Italian rail company lambasted for 'racist' web commercial

[dipsydoodle]

The idea was never going to be an easy one to sell. Italy's state-owned railway corporation, Trenitalia, decided to replace the traditional first and second classes on its high-speed trains with four categories.

And since the occupants of fourth-class will not be allowed to use the on-board cafeteria, or even set foot in carriages reserved for better-off passengers, it was already facing accusations of introducing a form of segregation. By Wednesday, however, the company was preparing to defend itself against claims of outright racism.

Its problems arose after the release of a web commercial designed to get travellers used to the new reality. The top tier, executive class, was illustrated by businesspeople at work in a special conference room. The next best, business class, was depicted temptingly empty. Premium had a couple taking drinks from a trolley pushed by a uniformed hostess. And standard, the most basic class, was illustrated with a picture of a black family.

Attention was first drawn to Trenitalia's video by a blogger, Alessandro Gilioli, on the website of the weekly L'Espresso, and it soon triggered a torrent of complaints. "Grotesque" and "This is called racial discrimination" were among the more polite comments on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/04/trenitalia-racist-commercial-pulled

[southernyankeebelle]

1. The Italian train system is terrible and always late. Nightmare is the real word to describe a

train ride. Never again will I get on their trains. The fuckkeynose (that is how you pronounce a porter in Italain) that I just happen to ask a question was very rude. Never again.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

2. Sorry you had a bad experience

I can tell you in the 15 years I lived there and all subsequent 24 years I've visited family and part-time lived there I used trains on a daily basis and I seldom had problems with the trains and their timeliness.

I have also used Amtrak and I definitely did have issues with the train's cleanliness and timeliness (or lack thereof) but I know that they are terribly and undeservedly underfunded.

I'm not sure about the 'facchino' ('facchini' is the plural), but a lot of them are not necessarily fluent in English and usually are not the best people to ask anyways. I'm pretty sure a lot of people would be rude to me if I asked them a question in a language they don't or may not understand.

As to the ad, it is indeed terrible and I have read the various criticisms of it. I've used the high speed trains as recently as April and I was very happy with them. It is a shame that there are going to be four classes of service but the system needs to make money somehow and this is one of the many ways it can.

[southernyankeebelle]

8. Oh I love Italy. I have family living there also. I just don't like the train system compared to

the German train system. Now it was that way a few years back. I don't know how it is now.

[beac]

3. I've had quite a different experience to yours on Italian trains.

Yes, they are sometimes late and sometimes crowded, but mostly they are an inexpensive and reliable way to get around a beautiful country. The Italian bus system is also very nice (not at all like our American horror show on wheels), so you might try one the next time you visit.

And porter is "fah-kee-noh" not "fuckynose". Many Italians speak English and most know the word "fuck". Did you call him "Fuckynose?" Perhaps that explains the rudeness?

[southernyankeebelle]

6. I have family living in Italy. My mother was from Italy. My train experience the last time

was awful. We I was a little girl we often travelled back and forth from Germany to Italy by train. My momma would fix meatball sandwiches and buy drinks on the train. It was so much fun. Years later when my husband and I lived in Germany we went to visit my relatives in Italy by train. We should have arrived by 5:00 pm in the evening. We didn't get there until 3:30 in the morning. Never again. I'll either fly or drive. Now going by train in Germany is pretty good. Trains are always on time. Don't get me wrong. I love Italy and if I could I would buy a home there but the trains are terrible. That was my experience. I am glad yours was better. I pray you never experience it again. I don't do buses. I don't do buses anywhere. I get sick very easy. Yes even car sick but at least you can stop when you want.

[Snake Alchemist]

4. try the Japanese trains then

Last edited Wed Jan 4, 2012, 11:08 PM - Edit history (1)

If they are a minute late, people become very perplexed. It's practically unheard .

[southernyankeebelle]

7. Oh I couldn't be on one of those trains being packed like sardines. No way.

[Snake Alchemist]

9. That's a bit of urban legend.

Usually there is just as much room as NY. Japan is really something else. You can go just to experience the people. It's quite a 180 from average America.

[southernyankeebelle]

10. Must be interesting place. I never had a desire to visit an Asian country. I do like some of the

food. Its just I have lived on and off in europe and I have my Italian relatives in europe. But who knows maybe someday.

[bitchkitty]

12. Japan is wonderful. If you go,

see Hakone.

[southernyankeebelle]

13. Thanks for the tip

[beac]

5. What a stupid and terrible ad.

It amazes me when something so obviously wrong makes it past the several layers an ad has to go through before airing without anyone realizing "Whoa, that's bad!"

Really hoping it was rank stupidity in this case, but racism is a problem there as much as here in the States. Glad Trenitalia got called on it.

[AngryAmish]

11. If only they had a guy in charge of the country who could make the trains run on time...

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

14. LMAO...

there are still some older Italians who will say "... but at least he made the trains run on time!"