Quiznos Feeds Stereotyping
This post is partly about the battle against mountaintop removal coal mining and entirely about ignorance.
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One may look at the title to this post and wonder what in the world could Quiznos possibly have to do with mountaintop removal coal mining? My answer to that would be nothing but, in my opinion, their latest commercial has everything to do with the battle to stop this destructive form of coal mining.
I firmly believe the battle to save our homes is made tougher by folks perception of what it means to be a hillbilly. Quiznos has a commercial airing right now that leaves no doubt to what that perception is.
If you will notice at the bottom of the screen it states Dramatization: Do Not Attempt. Only hillbillies would do something this ignorant… right Quiznos?
It is things like this, in the 21st century, that leaves me wondering what in the hell is wrong with people today? Do you really think hillbillies are that ignorant and that we make hot tubs in our yards over an open flame… seriously?
I believe this is one of the main reasons the battle to save our mountains is all about the environment and nothing about our home. Unless we can get past true ignorance such as the Quiznos commercial we may never stop mountaintop removal coal mining.
For the record, this is a photo of a hillbilly hot tub. Does it look familiar to you?
I emailed Quiznos in their comments section and this commercial is right on their front page. I asked them if they would depict Blacks, Indians, Mexicans, etc in this light and if they wouldn’t why not? I said that “hillbilly” is a derogatory term just as bad as kike, wetback, nigger etc. I also said that if they dared depict these groups in this light then the ADL and Southern Poverty Law Center would be on them in a second. Everyone reading this should email Quiznos and tell them they are offended by this commerical. IF everyone would say something I guarantee you they would remove it. I am tired of rural america being the only group that can be discriminated against in the USA.
I just saw your “hillbilly” ad. You have lost a customer. I will never have another of your delicious sandwiches. Whoever okayed this idea should be fired.
Thanx for commenting on this. Being from West Virginia the commercial made me pretty mad the first time I saw it.
I’m quickly reaching the point where the things that people do/say no longer surprises me. My surprise has evolved into expectation. I think in some parts of civilized society we are moving so obviously far in the wrong direction we had may as well be walking backwards. That’s just sad.
Hey Denny! Long time no see. I was in a blog break for a while, but now seem to be back pounding the pavement again after settling in to my new shack in Hollydale
Is that your hot tub? (( the blue one ))
To tell you the truth, I did not know people refered to “themselves” as hillbillies. I always that that that was more of a term used by early settlers that lived in towns. This coming from someone that has lived in a Minnesota suburban area all his life.
In any case, this certainly does not make me want a Quiznoes Sammi.
Hey Speedcat good to see you. I have been away from this blog as well and still am kind of. I’m hoping Quiznos came to their senses. I haven’t seen the commercial for a while now.
Here is a copy of the e-mail that I sent to Quiznos. I sent this 2 weeks ago and I have now started calling them looking for a response.
Your current commercial that depicts two actors sitting in an old outdoor bathtub, heated by an open fire, referring to it as a “hillbilly hot tub” is deplorable and a blatant display of an unacceptable ethnic slur against a group of Americans.
How dare you, in today’s ethnic and racially sensitive world, attempt to be humorous at the expense of a certain group of people. Your high paid advertising execs should display an inherent sensitivity and educated sensibility toward all groups of people at all times. Would these same execs dare attempt to show African Americans, Asians, or Hispanic in a sterotypical and derogatory light?
Your ad evokes a negative stigma against all Scots-Irish people in our country. It is sickening and highly offensive. My ancestors were proud people who settled in the Appalachia mountains. They were -and still are- a hard-working group of Americans who have put up with this type of stereotyping and societal bullying long enough and your company, Quiznos, is perpetuating this disgusting form of bulling.
A household word such as Quiznos needs to be part of the solution to end this prejudicial behavior by offering a public apology for your ethic slur against the Scots-Irish population of the United States of America.
I highly recommend that in the future, your high paid ad execs do their homework and advertise your product in a positive light without having to depict a group of people in a derogatory way.
Respectfully yours
Ron Morgan
Definitely they lost a customer. The idea is so lame and should never be approved.
