “Coca-Cola is an inclusive brand enjoyed by all demographics. We illustrate our core values, from fun and refreshment to happiness, inspiration and optimism across all of our marketing communications.”