Depiction of women in advertising (especially radio)

Dudess

Has anyone heard that Rabo bank ad where the woman is having a "girly" chat with her mate and describes how she punished her husband by telling him she's pregnant. "Brilliant..." replies her friend evilly.

Yet another in a long line of ads featuring nasty, manipulative, aggressive females - who bully and ridicule male characters that are always gormless and spineless.

Anyone here work in advertising? Is there a reason for this crap?

Silverfish

I've just realised that for the last year, I've not seen an ad on television or heard one on the radio, but if this is the level of advertising thats happening, I'm very very glad.

kenco

I am stunned every time I hear that Rabobank ad that some ad company actually came up that idea and then even worse decided to record it. I cant believe the voice actors made the ad and that radio stations play it....

It is demeaning to women and men and the idea of pretending to be pregnant to get back at the man is grotesquesly offensive to all those women out there who live for the day they can celebrate a pregnancy.

Funbags Freddie

Dudess wrote: »

Has anyone heard that Rabo bank ad where the woman is having a "girly" chat with her mate and describes how she punished her husband by telling him she's pregnant. "Brilliant..." replies her friend evilly.

Yet another in a long line of ads featuring nasty, manipulative, aggressive females - who bully and ridicule male characters that are always gormless and spineless.

Anyone here work in advertising? Is there a reason for this crap?

Noticed it when I when I heard it to. Could not believe it got through as an ad. It was more the period of time that was evil.

Warfi

I think Rabobank are chasing the misguided gender equality dollar.

Huge market.:cool:

LimeFruitGum

Well the ad sure as hell doesn't make me want to become a new Rabobank customer!

Xiney

Advertising needs to establish a character for the demographic to identify with very quickly, and it's easier if stereotypes are used.

But I particularly hate the way advertising seems to equate "intelligent, strong woman" with "conniving, belittling bitch"

Dudess

LimeFruitGum wrote: »

Well the ad sure as hell doesn't make me want to become a new Rabobank customer!

That's the thing - these ads don't come out of a vacuum... the fact it got made at all indicates there is a sizeable audience to whom it appeals.

Pherekydes

Dudess wrote: »

Anyone here work in advertising? Is there a reason for this crap?

Yes. There's no one here who works in advertising.

4Xcut

Not to point out the obvious, but you are all talking about it, aren't you?

I think a long time ago ads became less about telling the consumer about the differences in their product compared to other similar ones or why the consumer may want to buy it and became more about brand recognition.

Really, what difference is there between milk brands? There's still ads on bus stops for Avenmore. Not saying why it's better or anything, just promoting the brand.

Same for Rabo here, you may not like the ad but it's got people talking about Rabo.

I probably should find it offensive but according to the media, being a man, i'm too busy thinking about guns, cars and tits to have anything important on my mind.

krudler

On the flip side of this, why is it ok to portray men as useless at everything in adverts? take the diet coke ad, the one where a woman opens a jar, takes the mick out of her new husband in their weddings pics etc, if that was done from a mans perspective and showed guys killing spiders, changing tyres etc the things women "arent supposed to be able to do" there'd be uproar.

I do agree with the Rabo ad though its pretty insensitive to show someone conniving to make her guy think shes pregnant

Warfi

4Xcut wrote: »

I probably should find it offensive but according to the media, being a man, i'm too busy thinking about guns, cars and tits to have anything important on my mind.

That's only if you're in the NRA/to hell the ozone/mmmm girls demographic:pac:

Another huge market

Dudess

krudler wrote: »

On the flip side of this, why is it ok to portray men as useless at everything in adverts? take the diet coke ad, the one where a woman opens a jar, takes the mick out of her new husband in their weddings pics etc, if that was done from a mans perspective and showed guys killing spiders, changing tyres etc the things women "arent supposed to be able to do" there'd be uproar.

It isn't. I made mention of how men are always portrayed as bumbling idiots.

Warfi

krudler wrote: »

On the flip side of this, why is it ok to portray men as useless at everything in adverts? take the diet coke ad, the one where a woman opens a jar, takes the mick out of her new husband in their weddings pics etc, if that was done from a mans perspective and showed guys killing spiders, changing tyres etc the things women "arent supposed to be able to do" there'd be uproar.

The opening post already dealt with that, I don't think anyone here agrees with the way men are portrayed in ads either

Orla K

For ages I couldn't figure out why the woman in the ad was annoyed with the guy and today I might have figured it out. The friend asks did she get something (forgotten what words she used) off him, she didn't and that's why she's píssed. Today, I think I figured out what the something was, an engagement ring. The ad is much worse than you first thought.

MJOR

think this has been going on for years. The other angle i hate is that women are nagging witches and the poor men have to suffer!! it's maddening....

Stimpyone

It's a gender sneer and it's been going on for years. It seems socially acceptable too.

If as a man I point this out to female friends I'm just being silly and it's only a joke. My wife is sick of listening to me give out about it.

Don't even get me started on why women have their only little gym separate to the main one in Total Fitness. Equality people! it works both ways.

*gets coat and heads off to R&R forum*

Black Swan

This was a bad taste ad intended to draw attention. How is it any worse than the stereotyped gender exploitation behind the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray? Oh, he was a bit nicer to his audience when spinning his cliche' image of men and women, but that allowed him to sell over 15 million books.

Nevyn

Warfi wrote: »

I think Rabobank are chasing the misguided gender equality dollar.

