http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/got-controversy-milk-campaign-helps-men-deal-pms-214103675.html
According to this Yahoo! article, some people are up in arms about the new milk campaign. The campaign suggests that milk helps men “deal with PMS.” That is, the calcium in milk helps reduce the symptoms of PMS, so if men get their women to drink it, they reap benefits such as not being blamed for everything when their women are premenstrual.
I don’t know about you all, but as a milk drinker, I don’t want to think about menstruation when I’m enjoying one of my favorite beverages. Regardless of the fact that some people, particularly women, will take offense to this ad campaign—and rightfully so—it just doesn’t strike me as an effective strategy in the least.
I’d love to know your thoughts on this particular campaign. Also, if you can recall any ads that you found offensive (current or old) please share them. I’m sure they’ll generate some excellent conversation. (Maybe that’s all advertisers ultimately care about: if people talk about their ads, they talk about their products and more people probably then buy the products!) Uh oh, is my post giving advertisers what they want?!
Those are pretty offensive to me, especially given the texts. LOL, I guess if I'm going to be offended by these constructions of premenstrual women, I ought to have the decency to be offended by Old Spice constructions of masculinity.It's interesting to consider the variation in my own point of view, but the perspective of the ads is telling as well. I guess one question I'd raise is whom those commercials are for. I mean overtly OS addresses women and milk addresses men, but does it really? Are men watching the OS ad through the eyes of the women that are being addressed, and are women watching the milk ads through the eyes of the men?
ReplyDeleteThis is an absurd ad. As a man, I am constantly dumbfounded by how advertisers appeal to me as being a "stupid consumer". I am tired of them treating me like a caveman (sorry Geico).
ReplyDeleteAs someone who respects women, this equally offends me and I know that my wife would be super pissed if she saw this advertisement. This depicts women is such a horrible fashion and is completely disrespectful.
Yes, Ben, this is exactly what the advertisers want but I won't tell if you don't.
It takes a lot to offend me, but anytime I see an ad that depicts men as being only interested in beer, sex, and sports drives me insane. I'm so much more than that but apparently that is not interesting.
I agree, Steve and Ben, this is exactly what they want. I kind of looked at that ad and wondered why? Was that necessary?...but then again, it would probably catch my attention.
ReplyDeleteGoing off of what Steve was saying, "This depicts women in such a horrible fashion and is completely disrespectful..." I would agree. However, we see this every day. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned the billboard on Route 30 for an Air Conditioning Company that reads in HUGE words... "YOUR WIFE IS HOT." and then in really small print... the fact that it is a air conditioning ad. Before this class I probably would have just giggled and kept driving. But because of this class... I was stunned and I notice more and more ads like this everywhere.
There is a commercial that gets me every time. Its a frozen pizza commercial but the guy is a bigger guy sitting outside with his buddies while his wife is serving him the pizza. But the commercial depicts the man to be stupid because he doesn't know that the pizza is not delivery.
I could see how this would offend you Steve! Because I am offended that women are depicted in sexual terms ("your wife is hott") and serving men.