New wave of sexist commercials

Eh, stupid stereotypes. It cancels out all those commercials marketed to married women where the man is just a complete Neanderthal dumbass.

 

I know that kohls is really bad about that...

In fact, I know some people that work there and in their training material it talks about "making HER shopping experience better"

 

Most stuff on TV is sexist (and racist, classist, and ableist, as well as hetero- and cisnormative). Commercials, and sitcoms, are just especially bad.

My dad and his wife like to put the TV on sitcoms in the evening. It's very annoying.

 

I agree with you that the commercials are sexist. They're not the worst out there but they reinforce ideas of what it means to be a woman and a man. The woman is painted as being too talkative, a nuisance, and not a real person that the man needs to listen to. They (the second one at least) also seem to be stereotyping men as uncaring, bad listeners, and emotionally stunted.

I agree that it's different when a majority group is stereotyped negatively than when a minority, dis-empowered group is. Like for instance, if there was a commercial stereotyping both black and white people negatively, it would be most problematic for Afr. Americans because they are a minority group with little power in society. Whites and men both have more power in society whereas minority groups....don't. So negative label and connotations are more problematic when a minority group is involved.

And Dan!! We need to talk sometime because I'm a sociology major so I love studying society, stereotypes, discrimination, and privilege.

 

I've seen so, so many sexiest commericals, but I have also seen commercials where stereotypes are broken, so. Those Dr. Pepper commercials piss me off a lot.

 

I agree that stereotypes of affected groups do need to be handled very sensitively and those commercials were in bad taste. To a certain extent, the unaffected group doesn't get stereotyped. Think about it, there aren't stereotypes for straight people, no pertenent ones for white people, men, or Christians for that matter.

As society (I mainly have America in mind) has moved toward better integration along with the increasing representation of minority/affected groups though, stereotypes for the unaffected groups have increased in popularity. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just something of note. I've noticed a common theme of many commercials and TV shows that men are often portrayed as crass, dumb, and/or immoral.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that those commercials are in poor taste, but I think it might could be a sign of society becoming more comfortable with itself and certain dynamics within it as we move toward equality for women. Most of the women I know would probably just roll their eyes at the stupidity of such commercials while they laugh their butts off at commercials that men would roll their eyes at. There are going to be gaffs along the way though. Am I making and sense?

 

As someone who watches a lot of television, I see lots of commercials. I think that in recent years the advertisements on TV have gone drastically downhill.

I couldn't care less if commercials are sexist, racist, homophobic, or whatever. I'm not condoning disparaging forms of advertisement in any medium, but I can count in one hand the number of creative and entertaining commercials that have worked (by worked, I mean done what commercials are meant to do - which is make me want to support a company/buy a product) on me in the past few years.

Chances are there is at least one group of people who are going to be offended by an ad, I happens evey year during the super bowl commericials. So I'd rather companies focus on being creative than being politically correct.

That's no excuse to make commercials that are sexist or anything, because you can make entertaining advertisements that aren't rude and classless.

 

READDDY???

YOU kinda look a bit like that 1st guy...

hahaha! 1st one sooo funny! He is wise, say nothing...let her talk it all out...go in your mind to a happy place until trauma over. i think women who act like that, i know a lot of em, need to see this stuff and stop looking so mean! it is a real turnoff. love your man, if he makes what you thinks a mistake, calm down!

2nd one she aint shrill, very nice lady I'm sure, just blah blah blah blah...i think it was about yellow something? yeah, i get irrupted when mom and my friend's mom talk... i either go uh huh and day dream away or tell them off....sorta...often. :/ just being honest.

---------- Post added 14th Jul 2012 at 08:56 PM ----------

ohhh yes there is! you never seen South Park? or TV sitcoms, or cartoons like Ned Flanders of Simpsons? there are stereotypes for the traits in us all!