IF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN A QUIZNOS FRANCHISE PLEASE LOOK AT THE TYPE OF BEHAVIOR THAT THEY CAUSE FOR YOU ONCE YOU SIGN THEIR “QFA”
I ASK EVERYONE TO READ THIS WITH RESPECT TO THE WRITER WHO IS NO LONGER WITH US AND HIS FAMILY:- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
The entire stucture of this company from a legal/Corporate view is based and built from a DECEPTIVE lie!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way there is an understanding that they were also behind the cause of several other suicides as well- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
Life goes on and we pass through
Days of sunlight days of tears
It’s the way life comes to you
Foolish wasting precious years
I am not a fool. My wife is not a fool
I even refuse to call myself gullible. I am not a gullible. My wife is not a gullible
We trusted in Quiznos. They promised us success, help and everything else to get us to buy into the
“dream” they were selling. They had a private secret unannounced agenda! To trap you and screw you,
the franchisee!
We are not fools. But, we have been fooled
We are like so many others who also bought into this dream and lost a substantial portion of their life’s
savings.
Countless individuals and families have been destroyed. Even some lives have been lost
I have struggled hard and did the best I could to create a voice for the franchisees in the system and to
create a “support system” for the franchisees, which does not exist, and to fight the injustices of this
franchise system (Quiznos). Not to bring the system down, but only to make it fair.
I hope my efforts will not go wasted. I hope the government will look into the systematic deceitful
business practices of this franchisor. A serious investigation must be undertaken
It’s been a tough battle
I have been dragged through the legal system for over 18 months by the immensely superior financial
might of the franchisor, which will continue to keep justice from coming to me, and to the hundreds
and thousands of franchisees who are trapped similarly in the system and are slaving for this
franchisor, and those who have bought into the franchise agreement, and not yet become store
operators
I have spent and sacrificed my time, money, family life. I thought of an option to leave the system
quietly and fade away, but now I choose not to do that, and instead let the struggle go on
My struggle will continue after my sacrifice.
Some one must do something about what Quiznos is doing to the trapped franchisees. Everything they
do is in their own self interest, with utter disregard for the interests of the franchisees, to who they sold
the “dream” and put into business, only to screw them systematically from day one
The press and the media must bring out the atrocities Quiznos is carrying on with.
In this franchise system the Franchisor has all the rights and no duties or obligations, whereas it is just
the opposite for the Franchisee, which is the franchisee has no rights, no remedies, only obligations
I have not been able to think well, eat well, for the past one month
My health has been going down very fast
My mental capacity, to think, to work, and carry on my daily activities normally, is severely
diminished
I cannot survive like this much longer
Quiznos has killed me. Destroyed my life. Destroyed my family life for the past seven years
It has been a harrowing experience. We just could not get out of it. All doors were shut
Can some one stop this?
Can the government stop this Quiznos from destroying peoples lives? They have defrauded me and
they are defrauding people. See my law suit (complaint) how they defrauded me from the very
beginning, and then continued their systematic defrauding through out the period, until we left
They retaliated against me for trying to create a voice for the franchisees in the system
We were abused, we were manipulated, we were exploited,
I deeply regret getting in to Quiznos. I wish I had never heard of them
Can the media stop this?
CNN we need your help. Nancy Grace, please help! Glora Alred? Who else?
KTLA, LA Times, OC Register Please
How can a common individual like me and those like me in similar circumstances, there are thousands,
with limited resources get justice?
I believe there will be justice. But it will be too late for me.
There are a large and growing number of us who believe, unreservedly, that the handful of people who
own and/or otherwise control the Quiznos Corporation should spend the rest of their lives in prison.
The Quiznos Corporation is just one of the most egregious in what they do, but the entirety of
franchising in America is open to this kind of abuse. The IFA (International Franchise Association) is
the umbrella entity that, along with individual Franchisors, has enough money and power to buy the
legislation that protects the Franchisor, and exploits the Franchisee. Fair and just legislation, that
would level the playing field, never sees the light of day. Senators and Representatives, primarily
Republicans, continue to sell hard working Americans down the river. STAY FAR, FAR AWAY
FROM THE QUIZNOS CORPORATION. THEY ARE CRIMINAL IN WHAT THEY DO. And treat
any Franchise System with deep suspicion
Signed: Bob Baber