Since when do we need a man with his head in a woman's crotch holding her nearly bare ass in the air to sell cough drops? I keep trying to imagine the same commercial with the genders reversed and the man similarly unclothed. It just wouldn't happen.
I also can't imagine that there was a woman in the board room when this advertising was pitched. America loves dancers! Look how smoking hot the babe is! Isn't the sexual innuendo funny? Men would use Ricola if they would just buy them! Let's write a commercial that will get mens' attention! AH HA HA HA HA HA!
My guess is that this was a European ad tooled for the American market. If so, next time they ought to consider the might of the female American consumer, and that she doesn't like to be treated like a piece of meat to sell cough drops.
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Comments
mimetalker, this was the first time I had seen it. Ugh.
Deborah, when will they get it that women make most of the buying decisions?
Good daughter-- it's almost that crass, isn't it.
Akopsa, me too. I was so shocked I didn't believe what I was seeing.
Joan, none for me, either!
JK, me too. And to make things worse, I saw this while watching "The Jane Austin Book Club" on Lifetime. So some idiot thought this would appeal to women and paid for it to be played at least three times last night.
David, you can do better than this sophistry. If you're trying to make a point about spreading sexism by posting its images in order to comment on them, then do so. 'Cause you know, no one on this site uses TV, DVR's, satellite, or the internets, where such things can be looked up in 30 seconds, regardless of whether I post them or not.
Does posting a photo of the President with a bone through his nose perpetuate racism? It's all in the context. If it's on a tea-bagger's blog decrying the president as a non-citizen, then yes, probably it's racist. If it's on a blog decrying the use of the image, probably not. I think my context is pretty clear, above.
My neighbours, all female, thought it was hysterical. I think you are reading WAY TOO MUCH into this one commercial, or you have some serious body image issues. What's next? will you write to the IOC and tell them to put burkas on the female figure skaters? the gymnasts?
Do you glue fig leaves over statues at your local museum to prevent their exploitation? I detect a green eyed monster rearing it's ugly head. The Gain commercial was stupid.
But I can see how this Ricola commercial could be threatening to someone with issues and insecurities. My fabulous butt and legs in ads helped pay my college tuition. I never felt exploited, I had the biggest laugh cashing the checks! My advice, stop watching TV and You Tube. Start looking in the mirror and figure out why you are such an angry person! No one ever put an angry woman on a pedestal, only the kind, the smart, the brave and the beautiful. It's a freaking funny commercial, get over it.
Personally, seeing a figure skater's half naked butt in the air with a man's head between her legs , just doesn't put me in mind of buying cough drops. I am just having trouble making that connection. So, my conclusion is that not only is the commercial insipid, sexist and in very poor taste, it also isn't particularly good at selling the product.
There are commercials that everyone likes but that move no product, usually because they don't leave someone with the right mental image to later trigger them to make a purchase decision at a critical time. This could well be one of them.
May I make a final observation. There is NOTHING on this earth more desirable and cherished than a good woman. And there is nothing more hellish than a bad one. Fortunately, I had a good one for 33 years before cancer claimer her life, and in a way, mine.
are a bunch of left leaning, liberal, Obama loving misfits that are
not fit to vote in any election. You obviously are so narrow
minded that you couldn't look at any issue impartially. I think
I will call Sarah Palin and tell her goodnight and go to bed! I
feel nothing but pity for you poor souls. Do us all a huge favor
and NEVER vote in any election. Leave the voting to the normal
people.
Joe Hill
Shall I write a monologue about how sexist it is when the manufacturers of home-cleaning products make every ad look like the husband and kids are complete morons who are incapable of taking off muddy shoes or using a paper towel....and that the Mom is the only one in the house who's got a brain in her head?
Yeah. I'm sure there are plenty of men in the boardroom when those commercials are chosen.
This offensive sexist ad has convinced me to dump them..and persuade everyone I know to do the same.
I just want to quote what the OP said in reply to a little criticism "Wow David and Leslie, thanks for telling me what's good for me, as you obviously know better than I do. David, turning off the TV will do nothing to stop the media's over-sexualized portrayal of women"
I had to chuckle at this, since telling me what is good for me is EXACTLY what this blog post is all about. She's all in a huff about a little skin (ashamed of the human form) and fearful of a women's sexuality. Typical middle american prudish response I guess. But the hypocrisy is that she's trying to tell ME how wrong and evil this commercial is and how it doesn't belong on MY television. But she clearly knows better than I do, as do all the comments.
Sorry the dancer isn't wearing a dress down to her ankles. Or better yet, suit pants (women shouldn't have to wear dresses that's sexist)
And yes, turning off the tv and deciding things for YOURSELF is the best course of action if something offends you. But of course that's not enough, you want to censor life for everyone else as well.