I love this time of year because it is time for the “year in review,” where every media outlet offers best and worst lists for your reviewing pleasure. It’s a time to look back and reflect on some of the truly awful ways the media has depicted gender over the last year.
Second Innocence has a Most Sexist Ad of the Holiday Season Competition running, which is already producing some sexist gems from throughout the year. The blog actually includes one of my recent picks, while the comments section brings up old faves like the “Technophonic Minnie Draughter.” Second Innocence also offers a great link to Copyranter, a whole site of hated ads, so I thought I’d take the time to throw together a few of the most appalling picks from there and elsewhere for your end-of-year enjoyment.
1) “What’s even funnier than the absurd notion that a Hearts on Fire diamond will buy you monogamy (or that diamond purchases aren’t so frequently given in penitence for the sins of infidelity) is that really all it says is your man is a sucker… Basically, this diamond costs you about 30% more, but there is no actual value added by the branding. In other words, it’s just a scam.”
2) “Is it just me? Or does this print ad for P.Diddy’s new fragrance seem, well, wrong? Unforgivable Woman? Really?”
3)”These John White shoe ads are wrong wrong wrong!”
4)This bathroom installation put together by Arrive Alive to discourage binge drinking seems problematic. “And why does she have to be…wearing a G-string? Because only SLUTS get drunk, stoo-pid!”
5) “Racks have been exploited to advertise pretty much anything and everything…And now, a cutesy-though-ample, metaphoric one is used to ostensibly sell a Pittsburgh pool hall’s ‘ladies night.’”
6) According to the Diamond Trading Company, women and their opinions of you are for sale.
7) The universal language of sexist beer ads.
8) “See, her husband/boyfriend hasn’t viciously assaulted her, resulting in the death/loss of her unborn baby. It’s just a little harmless joke.”
9) “Where dreams have room to grow.” Because girls like cooking, cleaning and laundry…
10)…and “Boys are Built Different.”
Just look how far we’ve come this year! Anyone else have some sexist ads they’d like to add to our 2007 list?
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seven comments
Oh, I'd forgotten about the 'boys are just different commercial' - that one irritated me when I saw it too.
But... some of these ads are just hideous!
With so many choices, it will be hard to chose a worst.
Oh, and thanks for the link - it is nice to get noticed by women I admire! ;)
Posted by la pobre habladora
December 20, 2007, 2:08 PM
This was my fave comment in response to the Monogamy Diamond ad:
"Fear of cuckoldry is the diamond market's best friend! Because she'll cheat on you if not distracted by constant sparkling. Or perhaps the idea is that her chasing of other tail will be slowed if she's wearing a sufficiently heavy rock?"
Lovin' the snark. Fantastic.
Posted by Stacey May
December 20, 2007, 2:19 PM
I was wondering if anyone from Ontario could tell me if this is an actual TV commercial, because I am having a hard time fathoming this one...
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=806_11...
Posted by John
December 31, 2007, 7:29 AM
Maybe a small something for counterbalance?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NojPi2...
Posted by Catherine
December 31, 2007, 12:04 PM
That Manogamy Diamond ad makes me think of Kobe Bryant. Remember, he got his wife fancy jewelry after that hotel maid incident. Anyway these are pretty bad ads. The John White one makes me wanna barf!
Posted by Sexy Sadie
January 3, 2008, 5:43 PM
I agree that sexism in advertising should be recognized. However, the advertisement you show for about.com isn't saying what the editor seems to think it is, the kicks in the stomach they're talking about are the baby's. When someone gets pregnant they gain weight and they can feel their baby "kick", the happy face on the mother, and the fact that the ad says she "loves it" informs the viewer that it must not be an unpleasant thing. In fact, maybe it says something about the editor that the first thing they thought of when reading that advertisement was abuse. When you turn everything you see into a sexist battle it perpetuates sexism, it doesn't end it.
However, all the rest of the ads were dead on
Posted by Kyle
February 24, 2009, 5:14 PM
posting in support of Kyle - the "getting kicked in the stomach and loving it" does refer to having a baby kick, it's not an attempt to make light of spousal abuse and assisted miscarriage. It could be phrased better - I guess it's one of those things that is immediately associative depending on whether or not you've ever personally experienced it. Moms will go "haha, yes" and everyone else goes "jesus, what?"
-R
Posted by Rachel Lewis
May 19, 2010, 1:39 AM
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