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Haitian Ad Agency Creates Campaign Around 'Shithole Countries'

Jan. 18, 2018
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3 min read
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Haitian Ad Agency Creates Campaign Around 'Shithole Countries'
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During a White House meeting on January 11, President Trump stated that immigrants from Norway would be preferable over immigrants from “shithole” countries like Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations, according to several reports.

According to The New York Times, when Trump heard that Haitians were among those who would benefit from the proposed immigration deal, he dismissed the idea and asked: “Why do we want people from Haiti here?"

The president's remarks provoked swift condemnation from citizens (and allies) from those nations, including Haiti. One creative, from an advertising agency based in Port-au-Prince, is now using the president's remarks to promote the image of the place he calls home.

Fabien Dodard, a Haitian-born creative director, has started a “shithole"-themed ad campaign for Haiti. Dodard is looking to raise funds to place the ads on billboards in Washington, DC; each ad will feature images of Haiti's landscape, beaches and locals with headlines like “A majestic shithole awaits” and “Our shithole beaches go on for days.”

Dodard told Ad Week that it was the presence of the Haitian communities on social media that sparked the idea behind this campaign.

"The contrast between the word and the images being posted was quite powerful, and that was the seed of the idea. Now, in terms of making a campaign out of it, that was driven by our willingness to change the narrative around our country," Dodard said.

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This campaign is not a Haitian government initiative or its tourism agency; the campaign initiative is solely based on the efforts of Parkour Studio. For Dodard, this campaign is less about Trump and more about addressing the public about the beauty and culture of Haiti.

"We didn’t want to just make Haiti seem like a great vacation spot. This was bigger than that. We wanted to talk about the culture and people and our pride in both as well. That’s why we have executions that aren’t just about the beaches and waterfalls, but feature our native population in a positive light," he said.

Contributors can make donation via a GoFundMe campaign.

Photos courtesy of Verdy Verna and Parkour Studio

H/T Ad Week

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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