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Monday, November 23, 2009

Girls Only! Selling Good Causes With Creepy Sexism... Again

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 1:27 PM

Excellent social-thinking blog Socialogical Images posted a smart little rant about this Method soap ad, which tries to raise support for labeling of toxic chemicals in household products via an ad that evokes sexual harassment and abuse.

Jezebel describes what's creepy and discouraging about the ad:


I understand the point of the commercial: you'll pay the price if you don't know what kinds of chemicals you're spraying in your house. But I'm really tired of the "advocacy" that relies upon humiliating women to push a point (see also: PETA). [...] The woman is seriously humiliated by the bubbles, who compliment her on her "core" and scream "Loofah! Loofah!" over and over again as they watch her wash up. It's supposed to be funny. So why does it make me feel so gross?

I felt the same. In the same way that PETA's campaigns make me worry more about women than animals, instead of being a funny intro to toxic household chemicals, I watch the ad and get queasy thinking about women in abusive relationships.

 

Comments (10) RSS

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1
People will find a fucking Cause for anything. Why not just use cleaners for brands you like/approve/disclose? Why does there need to be a stupid hip ad campaign?
Posted by NIG GER on November 23, 2009 at 2:23 PM · Report
2
I knew it! I KNEW those Scrubbing Bubbles were freakin perverts! You're cleaning your shower with rapists!
Posted by Puffmagic on November 23, 2009 at 2:37 PM · Report
3
I think the saddest part is the conceit here that the only way people will pay attention to the various chemicals they spray around their homes is by threatening to taunt their wives and mothers as they shower.

It just seems like there's got to be a middle ground.
Posted by atomic on November 23, 2009 at 3:04 PM · Report
4
An empowered woman would have used one of those Go Girl! urination devices to piss all over those creepy bubbles, washing them off the tub and down the drain. C'mon, who doesn't like to pee in the shower?

Hot chick, stupid ad.
Posted by Demondog on November 23, 2009 at 3:40 PM · Report
5
I don't understand how the woman is going to have breakfast ready in 20 minutes when she's taking a shower. And especially when she's obviously psychotic and has anthropamorphized cleaning bubbles haunting and taunting her. She really should try and get some professional psychiatric advice.
Posted by Graham on November 23, 2009 at 3:54 PM · Report
6
Shower is maybe 7-10 minutes, you saying you can't have breakfast ready in 10-13 minutes graham? No animated hornbubbles for JOO!
Posted by NIG GER on November 23, 2009 at 4:20 PM · Report
7
This creeped me out more than any movie this year.
Posted by Dave Bow on November 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM · Report
8
I thought it was funny. If it was a man showering while the bubbles watched, would you be as offended? Why not? Because you've got some gender-based hang ups that seriously filter the way you see the world. Get over yourself - she's not a woman here, she's just a person.
Posted by Reymont on November 24, 2009 at 12:40 AM · Report
9
@Reymont: I also think it is hilarious. But if it was a man, I'm not sure that it would be as funny; the bubbles sound like drunk guys trying to hit on her, and the opposite image, (drunk chicks trying to hit on a guy,) is more typically considered a compliment and is not considered lecherous or anything.

That said, most ads exploit sexism in one way or another, so I guess I don't really have a problem with this one in particular. But it is easy for me to say that, I'm not a very nice person, and I'm a guy.
Posted by Matthew D on November 24, 2009 at 8:34 AM · Report
10
@Graham: maybe she's giving a short-hand command for breakfast to be ready for HER in 20 minutes: "(I expect) ... breakfast in 20"
Posted by mary@ on November 24, 2009 at 11:44 AM · Report

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