In the Dec. 16, 1996 issue of Playback, an ad appeared for Fujifilm on page 13. The ad shows an open videocassette with a Fuji videocassette in the case. On the top inside of the open case is printed, ‘If it were an employee’. On the tape label is printed, ‘It would never get silly at the Christmas party. Or ask for a raise. It would never rudely interrupt. Take maternity leave. Take paternity leave. Take leave of its senses. Take a lunch. Loaf at the water cooler. Fall asleep at a meeting. Miss a plane. Or a deadline. It would not have messy affairs. It would have a clean desk. Fuji Pro Video. Simply More Advanced.’

I am wondering who this ad might be aimed at. Managers who consider employees to be liabilities as opposed to assets perhaps? Aren’t managers employees? Who in the human race has not done any of the items listed in the list. Are you target marketing robots or human beings? Humans read the ad, make the decision to use your product and on and on. Human beings. Get it? Human beings with faults, yes, but humans who are also professionals who bring imagination, creativity, spark and soul to a production. Machines can’t do thatyet.

This ad reinforces many stereotypes about managers and employees.

Managers in North America aren’t rubbing their hands in anticipation of greater profits when machines replace employees are they? If so, won’t that be a great place to spend your working day?

I personally resent your inference that employees are not reliable. Your ad implies that your videotape is reliable and employees are not. Please stop promoting the North American myth that humans are born and bred simply for production and consumption purposes.

There are more important things in life than work. Such as maternity, and paternity, and socializing around the water cooler, and yes, even being silly at the Christmas party. And in this world copywriters shouldn’t have to sell their soul to earn a living.

wayne m. bernier,

television instructor,

ctsr program,

department of applied arts and sciences,

southern alberta institute of technology, calgary