May

23

Target Women: Laundry

Filed Under feminism, fun, marketing, media, sexism | Leave a Comment

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

Oh Sarah, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . .

Apr

2

Sarah Haskins Blow Out

Filed Under events and excursions, feminism, fun, marketing, media, pop culture, sexism | 6 Comments

In case you’ve missed them, below are two new Target Women videos for your viewing pleasure.

First up, Lifetime!

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

You know, I’m sure that the dogs reenacting scenes from famous movies is actually supposed to be a joke on the part of Lifetime (Right? Someone please tell me they’re not serious), but I really do have to agree with Sarah that it ought to be illegal, nonetheless. Somewhere. Soft-core dog porn = so not cool.

Read more

Mar

23

Observing and Reporting Rape Culture at Work

Filed Under assholes, marketing, media, misogyny, objectification, paternalism, patriarchy, pop culture, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | 20 Comments

Watching random music videos on TV last night, this commercial for the new Seth Rogen film Observe and Report kept playing over and over again.  The basis of the film seems to be that Seth Rogen plays a quirky (according to IMDB, bi-polar — so yay, we can likely expect lots of “jokes” mocking disability and mental illness, too!) mall cop, who has to solve the case of a man who keeps flashing women at the mall.

Well I think we can all agree that this is a totally awesome and highly amusing premise for a movie.  So we should probably be unsurprised to see that just a few seconds in, there is a rape joke:

I imagine that the “joke” within the context of the film might possibly be that the line “everyone thinks they’re fine until someone puts in ‘em something they don’t want in ‘em” is referring to something other than a penis. If that’s not the “joke,” then the joke is clearly just “Ha! A penis in a woman that she doesn’t want in her! Whew, rape is hilarious!”

But even if it is the case, the “joke” is still “Oh, hey, that sounds like he’s talking about a penis! In her, when she doesn’t want it in her! Oh man, saying things to women that makes it sound like you’re talking about someone raping them is hilarious!”

And regardless of the context within the movie? The joke in the trailer is clearly the first interpretation anyway.

Actually, this isn’t the exact same trailer that I kept seeing on TV last night.  In the preview I saw, we also get a scene were Seth Rogen’s character grabs the female lead and starts making out with her right after she demonstrates how completely drunk she is by throwing up all over the sidewalk.  Get it!  It’s a joke!  Drunk chicks are awesome because you get to take advantage of them!

You can also rest assured knowing that when I was searching for this particular trailer on YouTube, I came across another clip from the movie that portrays women who are the victims of sexual harassment or assault as hysterical, helpless, over-reacting, obnoxious — and yet funny! — bimbos.

Aren’t we so happy that the Apatow clan is constantly purported by the mainstream media to be taking over and reimaging the entire comedy world?  God knows that we weren’t going to find a whole movie based on rape jokes before they came along!

Feb

26

Jim Beam Ad Remakes Even Worse Than Originals

Filed Under Australia, International, marketing, media, misogyny, objectification, patriarchy, pop culture, sexism | 12 Comments

You might have seen the extremely offensive and sexist Australian Jim Beam ad series last year at Hoyden About Town.

The Neighbours shows naked women sunbathing outside in their backyard, with men peeping on them.  The Girlfriend shows a doormat of a woman explaining how she likes when men neglect her.  The Tragedy shows a very attractive woman explaining how she’s sexually attracted to other women.

In all of these, the title of the ad is stated with the word “the” highly emphasized in order to indicate that a phrase like “the girlfriend” means “the ultimate, world’s best girlfriend.” And of course, what could be a bigger tragedy than a woman whose sexuality doesn’t revolve around men?

Now, Jim Beam is holding a video remake contest, where they encourage their “fans” to make their own versions of the commercials.  Obviously, with the ads so offensive in the first place, this was always going to be a disaster. But one particular remake of the Girlfriend is especially appalling.

The original ad:

And, the remake:

Get it? Because what’s better than a woman who doesn’t have any desires or feelings of her own, but only exists for men’s sexual pleasure without pesky little nuisances like consent getting in the way?

Thank fucking god I don’t drink bourbon.  Though, interestingly, I certainly could use a drink.  Perhaps this was their real marketing strategy all along?

Thanks to Jenny for the link.