Huge market.:cool:

Long live bill hicks.


Ladies if you don't like it then make a complaint.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/media/making_a_complaint_about_a_tv_or_radio_programme_in_ireland

SheRa

Im glad someone started this thread. That ad is horrendous. Evil really. I dont buy the argument that we remember the ad so its doing something right as I didn't remember that it was rabobank until I read it here and no doubt I will promptly forget.

It also perpetuates the myth that women are obsessed with getting engaged.

Orla K wrote: »

For ages I couldn't figure out why the woman in the ad was annoyed with the guy and today I might have figured it out. The friend asks did she get something (forgotten what words she used) off him, she didn't and that's why she's píssed. Today, I think I figured out what the something was, an engagement ring. The ad is much worse than you first thought.

Yes she says wheres "the rock", lets see it.

Uuuugh.

Stimpyone wrote: »

It's a gender sneer and it's been going on for years. It seems socially acceptable too.

If as a man I point this out to female friends I'm just being silly and it's only a joke. My wife is sick of listening to me give out about it.

Don't even get me started on why women have their only little gym separate to the main one in Total Fitness. Equality people! it works both ways.

*gets coat and heads off to R&R forum*

I completely agree with you about a gender sneer. Unfortunately it seems to be cool to belittle men on ads. Its awful though.

Btw whats the R&R forum?

Jessibelle

SheRa wrote: »

Btw whats the R&R forum?

The Ranting and Raving forum.

Crumble Froo

not being in ireland, i havent heard the ad, but sounds quite awful. but then, that is the reason why i can't stand most popular tv/radio stuff... it's just full of awful gender stereotypes and... i can't think of the word i want... socialised ideals? re socialisation, as opposed socialist ideology i mean that in...

but i do think it's awful how often women (particularly as, i think xiney said) are portrayed as strong/independent, but conniving and bitchy. and petty. so often so petty.

Warfi

Thaedydal wrote: »

Long live bill hicks.

He'd be having a field day if he were alive today!

Here he is ranting about marketing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo

mike65

I'm amused by the way all women appear to suffer trapped wind.

Warfi

mike65 wrote: »

I'm amused by the way all women appear to suffer trapped wind.

And diarrhoea, and constipation. See, proof from the advertising world that men have it easy!:pac:

Men are too busy appearing in ads about guns, cars and women (who don't suffer from trapped wind)

4zn76tysfajdxp

Dudess wrote: »

Has anyone heard that Rabo bank ad where the woman is having a "girly" chat with her mate and describes how she punished her husband by telling him she's pregnant. "Brilliant..." replies her friend evilly.

Typical advertising bullshit. :rolleyes: Were they supposed to be in a café? Was there indistinguishable chatter and the sound of clattering ceramics in the background? Who the hell falls for this nonsense?

Nevyn

Sarah Haskins has an online spot which is called 'Target Women' about how media targets women for certain products.

http://current.com/target-women/

For more Sarah Haskins http://current.com/sarah-haskins/
For more Target Women http://current.com/target-women/

Target Women is a recurring segment on Current TV's weekly television show, infoMania. In each episode of Target Women, Sarah Haskins takes a look at the often-ridiculous way the media reaches out to women.

infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media.

My favs

http://current.com/items/89157733_sarah-haskins-in-target-women-birth-control.htm
http://current.com/items/88941392_sarah-haskins-in-target-women-yogurt-edition.htm
http://current.com/items/89113716_sarah-haskins-in-target-women-feeding-your-f-ing-family.htm
http://current.com/items/90684794_sarah-haskins-in-target-women-youre-old.htm

Handsome Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrKaQRIXPNw

There are a few definitions on the word Sheilas. First and foremost it's an Australian/New Zealand slang word, some defitions claim it can refer to "beautiful and smart" women while other definitions suggest it is a "derogatary term and alludes to weakness."

Not sure how y'all see it, especially within the context of the above ad.

The Sweeper

If you want to make a complaint, go straight to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland:

http://www.asai.ie/complain.asp

And I'd remind you, if you DO complain, and the complaints are upheld, then Rabobank have to withdraw the ad, and the genius who came up with it may think twice about their next ad, and the ad company may think twice, and so on, and so forth...

The Sweeper

LZ5by5 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrKaQRIXPNw

There are a few definitions on the word Sheilas. First and foremost it's an Australian/New Zealand slang word, some defitions claim it can refer to "beautiful and smart" women while other definitions suggest it is a "derogatary term and alludes to weakness."

Not sure how y'all see it, especially within the context of the above ad.

Ah, the Sheila's wheels ad... Guaranteed to have you singing it for days afterwards. 'Sheila' is just an Australian term for woman, unless it's used by one bloke to describe another bloke. Then it's meant offensively - similar to saying "Stop being such a girl".

Dragan

Dudess wrote: »

Has anyone heard that Rabo bank ad where the woman is having a "girly" chat with her mate and describes how she punished her husband by telling him she's pregnant. "Brilliant..." replies her friend evilly.

Yet another in a long line of ads featuring nasty, manipulative, aggressive females - who bully and ridicule male characters that are always gormless and spineless.

Anyone here work in advertising? Is there a reason for this crap?

Normally, it's a simple case of working in a key demographic while only creating a mild possible downturn in others.

Lets say you bank with Rabbo. Would this have annoyed you enough to leave?