Has the call to ‘Un-Steve Yourself’ gone too far?
Steves around South Africa are up in arms about FNB's latest advertising campaign.
According to a Sunday Times report, the Advertising Standards Authority has received 20 formal complaints about First National Bank’s latest ad campaign involving the ‘Steve’ persona.
Mpumi Mda, ASA spokesperson, had this to say about the nature of the complaints: “Most of the complaints were that the campaign is offensive as it insinuates that all people with the name Steve are stupid or financially declined, and that children with the name Steve will be ridiculed and bullied as a result.”
FNB has issued a ‘Dear Steve’ letter which claims that “if your name happens to be Steve, we want to say that we have absolutely nothing against you, or your fine name.” The letter goes on to state that “the name Steve, has come to represent a person in his or her personal or business capacity who displays certain, shall we say, banking ‘blockages’.”
There has been further criticism of the Steve ads on Twitter, with a user going by the handle @ProudlySteve expressing their disdain at the campaign. His tweets consist of pictures of famous Steves from around the world in an attempt to get FNB to stop their campaign.
@RiaadMoosa Help us stand up for Steves all around SA & please RT!#FUFNB#iamsteve#proudlysteve pic.twitter.com/IiOgmXg5N8
— I.AM.STEVE. (@ProudlySteve) November 18, 2014
@PeteGW Help us stand up for Steves all around SA & please RT!#FUFNB#iamsteve#proudlysteve pic.twitter.com/Qfpr7mLdwV
— I.AM.STEVE. (@ProudlySteve) November 18, 2014
Lately, however, the call to ‘Un-Steve Yourself’ hasn’t been directed at FNB’s Steve, but at another Steve entirely…
Dear white SA…do yourselves a favour and #UnSteve (sorry #FNB) yourselves…..support the cause of Mzansi's no 1 puppet @chestermissing.
— MM Mazwi | M3 (@IamMM_Mazwi) November 28, 2014
SA #UnSteve yourself… Go sing to the Penguins rather Steve. #racistsgettingfired @thesundaytimes pic.twitter.com/EC8DJx2qeN
— Charmaine Harvey (@char_harvey99) November 30, 2014
@chestermissing @steve_hofmeyr Maybe get Oom Dan to explain it to you in monosyllables…eerr simply #unsteve
— Gavin Foster (@gavd51) November 29, 2014
Is there a way for @steve_hofmeyr to #UnSteve himself?
— Nicci⁷💜 villain era (@Nicole_458) November 28, 2014
@Radio702 @steve_hofmeyr @gwalax @chestermissing @KoketsoSachane Time to #unsteve yourself Steve.
— Marlon Moon (@Moonbuck7) November 28, 2014
@chestermissing says #FNB must help #unsteve #stevehofmeyer @Powerfm987
— Tsile Maswanganyi (@TsileSwangs) November 27, 2014
https://twitter.com/CharlesKhuele/status/538002923213844480
@chestermissing has won his gag case against the RACIST @stevehofmeyer. Hofmeyer must #UnSteve himself #Asijiki comrade Chester #puppetcase
— Sifiso Mvelase 🇿🇦 (@MvelaSifiso) November 27, 2014
@ANN7tv soon he #stevehofmeyer will have to take 80% of #SA to court for protection order he becomes a laughing stock #jokemania #unsteve
— Andrew (@morenamosesi) November 27, 2014
Is your name Steve? Are you offended by FNB’s latest series of ads? Tell us on our Facebook page, or connect with us on Twitter – @CityBuzzJHB
