Unless you have only seen T.V. with ad block on your computer and have managed to keep your eyes away from magazines and billboards, it will come as no surprise to you that the media industry has been called sexist towards women since the beginning of print media. Of course many of us have seen the old ads from the early 1900’s, such as this one below, which reassures customers that the catsup bottle is not just for men.
Who knew women also had opposable thumbs and a enough arm muscle to open that cap?!
While the media has made some improvements since the days before the public realized women had opposable thumbs and enough arm muscle to open a small cap, our ads are still not free of sexism or objectification. And, of course, as time has progressed, our means of communication and advertisements have also, therefore, there are more opportunities than ever for companies to release ads with less than acceptable content.
So here’s a list of some of the top ads from 2015 where advertisers failed women.
1. Well first of all, since so many people are aware of the sexist content in the American Apparel ads, let’s start there to get it out of the way. American Apparel’s mission statement for their U.S. stores includes, “To make great quality clothing without using cheap ‘sweatshop’ labor and exploiting workers.”
Believe it or not, this is a clothing ad not the alternate cover for 50 Shades of Grey.
After looking at these ads, perhaps someone should change this excerpt of the mission statement to include “. . . without using cheap ‘sweatshop’ labor and exploiting workers, but exploiting women. Because exploiting women sells.”
2. This ad, released by Bloomingdales, brings hope to many aspiring advertisers in the same way that Kristen Stewart brings hope to aspiring actors. Aspiring actors often comfort themselves by saying, “Well if Stewart got the lead in Twilight, I’ll make it in Hollywood!”
3. Luckily, this next ad, released in June of 2015, was not prominent in the U.S. but it did go viral. The Sri Lankan brand, Triumph, issued a public apology shortly after the ad was released in newspapers and received heavy criticism from followers and even celebrities. Triumph’s apology stated, “We accept that it was a major lapse of judgement and process on our side.” You think Triumph? You think?
4. While we often think that sexism is used in the media because “sex sells,” sometimes sexism in the media is downright pointless and ignorant. In August of 2015, The Associated Press, a renowned, multinational nonprofit news agency came under fire when they released this Tweet.
The Associated Press was slammed for demeaning Amal Clooney’s job title from human rights lawyer to “actor’s wife,” as she is married to George Clooney. But let’s be clear for a minute here, Associated Press, we know there are only 140 characters at your disposal on Twitter so it is important that you get your audience all necessary information via minimal words. In 140 characters you were able to tell us that according to you it does not matter what a woman achieves in life because she will only be known as “the woman married to . . . .” (in less than an hour the Tweet was edited and removed the reference to George, human rights lawyer’s husband)
5. In May, FORTAcloud Tweeted this image. The problem so many people had with it is that FORTAcloud does not sell lingerie or any type of clothing for that matter. Therefore, using a photo of a half-naked woman on a bed to sell their Monday promotion seemed not only sexist but out of nowhere.
After the offensive Tweet came out in May, FORTAcloud defended themselves by Tweeting “I don’t believe it falls under the definition of sexism. Sorry if we offended you.”
6. This Bic ad might be my personal favorite simply because it makes me laugh.
“Look like a girl, act like a lady?” How does the model look like a girl and not a lady when she is obviously over 18?
“Act like a lady, think like a man?” Why not act like a lady and think like a lady? That’s done pretty well for me so far.
“Think like a man, work like a boss?” That’s it I’m buying Paper Mate from now on!
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