Feb

25

Rape Is Cheaper Than Bullets

Filed Under International, activism, marketing, media, misogyny, patriarchy, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | 30 Comments

cheaper-than-bullets1Yesterday, I came across this new UK ad campaign by Amnesty International, called Rape Is Cheaper Than Bullets.   It’s apparently intended to bring attention to the use of rape as a weapon of war around the globe:

This morning I received a text message from a friend who was on her way to work. It read: “Am just in the tube and there’s a really offensive poster up there but it says its Amnesty – do you know anything about it? It says ‘Rape is cheaper than bullets’.”

I quickly replied saying yes, it was an Amnesty International advertisement launched this week, and if it’s offensive then that is nothing compared to what hundreds of thousands of women and girls are suffering in conflict zones around the world.

Well, yes.  Indeed, one’s personal offense is never the equivalent of a grievous bodily assault, inflicted on one for the simple fact that she is a woman.

But like Sylvia, I still have my concerns.  And my concern is, namely, about what the hell this campaign is trying to convey.

Read more

Feb

13

Target Women: Online Dating

Filed Under fun, marketing, media, pop culture, sexism | Leave a Comment

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Hahaha. They use scientific tools . . . like questions! It’s funny ’cause it’s true.

Feb

9

“If Only?” I Think Not.

Filed Under marketing, media, paternalism, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | 18 Comments

Trigger Warning

Like Lauredhel, I think that the Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA) almost certainly meant well by this PSA.  I don’t know how else they could have meant.  But somehow, that doesn’t really matter to me while I’m watching it, at all.

(For those unable to view video, Lauredhel has a transcript.)

The commenters at Hoyden About Town express numerous problems with this PSA: a lack of real educational value, its triggering and unserious nature, references to rape as “sex,” and the treatment of women as sexual property to be handed from one man to the next (as if it would be okay if there wasn’t abuse involved).  Lauredhel herself criticizes the idea, presented in the PSA, that this would be an ideal outcome of abuse.  I agree wholeheartedly with all of these criticisms.  I think they’re spot on.

But I’ll tell you what bothers me most about this PSA. What bothers me most isn’t even the portrayal of the abuser, which I think is atrocious.  What bothers me is the portrayal of the victim.

This PSA portrays the woman in question as though she liked the abuse.

Far from being upset about the abuse, she’s not even embarrassed by her father’s decision to bring up the supposed “sex” (read: RAPE).  She thinks it’s funny.  And by responding to her father’s comment to her new husband that he’ll give him some “tips” for the bedroom with a giggle and playful slap to the arm, it’s suggested that providing those tips wouldn’t really be such a bad idea.  And how could supplying “sex” tips to her new husband not be a bad idea, unless she liked the abuse?

This is horrendous.  Portraying a victim as enjoying abuse — of course not discounting the fact that many children (as well as adults) feel a physical sexual response during abuse, but recognizing that it’s not the same as “enjoyment” and instead a side effect that usually brings its own trauma with it — is never okay.  Ever.  It’s just not.  Even if it’s supposed to be tongue-in-cheek.  Or “ironic.”  Or whatever.

And back to Lauredhel’s comments, the fact that they’re suggesting this as something we should aim for?  Portraying as ideal a world where your childhood abuser is unproblematically invited to your wedding with joy, where all is forgiven and new relationships with the abuser easily forged, where childhood rape really is just “sex” and the abused child (whether male or female) likes it, so it’s all okay?

I am not amused.

[That being said, I am not a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, at least not in the context seemingly defined here (pre-adolescence and at the hands of a family member), and am therefore very interested in the thoughts of others, especially those who have survived such violence.]

Dec

30

Campbell Soup Catches Teh Gay, Yet Somehow Doesn’t Mind

Filed Under LGBTQ, assholes, bigotry, discrimination, homophobia, marketing, media, pop culture | 17 Comments

Swanson Broth ran an ad in The Advocate, a popular LG(bt) 1 publication that is in some trouble of its own right now.  Quite naturally, seeing the audience, the advertisement (pdf) featured a lesbian couple preparing a holiday meal with their young son.

