In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set || First feminist blog on the internet

Tag: Advertising

I’m glad I have a Mac.

Dell makes a new computer — the “Della” — for us lady-folk. And it doesn’t just do boy-stuff like let you create documents and surf the internet and play games; it does girl-stuff, too, like helping you count calories and plan recipes!

According to the site the Della can change a woman’s life “Once you get beyond how cute they are, you’ll find that netbooks can do a lot more than check your e-mail.” Yes you can “find recipes online” and you can use them to”to track calories, carbs and protein with ease, watch online fitness videos, map your running routes and more.”

And they’re pastel-colored! Yay!

Thanks to Ryan for the link.

I want women’s networks to stop glamorizing stalking

Really, WEtv?

Summary: White woman walks around town, sometimes eating unhealthy food (ice cream sundaes, etc). Thin white man follows her, and narrates his stalking — “I investigate people. I spy on them. I watch their every move. I dig through their lives. I look inside, so I can help them change the outside.” When she walks into her house, he’s there, with her husband — he introduces himself, and says, “I’m here to save your life.”

Because, you know, she’s fat.

I don’t want to get caught up in a discussion of whether or not she’s “really” fat, or whether she looks like she’s in danger of keeling over dead — because that’s an awfully tough call to make when you have no medical information at all. What bothers me about this ad — and the whole concept of the show in general — is (a) the premise that fat people are fat because they’re secretly miserable and therefore eat cupcakes all day; (b) the message fat people (and especially fat women) need to be saved from themselves; and (c) the assumption that women’s bodies are public property.

Stalking and harassing women in order to teach them the error of their ways is a pretty popular tactic among misogynists who get the vapors whenever a woman does something that transgresses social norms, whether that’s walking into an abortion clinic or speaking out publicly or having the nerve to eat while fat. But it’s particularly disappointing to see it on a network targeted at women.

Argentinian Bank Ad Promotes “Change”

This Argentinian advertisement is currently making the internet rounds:

I’m of two minds about this: On one hand, of course it’s nice to see an ad with a fuzzy message about how positive change involves treating transgender people with respect, and it’s nice to see transgender people on television as morally neutral or even positive characters. On the other hand, though, it’s using a long-oppressed group to sell a touchy-feely message about how a bank will make us realize we’re all really the same deep down, because we all got our loans from the same place. And I think it’ll be a little more revolutionary when trans people are on TV and in media for reasons other than “look at this person who is trans.” Or “buy this.”

I dunno, maybe I’m cold-hearted, but I didn’t tear up over this commercial like so many YouTube commenters. I was actually kind of turned off by it, but perhaps that’s my cynicism in over-drive. What do you all think?

Thanks to Michael for the link.

Target Women: Your Garden

Of course, “garden” doesn’t really mean garden, if you know what I mean ladies, and I think that you do! Of course, we’re talking about that feminine garden. You know — the one down there.

(Click here if you can’t view the embedded video.)

Apparently with Sarah Haskins, ask and ye shall receive. Well, okay, she didn’t take on the not-so-subtle indication that women need to be perfectly trimmed, shaved and generally hairless at all times in order to be considered feminine and attractive. But taking on the fact that if advertisers want to insist so strenuously that we need to have the hair around our genitals removed or otherwise almost unnoticeable, they really ought to just fucking say “trim/shave your pubes”? Right now, that’s enough for me.

National Organiztion for Marriage Warns of a “Gathering Storm” of Gay Rights

With the recent marriage equality victories in Iowa and Vermont, anti-gay bigots are quite understandably freaking out — what with the impression they’re getting that maybe people in this country are coming around and at least starting to very slightly see the error of their ways. Well, bigots can’t have that! So NOM has launched this new advertisement, which is called “Gathering Storm.” And it’s, well, wow.

