The Metropolis

Heathrow's latest advert is really horrible

Mike Pollitt | Tuesday 1 November, 2011 12:50

BAA have bombarded Westminster tube with adverts publically urging the government to let Heathrow grow. We can only imagine the lobbying that’s going on behind the scenes.

Above is one of their adverts subvertised by someone who gives a shit about the environment. It originally said “Only Heathrow brings growth to our doorstep”.

Tough issue, no easy answers. So I’m going to focus on the advert’s very unpleasant assumptions about our role in the world. See how Americans are potential “customers”, while sub-Saharan Africans are “opportunities”. Scandanvians? Oh customers, definitely. Iraqis: big fat opportunities.

In the small print there are more “opportunites” and “customers” scattered around all over the place, but the message taken from a first glance is grim. That messaging matters. It looks like something Palmerston might have had on his desk in the middle of the 19th century.

Ugh.

Photo: @Climaterush

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