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Bad ads: No pigs (porcine or male chauvinist varieties) allowedWe probably all share a love-hate relationship with commercials. Good ads, while still trying to sell us something, can be inspiring. Bad ads, well, that’s why they invented the remote control. And then there are the ads that, for whatever reason, leave us speechless. Let’s take a look a couple examples of the latter.
At first glance, these Brazilian ads for Itambé Fit Light Yogurt appear to be nothing but lovely, sexy, refreshingly different shots of plus-size models reenacting famous scenes from films (Mena Suvari in American Beauty, Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch, Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct). But the devil, he is always in the details. Read the fine print tagline and get a slap in the face: “Forget about it. Men’s preference will never change. Fit Light Yogurt.”
My reaction went from “Oh, how cool!” to “What the hell!” in 1.5 seconds flat, too. These ads are more than offensive; they’re cruel. Each model has a confident radiance that is then mocked mercilessly by an industry that wants us to feel bad so we’ll buy their stuff. In protest, I’m going to look up that American Beauty beauty and invite her to roll around in rose petals with me. Seriously, she’s hot.
And now, let’s get outraged at an ad not because of what it ran, but because it couldn’t run at all. Trojan condoms (I know, I know — stay with me) had its new commercial “Evolve” rejected by both CBS and FOX. It’s basically humorous (a pig with a cell phone, that’s comedy!) It calls men pigs (no comment). And it says those men who use condoms might actually be more evolved than those who don’t (agreed). As Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive of the advertising agency that created the “Evolve” campaign, said, “We have to change the perception that carrying a condom for women or men is a sign they’re on the prowl and just want to have sex. It’s a sign of somebody being prepared — if the opportunity arises — to think about their own health and the health and safety of their partner.”
Still, the powers that be at CBS and Fox deemed the spot inappropriate. And, again, the devil loves hiding out in those details. Get the reasons why. From CBS: “While we understand and appreciate the humor of this creative, we do not find it appropriate for our network even with late-night-only restrictions.” OK, sure, but those erectile dysfunction ads you run nonstop during every sporting event are A-OK day and night? Apparently, you can get it up all you want, but heaven forbid if you try to cover it up.
But leave it to Fox to not only take, but bake and frost the crazy cake. The network’s reason: “Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy.” Words, I can’t find the words. Submitted by on June 22, 2007 - 9:29am. |
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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
snicker
tee hee hee
and yet...so happy to be happy (read gay)...
btw...the girl in the roses IS hot...kind of reminds me of my last ex...
Girl in roses
*stares blankly*
That ad sucked ass. Made no sense, either. A pig couldn't figure out how to turn that tiny little knob!
When she calls my name, I turn and in that instant I lose my heart. This is the love of my life.
- Kate Mulgrew
gasp~
what!!
that ad should not be even thought and produced.sheesh..it's not understandable.
-that gaydar of mine keeps on picking straight girls...-
It's all part of an evil plan
Wait, condoms aren't supposed to prevent pregnancy? Well, shoot. Now I know why every shirt I see in clothing stores looks like a maternity shirt.
"Out of the box is where I live." -Starbuck
Changes Despite No Change
realizing one's own stupidity
Wow!
I should find those yogurt ads offensive, but I think those girls are just too yummy! Seriously, I want to find girls like that (just to be their friend . . . friendliness, ahem). Each one of those models are hot! Yum. I actually prefer the Marilyn Monroe model, but y'know, to each their own.
As for the Trojan evolve advertisements, I say two thumbs up. It makes a clear statement about healthy heterosexual masculinity that guys should pay more attention to. But what about us as lesbians/bisexuals/everything-elses? Personally, I feel like I don't hear enough about safe sex as a woman in my situation with another woman in the general media. I mean, I hear the words "safe sex", but no specifics as to what to use and how. Does anyone else know what I'm driving at?
so, you're looking for
viva pigz and condoms!
Ah, excellent creative work on this ad...but the yoghurt one is just sooo very latinamerican... and a pretty screwed up way of interpreting the awesome Dove campaign.
http://comadotcom.blogspot.com
I saw the yogurt ad while
I saw the yogurt ad while browsing a mag in the dentist waiting room and found that there were things that could get my mind off of dreading a root canal... seriously, I couldn't stop thinking about it all the way through. The nerve! They actually got it published...
I wonder if the models knew what would become of their shots. I know money goes a long way but I like to belive there's still a limit to what you can sell.
The condoms ad is a gem! Really funny.
And it's nice to see a decent, tabu-breaking condom ad for a change. I don't know if it's just in here but there are so few of them that puts not only pleasure, but the whole point of the thing, protection, on spotlight.
|| | Life is possible through art because of art, and for art.
All else is hypothetical || |
Hmm... I haven't seen that
Hmm... I haven't seen that yogurt ad anywhere yet. But I know I'm not gonna be the one buying that particular brand of yogurt...
A banner ad for self-hatred and anorexia
did these women know the tagline?
These women are beautiful, luscious, confident women -- how dare their modeling agency accept this kind of negative, hate spewing, misogynist work! It just goes to show that even when corporations profess to be changing their attitudes on weight issues and body image, they are still selling women out.
I heart Stephen Colbert.
thats insulting!
the girl rolling in the rose petals might be the hottest thing ive seen in ages...i cant believe such ad got approved and published, to think clean n clear are getting hassled for being racist, and this peice of trash reaches the media. 0_0
the condom commercial is quite amusing, and i cant see anything offensive about it no matter how hard i tried. (ok maybe they do need to re-think the brand name).