 

So you agree with the commercials? :eusa_doh:

 

agree?

im not seeing any connection between the joking about how men have to listen to these kinds of women or get them more angry...esp if speaking to them...and products being sold. its just an ad tactic to attract a certain market, namely men who love a woman who can be hurtful, scary, or talk forever on boring topics in his mind.
unfortunately more peeps watch it more money they make in infamy, so it kinda works. I've seen less funny ads i really would like banned, but doubt its that worth posting here.

btw would you prefer i conform to peer pressure here too, lie and say it is not funny to me? i assume for purposes of his question he wanted all opinions, not just acting polite and trying to be popular, right? i like truth in humor, they could have made both these more funny though. i grinned at first one his face..2nd at end puzzled wife's face. not all women are like that, my grandmother sure wasn't. but my grandfather also was a very happy man!

 

I have to be honest, in South Africa the stereotypes and discrimination in commercials are very few. When something is discriminating it is usually changed or removed. I guess it is because we like to complain. There are some stereotypes, but I don't think that the targeted groups find it offensive, because it doesn't make others see them in a bad light or sometimes they're just true. I don't watch a lot of TV, but this is what I have found.

 

I've never seen the first commercial, but the 2nd one I actually have seen on TV and gone, "What? Do we really still live in a society that thinks that's humorous. Its just sexist and reinforced stereotypes and..." you get the point. Fact is, if my father or some other middle aged, conservative man saw it they'd probably laugh and enjoy it. Its just the way things are.

But nothing will ever compare to this.

[YOUTUBE]Dr Pepper TEN - YouTube[/YOUTUBE]

Well I can never get the stupid youtube thing to work so you may have to click a link. Deal.

 

Okay, I don't normally watch TV so it's the first time I've seen that Dr.Pepper commercial. I'm going to have to say that is extremely offensive, and I am shocked they got away with putting that anywhere.

I'm not going to say too much about the first commercial listed despite the fact I don't like it and find it discriminatory, because truthfully couples do tend to nitpick at one another regardless of what gender is involved in doing the actual nitpicking.

The second one is very offensive. That woman should drop that guy like a bad habit. Seriously, if you can't be bothered to care about her and her problems why should she be bothered to even put up with you.

 

You are able to have your own opinion on what is funny and what isn't funny. I don't see it as a joke. I see it as a way for them to reinforce stereotypes about what it means to be a man or a woman. It sounded like you thought the advertisements were correct and that most women are mean or cause "trauma" to men by simply talking to them. That is why I responded. Personally, I don't see truth in those advertisements. It isn't cool for them to reinforce negative stereotypes.

Wow, that commercial is really awful. I have never seen such a sexist video before. I can't believe it was ever approved.

 

ya know....they ruined Indiana Jones by putting in that romantic interest, and she nearly blows his plans. they toss into action adventure girly romantic moments which slow it down, and are obviously to keep women entertained. they do not and good stuff to make chck flicks more tolerable to men, however. why? just a bias for women?

 

What's funny is the ad worked. Both my mother and my friend's mother went out and bought Dr. Pepper 10 because they were upset and wanted to "prove them wrong." Way to show them by giving them your money...

 

You are assuming that women aren't interested in action films and that men aren't interested in romantic films which is a sweeping generalization. That is a bit off topic anyway. The commercials (especially Dr. Pepper) have stereotyping and untrue/unjustified generalizations.

Back on topic, J Snow that is interesting. Your family's purchase of the Dr. P might have worked better if the company took tally of how many women and men are buying their products. Sadly they probably had no idea that your mom and sister bought the Dr. P. I hope the commercial didn't air for long. Huh, I guess I won't be drinking Dr. Pepper soon. Thanks for the link.

 

The most blatantly sexist advertising strategy I've seen is for Yorkie chocolate bars. It always struck me as a bit of a nonsensical marketing strategy to immediately half your consumer base. (Their catchphrase is: Yorkie - not for girls). I avoid Yorkie like the plague, If they don't want my money then that's fine (and I like Cadbury's more anyway), but I can't see how their marketing campaign helps their profit margins.