Okay, so I was reading about the anti-hijab protests in Iran last night and couldn’t help wondering how far we have come over the years. While there used to be a time when women could simply not raise their voices against their male counterparts, today women aren’t merely voicing opinions but are also openly defying illogical dictates from the so-called male custodians of society.
However, I stumbled upon this ad from 1974 and wondered if the situation has really changed much as far as the advertisement world is concerned.
Yeah, I know such glaring instances of sexism have become rare in today’s ad industry. But have they completely dried up? Well, I don’t think so, and these 5 terribly sexist ads bear ample testimony to that. Take a look at these but be careful, don’t gouge your eyes out while watching these!
1. Budweiser: Time Out
How can a referee possibly ignore the taunts of an irate coach? Through years of practice ignoring his nagging wife, obviously!
Although the commercial presented an overt negative stereotype to its audience, it ranked in the top 10 of USA Today’s Ad Meter poll of entertainment in 2004. So, I don’t think it offended too many viewers.
2. Dolce & Gabbana: Gang Rape
Hey, what do we have here? A gangrape, oh that’s so lovely! The makers of this Dolce & Gabbana ad were probably expecting their audience to respond to this ad in this manner.
The Italian luxury fashion house released this advert in 2007, where they pretty much depicted a gang rape in all its grisly glory. However, the fashion brand is no stranger to controversy. They received flak from all corners for their poor portrayal of the Chinese culture in 2018 too.
3. Valentino: Red Dress
Really, what’s wrong with these fashion companies? What on earth makes them portray women in such a deplorable manner?
It looks like the aim of the makers of this controversial ad was to sell the rather stunning red dress. But the ad only ended up making people want to call the police and forget that they ever came across such an odious sight.
4. Victoria’s Secret: Let the Real Games Begin
It’s hardly surprising to see hot and sexy women clad in their underwear in a commercial from Victoria’s Secret. But this 2015 Super Bowl commercial implies that women are waiting in lingerie for the game to end. Why? Come on, you know…
The commercial is hardly appealing to the actual customers of the brand- the people who are supposed to use the product. Instead, it tries to feed upon the carnal instincts of men. And how do they do it? Through the tried and tested method of parading semi-clad women on the TV. Wow, that’s brilliant; Victoria doesn’t seem to have too many secrets after all!
5. Carl’s Jr: Charlotte McKinney Ad
No list of deplorable depictions of women could ever be complete without mentioning this commercial from Carl’s Jr.
The fast food company received plenty of backlash for this 2015 local spot starring model Charlotte McKinney. The ad shows McKinney promoting the fast food chain’s all-natural burger by baring almost everything as she walks through a farmers’ market, seemingly naked, covered by fruits and vegetables placed cleverly over food counters.
Using a woman’s “assets” to promote their own- you’ve got to appreciate their ingenuity!
Wrapping Up
So, that was a list of some of the most cringeworthily sexist ads that we have seen on TV lately. However, this list is not complete by any means. We’d require at least half a dozen more blogs to bring forth the sexist approach of brands to you.
We’d be back with more amazing videos. Till then, stay tuned!
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