Transcript via Renee:

“There’s a storm gathering. The clouds are dark and the winds are strong and I am afraid. Some who advocate for same sex marriage have taken the issue far beyond same sex couples. They want to bring the issue into my life. My freedom will be taken away. I’m a California doctor who must choose between my faith and my job. I’m part of a New Jersey church group punished by the government because we can’t support same sex marriage. I’m a Massachusetts parent helpless watching public schools teach my son that gay marriage is okay. But some who advocate same sex marriage have not been content with same sex couples living as they wish. Those advocates want to change the way I live. I will have no choice. The storm is coming. But we have hope, a rainbow coalition of people of every creed and color are coming together in love to protect marriage. Paid for by National Organization for Marriage which is responsible for the content of this ad.”

Oh noes!  I’m a doctor who can’t legally refuse to treat people . . . because they’re, uh . . . married?  What?  Oh, actually I just want to be able to refuse to see LGBT patients at my leisure.  I’m a parent whose school is teaching my child not to hate people!!!!!  Even worse, I’m a member of a church group, and the government is punishing us because . . . oh wait, separation of church and state.  Actually, the government can’t do anything about what me and my hateful little church group do, so long as we’re engaging in private activities, so I’m just making stuff up now.  (The actual events that are behind each and everyone of these lies can be found here.)

And seriously?  A rainbow coalition?  They have a rainbow coalition?  Yay, co-opting the language of your opposition!

Anyway, the fact is that ridiculous though it sounds to those of us who know better and aren’t as susceptible to hate-mongering, this kind of thing actually worked in California.

And interestingly, with the knowledge that ballot initiatives will likely be the only chance for marriage equality in California, that’s exactly where the ad seems to be getting a whole lot of airplay. The Courage Campaign in California is therefore encouraging you to donate as a part of a campaign to raise $25,000 in matching funds.

One Iowa is also fighting back with a petition against the use of out of state funds to attack the rights of Iowans.

Pam has more. If you know of any other groups who are taking action or launching rebuttals, leave the information in the comments.

Shaming Women Into Adhering to Beauty Standards — This Time With Threats of Catastrophe!

Three things about this Wilkinson Sword Quattro commercial (sorry, not able to be embedded), which tells women that if they don’t shave their legs, terrible things will happen and the whole damn world is going to fall apart:

1. It’s women’s responsibility to the world to adhere to feminine beauty standards.

2. There is nothing that grosses out a guy more than the realization that women are not naturally hairless.  This is because all men are a) stupid and b) shallow pigs.  Really, they can’t help it, and it is not their fault.

3. Accordingly, note that the bus catastrophe is not the fault of the man, even though the woman repeatedly pushed his hand away from her leg and he was therefore engaging in non-consensual sexual behavior, however comparatively “mild.”  It is the fault of the woman for not constantly being prepared for men to force themselves on them.  Obviously.

As if those of us who do shave any parts of our bodies needed any more reason to not buy this brand of razors.  Easy target though they may be, I really hope that Sarah Haskins decides to take all of this recent bullshit on.

h/t Feministing

Target Women: Carl’s Jr

See, I was so behind on posting Target Women videos that it’s time for another one already!  We don’t have Carl Jr where I live, so I’d only ever seen the “steak dinner” ad before.  And whoa.  I agree, that is some supreme douchebaggery.


(Click here if you can’t view the embedded video.)

This Target Women is kind of more of a rant than a series of jokes. But you know what? I’m kind of completely and totally in love with it.

…eew.

via Renee and via Mongoose Chronicles (apologies for not linking to MC earlier!) comes a commercial for salmon fish sticks with the following dialogue:

Male Fishstick 1: Woo, who are you?
Female Fishstick: I’m the new salmon fish-finger.
Male Fishstick 2: Salmon? Does that mean that you’re pink underneath?
Female Fishstick: Yeah. Wanna look? [Unzips fried coating and giggles.]
[Male fishsticks pass out]
[Birdseye ad thing]
Male fishstick 1: So much pink!
Male fishstick 2: I wasn’t expecting that!

It’s not the most subtle advertisement in the world, is it?

And then there’s this sausage ad:

It’s all about mmm, you know you want it… until the knife comes down. Gah.