Blog - week 5

To show my point I looked through many ads in my magazine collection that use beautiful, young, half naked women to sell their products, but I shortly realized that many people in the press and in the media have already written plenty on this topic. So I searched for “sexist ads” and there are many interesting reviews and articles on the subject. I really think that this one is worth sharing. Please see below.

This article is from the Huff Post Media written by Alex Leo. It is controversial and for some very offensive, but it tells all. I will provide the link at the end, but for those who just want to skim through this blog here it is. I am posting only parts of this article, because it is too explicit and inappropriate for our forum. Also, it is intended for mature audience only, however if you are interested to read the rest of it here is the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-leo/five-trends-the-advertisi_b_149354.html

September 25, 2011

This was a big year for women: The first serious female presidential candidate, the first predominately female state senate, the first female Top Chef. Yet the advertising world has not caught up to the advances of half our population and continues to use stereotypes and violence to prey on our most vile desires. Here are the worst of them--the trends that won't die despite our cultural outrage, and personal boredom.

1.

BONDAGE - This year Remy Martin debuted it's "things are getting interesting" campaign that features a mediocre Website and a series of billboards/magazine spreads depicting women in degrading bondage positions. You may think, "hey this one shows two women, there aren't even men involved, how can it be sexist?" But most of the ads (not available online) have men between the two women in controlling positions. And even without that, these women are obviously putting on a show for an outsider, not having a passionate lesbian love affair for themselves. These types of ads gain traction in cultural periods of female advancement--capturing the fantasy of "putting us back where we belong."
Remy Martin describes its followers as "influential, social, and multicultural urban males, ages 25 to 35." Men of this ilk and age range (read: over 16) should know better than to fall for this kind of pandering. If we switch the view from this being sexy, to this being a pathetic attempt to make an undersexed male feel powerful in the face of female accomplishment, the image loses its appeal. I would like to start a "things that are not interesting" campaign, which would include men insecure enough about themselves that they can't talk to women who aren't physically degraded. I would also include cognac.


2.

RAPE -- The world of high fashion has been the worst offender in the violence-as-art game. Cavalli had pirates, Chanel had a wife beater, and now Dolce and Gabbana has this.
Let's get this out there now: It's not edgy, it's ridiculous. This is a gang rape, and any woman that sees those shoes instead of that message deserves those shoes. Any man who doesn't see that this is rape is probably looking at one of the hard bodies in the background and therefore not really a threat to women.

For examples 3, 4 and 5 you can go to:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-leo/five-trends-the-advertisi_b_149354.html