Caixa engages in self-criticism. And Machado was black.
The institution pulled the TV commercial off the air; in a statement, the bank apologized to the entire population and, in particular, to movements linked to racial causes; the advertisement portrayed the "wizard of Cosmo Velho" as white; check out the video.
Agência Brasil - Caixa Econômica Federal announced that it has suspended the airing of an advertisement in which a white actor portrayed the writer Machado de Assis. In a statement signed by the bank's president, Jorge Hereda, Caixa "apologizes to the entire population and, in particular, to movements linked to racial causes, for not having characterized the writer, who was Afro-Brazilian, with his racial origin."
The advertisement was part of a campaign commemorating the bank's 150th anniversary. The statement said, "Caixa reaffirms that, throughout its 150 years of existence, it has always sought to portray, in its advertising, all the racial diversity that characterizes our country. This policy can be seen in many of its communication actions, some carried out in partnership with and with the support of social movements and the Secretariat for Policies and Promotion of Racial Equality (Seppir) of the Federal Government."
"Caixa was founded with the mission of being everyone's bank, and has never discriminated between the poor, the rich, whites, blacks, indigenous people, men, women, young people, the elderly, or any other social or racial difference," he added.
On the 19th, Seppir also released a statement regarding Caixa's campaign, lamenting that Machado de Assis was represented by a white actor. "A completely inadequate advertising solution that contributes to the invisibility of Afro-Brazilians, distorting personal and collective evidence relevant to understanding the literary personality of Machado de Assis, his work, and his historical context," the secretariat stated.
According to Seppir, the episode occurred at a time when Seppir and Caixa joined forces to develop "a cooperation agreement that involves, among other things, aspects related to the representation of black people in communication actions."
SEPPIR reported that it received a complaint about the advertisement through the National Ombudsman for Racial Equality. Requests for action were then sent to the president and ombudsman of Caixa Econômica Federal, the National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (CONAR), the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office.
In this statement, Seppir requested the correction of the video production, as a way for Caixa to acknowledge "the mistake" and consider "the dialogue it has maintained with society throughout its institutional trajectory."
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