Bambi has earlier posts about the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and the Deutsche Bank and the obsession with diversity. They are shown below, if you are interested in reading them. Today, she would like to share a positive impression and interaction she had yesterday at a branch of the CIBC in the nearby province of Nova Scotia.
Unfortunately, Bambi does not have a picture of the promotional material in question, which is decorating the wall of this branch. She could not find it online for you. However, all what it shows, if Bambi recalls well, is a senior woman with a cute Golden Retriever. While doing her transaction with the friendly and competent teller, Bambi pointed to the picture at one point. She made a comment about the cute dog. Being a big mouth sometimes, she could not help not to add something like the following: Bravo for this beautiful natural picture. Despite the good intentions, such pictures are much nicer because they are more natural. Not pushing to include in the shot someone with a darker skin or an adult, or even a kid, with a veil to show someone who would be Muslim or Arab or whatever (like in the older post below).
Following the visit to this bank and town, Bambi returned home with hope for more common sense, balance, and authenticity, in our approach to diversity in life. In her mind, anyone of this bank’s customers can be touched by a cute dog, like a Golden Retriever, or that lady in the picture could have been Bambi’s mom or grand-mother [had Bambi been younger : )]. Yes, she related to her as an aging human being. She also identified with her as a woman perhaps at a different stage of her life (Bambi would be there too in a few years, if she lives until then). She also saw in her another fellow customer or Canadian citizen. Bambi did not care to know if that lady had blue or black eyes. Actually, she cannot remember that detail now. Same for her skin colour, white hair, darker or red hair, hat or veil or maybe just a nice hairstyle.
All what Bambi liked was the authenticity of the picture. With the latter, she could relate. With the latter, she also aspires to identify with hopefully until her last breath. Just being whom we are and not being “used” in a picture or in/by a movement, whether to score a point or to silence a different point of view.
To conclude this post, well done CIBC. Please keep it up. Today that lady may or may have not looked like Bambi’s mom. Tomorrow, it may be more like her. Perhaps with a tanned or a black skin. Perhaps with more weight on. Perhaps with a veil or a cross. Perhaps this lady’s spouse will also join her in the picture. He may have a kippah on his head. He may have a “Tarboush” (Lebanese traditional hat for men). He may be totally bald. If he seems authentic, she will also say: Welcome and thank you for this advertising picture!
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