[By Guancha Observer Network, Chen Sijia] "Is the French Ministry of Agriculture causing controversy while avoiding it?" According to a report by French newspaper *Liberation* on April 15, an email shows that the French Ministry of Agriculture has put forward controversial revision suggestions when producing organic food advertisements. They requested the advertising company to select white actors instead of mixed-race actors and replace North African traditional dishes with French traditional dishes.
The French Ministry of Agriculture plans to broadcast a TV advertisement promoting organic food on May 22 to boost the consumption of French organic agricultural products that have been struggling since the inflation crisis. Under the supervision of the French Ministry of Agriculture, the advertising company The Good Company is responsible for making this advertisement, mainly showcasing a French family enjoying organic food.
According to the report, in an email dated April 7, the office of Minister of Agriculture Anne Genova made a series of modification requests for the advertisement. She requested the advertising company to "select white actors" in the first scene and replace the North African traditional dish Couscous in the family gathering scene with the French traditional dish Cassoulet.
French Agriculture Minister Anne Genova Visual China
This email did not mention the originally planned actors by the advertising company, but the slides provided earlier by the advertising company showed a photo of a mixed-race actor.
The French Ministry of Agriculture did not deny this report. They told Agence France-Presse: "The campaign is aimed at everyone, and one of the requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture is to involve all French people." Regarding the choice of dishes, the French Ministry of Agriculture explained: "What the Ministry of Agriculture did was just to ensure that the diversity of organic and local products was equally represented."
The modification requests proposed by Genova quickly sparked controversy. A French industry representative involved in the campaign told *Liberation*: "Some requests left me puzzled, even uncomfortable."
Another source said that during the preparation stage of the advertisement, the staff had already decided to include Couscous in the gathering scene. This dish has not only become a popular cuisine in France but also helps showcase different types of meat. She said that the Ministry's request has "racist undertones," which was shocking.
However, for these controversies, Laure Verdeau, head of the French Promotion and Development Agency for Organic Agriculture, responded by saying that she believed "the diversity of French people was reflected in this event."
According to other emails obtained by *Liberation*, The Good Company reported to the French Ministry of Agriculture that Couscous in the advertisement had been replaced with Cassoulet. However, due to the fact that the advertising company had already pre-selected and mobilized all the actors, the cast could not be changed. The company refused to respond to the media's request for comments, citing confidentiality clauses.
This article is an exclusive contribution from the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7493717801731981824/
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