All seems well, good, and uneventful . . . but that’s because you’re missing how this advertisement promotes The Gay Agenda.  And according to Amplify Your Voice, extreme right-wing and anti-gay organization the American Family Association sent out this email message to their supporters:

Send an email to Campbell Soup Company President Douglas Conant. Tell him you want his company to stop supporting the gay agenda.

In the December, 2008 and January, 2009 issues, Campbell Soup Company bought two, two-page advertisements in the latest issues of the nation’s largest homosexual magazine, “The Advocate.” The ads promote their Swanson line of broth.

In one of the December ads, the Campbell Soup Company highlighted the lives of two lesbians with their son. The others feature New York City chefs. See the ads here.

Campbell Soup Company has openly begun helping homosexual activists push their agenda. Not only did the ads cost Campbell’s a chunk of money, but they also sent a message that homosexual parents constitute a family and are worthy of support. They also gave their approval to the entire homosexual agenda.

Well gee. How dare Campbell send a message that lesbians are people??? And that their family and child are worthy of public acceptance and support. Indeed, how dare they suggest that they are worthy of anything at all. After all, they have Teh Gay.

But thankfully, Campbell Soup is not caving into the hate-mongering:

“We support all types of families, regardless of how they’re defined, [and have done so] for more than 100 years,” Sanzio offers. “We advertise in a variety of different media outlets that appeal to a broad spectrum of society. That’s what we’re doing here, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”

Wow. There’s not even a small note of apology in there. I’m shocked and extremely pleased by it. No, “we’re sorry if anyone was offended” or “we didn’t intend to take a political stance.” Nothing like that at all. Just plain old standing by their completely inoffensive advertisement.

While we should of course be able to expect such a response to this kind of bigotry, the fact is that we currently can’t. And yet, Campbell is doing what’s right. Either they’ve decided to put principle above sales, or they’ve decided that LGBT people and their allies constitute a bigger and more worthwhile market than homophobes. And whichever the answer is — indeed, assuming with cynicism that it’s the latter — it’s excellent news and a significant step forward.

Amplify suggests that you buy a Campbell product and mail it to the American Family Association, telling them that you support Campbell and will continue buying thier products.  Interesting idea.  But personally, I say email Campbell directly, and tell them that you support their decision and support of LGBT families. Over all, I’d count on it having a larger impact.

  1. It’s my understanding that while The Advocate bills itself as an LGBT publication, they focus mainly on the L and G. ↩

Dec

18

Men’s Magazine Desires World Without Meaningful Consent

Filed Under marketing, media, misogyny, objectification, patriarchy, pop culture, rape and sexual assault, sex and sexuality, sexism, violence against women and girls | 32 Comments

This image, of a scantily clad woman attached to a video game controller with the caption “Keep on dreaming of a better world,” was posted without comment at Sociological Images.

First of all, it seems pretty obvious to me what the man targeted in this ad (by a men’s magazine) is supposed to use the controller for, and I don’t think it’s making the woman in question do the Chicken Dance for a giggle. The question I keep coming back to is whether this is supposed to be a “real” woman who has somehow been modified and turned into an all submissive sex toy (read: rape victim), or if it’s supposed to be a highly realistic fembot that looks like a real woman for a man’s sexually assaulting pleasure.

Clearly, the former is the worse option, but I’m not sure how much better I would feel about the latter still being upheld as a part of a “better world.”

Of course, I realize that this image is supposed to be lighthearted.  It’s a “joke.”  But that doesn’t make it funny.

I think that images and “jokes” like this really do point out the deeply destructive and misogynistic rape culture we live under, when “sex” is so regularly portrayed in this way.  Few, I imagine, would consider this image to be promoting rape.  But personally, it’s all I can see.  After all, if the woman was willing and truly consenting, a remote control would not be necessary for her to perform the desired acts.  The idea of a completely sexually controlled woman, however tongue-in-cheek, is still promoting as a false-ideal a woman who cannot say no.  And a woman who quite literally cannot say no due to control from outside forces is in fact a woman who cannot give a meaningful yes.

Funny, my idea of a “better world” is one where women are sexually empowered and respected, not enslaved.

cross-posted at Yes Means Yes

Nov

19

Target Women: Cars

Filed Under feminism, fun, marketing, media, pop culture, sexism, stereotypes | 6 Comments

This one cracked me up even more than usual.

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