From littleredbook:
“Visa; Going out to dinner with China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan; Chinese netizens react to politically charged ad.”
It’s no secret that there’s an obvious tension between China, HK, and Taiwan; Visa uses this political balance in their latest ad to showcase the Card’s universal appeal.
In the ad,three groups of people (from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) have an argument over dinner check. All speaking Mandarin with their local accents—the man from mainland, in an almost commanding tone, “Renminbi! (RMB)” The Taiwanese provokes, “New Taiwan Dollar…(NTD)” Then the Hong Konger jitters, “How about Hong Kong Dollar?(HKD)” All of a sudden, all the guests at table go into a heated argument, with the Taiwan and the Mainland opposing to each other, the Hong Kong, the conciliatory diplomat. (Exactly parallel to the current political situation!)
Eventually our heroine waitress shows up with an idea of everybody-use-visa-nobody-use-cash solution, yet all three parties still insist in paying respectively(Of course they do). Thus, the theme of one Visa card is universal in Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan is unwrapped.
If reading between the lines, the relations of the three parties at table reflect the political relations in reality. The mainland is quite commanding, but Taiwan hasn’t reunited to Mainland, and they apparently dare to oppose Mainland publicly. Hong Kong never bear a strong nationalism and they lay their eyes on economy. Returned 12 years ago, Hong Kong has well balanced and coexisted with Mainland. Thus Hong Kong plays a conciliating role in the three. All three parties are independent in management and economy, of course they pay the check respectively.
Chinese Reactions.
The ad flipped the sensitive nerves of some Chinese netizens on www.tianya.cn (the best known and most powerful forum in Chinese-speaking network environment), who condemned that the TV ad discriminated against Hong Kong people and provoked relations among three regions. Most of the netizens reasoned the few others over reacted. The discussion wasn’t quite big though, and it seemed most people enjoyed the flavor of the ad.
Select Chinese netizen comments from Tianya, translated by littleredbook:
火白水 :
HA! Just that ad, insulted? Hong Kong people don’t have those nationalism, or jump at any poking thing.
无敌转移:
Listen OP: We are 5 times better than them, how could we not feel superior!!
热插拔事件:
Many Hong Kong people just talk in that way. If you don’t believe me, go to Hong Kong to check out yourself.
三季稻感:
OP is an idiot.The ad is disgusting, especially the big mouth girl. Her fans, don’t scold me.
犟妹子:
That pay respectively is the most funny part.
小慧的马甲:
Watched on Lvyou Channel repeatedly, till bored!
疯狂吃面:
Stupid ad, funny point= 0.
babysorry2008:
Ads need to behave themselves.
布瓜SAMA:
RMB is vigorous…
New Taiwan Dollar guy looks pussy when he starts to talk “New Taiwan Dollar~~”
Taiwan tone is soft in saying anything Hong Kong guy is just for fun here “How about Hon Kon Doll~~”
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