When one thinks of racism, the thought is often accompanied by the image of cotton

farms in the Old American South or segregated bathrooms in the 1960s.The truth of the
matter is that, currently racism, slavery and white supremacy are all concepts that seem to be
a thing of the past to most; issues that were of relevance years ago, and have since been
eradicated by human progress. The mentality that has emerged is that, because African
Americans are not seen in chains, working in plantations or having to use race labeled
bathrooms anymore, the oppression and discrimination that this racial group has faced must
have ceased to exist. However, this mentality is often proven far from right. The reality is
that the black community still faces many challenges today. Discrimination and racism,
though not as blatant as they used to be, are still concepts that are visible to us not only in
current events and news, but, surprisingly, also in the marketing world.
In 2007, the Intel Corporation, one of the most notorious manufacturers in computer
chips and processors, released and advertisement for their Core 2 Duo Processor. The ad
seems normal, even amusing, at first glance; it shows a well-dressed man in a typical office
environment, surrounded by several runners that appear to be preparing to sprint. The slogan
for the product appears at the top of the advertisement, above the well-dressed mans head,
and reads MULTIPLY COMPUTING PERFORMANCE AND MAXIMIZE THE POWER
OF YOUR EMPLOYEES. However, upon closer inspection, one begins to notice that
theres something unsettling about Intels processor advertisement; the runners are all the
same African American man, for example, and their sprint starts look more like submissive
bows to the

well-dressed white man. The ad, it turns out, is not as innocent as it once

seemed. By looking at Intels Core 2 Duo Processor advertisement, one can see how it
unashamedly discriminates the black community and promotes white supremacy. This is
important because it serves as a reminder that racism is neither gone, nor solely subjected to
newspapers and current events; instead, it is being used in marketing and sold to consumers.

The first aspect of the Core 2 Duo Processor advertisement that hints towards
something deeper than just product promotion, is the general picture that it portrays. The
well-dressed white office worker that looms over the African American sprinters represents
the first step towards understanding the themes of racism and supremacy that coat this ad.
Typically, a work environment follows a type of hierarchy; there are machines, there are
workers who use the machines, and there are leaders who are in charge of the workers, for
example. Yet, the figure that most are familiar with is that of the boss; a man who is in
charge of everything and everyone within the work place. Commonly, this figure is
portrayed, be it by imagination or mainstream media, as an intimidating man in fine clothing
who holds a sort of authoritative stance. In the Core 2 Duo Processor ad, it is precisely in
this way that the white man is presented to us. The man stands firmly in what appears to be
an office. His cross armed stance is one of pure authority. His wrinkle free, button down shirt
and beige dress pants show an individual who is clearly at a higher rank than those who
surround him. The man is a molded figure of a leader; the embodiment of one of the
highest ranks in the work hierarchy. To the mans sides, on the other hand, are the six African
American sprinters, who represent a completely different rank; that of the worker or a
machine. They lack the fine clothing that the white man has, and are, instead, clad in
spandex. They are not standing proudly, but appear to be in a squatting position, as if ready
to begin a race. However, under the white mans powerful stance, their squats become kneels
and bows; more of a position of submission, than that of an athlete who is looking to
MAXIMIZE POWER. The combination of all these elements create the advertisements
final result, which sends a powerful image to the consumers. The image of a white man who
stands proudly as the workspaces leader, while his workers, all African American men,
bow down to his dominance.

Nonetheless, the Core 2 Duo Processor advertisements overall portrayal is not the
only aspect of this ad that promotes discrimination and white supremacy. As the famous
idiom states, The devil is in the details. Upon careful inspection, one can notice several
technicalities that, though they may seem irrelevant, play a crucial role in the development of
the ads controversial themes. One of these, for example, is the fact that there is not much
diversity amongst the men that portray the sprinters. In fact, there is no diversity at all. It
would be a logical approach for the runners, who are meant to represent the office
employees, to be portrayed by people of different genders, racial groups and ethnicities. In
reality, work environments are hardly ever monotonous, and are actually praised if they are
places of high acceptance of diversity and cultural mixtures. In Intels advertisement,
however, all six of the runners are represented by the same muscular black man; the only
difference is his location in the office space. Not only is this highly stereotyped, as it portrays
the African American man as the sole embodiment of the laborer, but it also deprives the
black community of identity. According to the ad, there is no need to have various African
American men portray runners, as one is suffice for all the roles. By doing this, the Core 2
Duo Processor advertisement chooses to label and generalize a whole racial group, instead
of, at the very least, portraying them as the individuals they are.
Another detail that plays an important role in the degradation of the black community
by means of the Core 2 Duo Processor advertisement is the implications that accompany
the products slogan. By stating that through the use of Intels new processor, one can
Maximize the power of an employee, it is as if Intel is referring to the laborer, in this case
the African American man, as a mere machine that requires an upgrade. It establishes a
vision in which the worker is a sort of tool for the boss, or the white man in Intels ad, to
exploit at his own will. The advertisement portrays the employee as a source of power and
service, instead of a living human being. This does not only objectify the laborer, but it also
alludes to a slaver mentality; in which dominant individual can look at another person and
see only profit instead of life and equality.

Finally, through what has already been discussed it can be noted that Intels Core 2
Duo Processor advertisement makes subliminal allusions towards one of the darkest
moments in world history. The vision of a white man who exploits and possesses authority
over an African American man, who has been deprived of his individuality and identity, is
one that humanity is very familiar with. This ad appears to transport the modern consumer
back to a time of slavery. Times were the supreme white man would proudly stand amongst
injustice and oppression without batting an eye. Times were dominance was stated by the
color of someones skin instead of by their intelligence or integrity. Times when the African
American community was viewed by others only as a way to gain profit. Times that were
thought to have been left in the past, but are still ever present; lurking in the corners,
disguised as processor advertisements.