Sexism and violence in advertising

HejiraNYC · #2 04-29-2013, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

So, I came across this today. We've heard about sexism in advertising for decades - but when you see it all laid out like this...It's almost disturbing.

One could make the point that humans are wired for sex - it's the meaning of life, right? To find a mate and reproduce - it's what *all* living things are created to do. However, the implied violence in some ads is unessecary, and I'm not sure what point some of these companies are trying to make. Rape is sexy and cool? Uh....no. The best part of this video is the end...a little role reversal, indeed.

http://www.upworthy.com/the-people-w...aining-to-do-6

Yes, those print ads from a bygone era are appallingly sexist. Otherwise, I didn't find much of anything else that I found particularly sexist. Are women "sexualized" to sell products? Sure. But when you're selling intimate women's products (perfume, undergarments, lingerie, etc.) to other women, I don't think it's particularly tasteless or degrading. I mean, what's wrong with Kate Moss being modestly naked in a Herb Ritts photo? And if you're selling bras, you're pretty likely to use models wearing bras in your ad campaign! As for the men's products using sexualized images of women, I think there's a vague borderline that comes into play when violence is intimated. Otherwise, I don't see a problem with it.

I think the role reversals in the video were cheap shots. Sure, they looked pathetic, because they used the pastiest, flabbiest hipster guys to make their point. If you put, say, Channing Tatum naked in a perfume ad, it would probably sell a lot of perfume!

On the other hand... the most obvious sexism in advertising today is regarding cleaning products. I can't remember a single cleaning product that featured a man mopping up spills or Swiffering around the kitchen floor. Sure, there are guys who present the product in the commercials, but they are usually disembodied voices, or men who just stand there while the woman does the wiping/mopping.