"Vodafone TV ad about boy meeting mum's new partner received numerous complaints"

iptba

"Vodafone TV ad about boy meeting mum's new partner received numerous complaints"



http://www.thejournal.ie/complaint-not-upheld-for-vodafone-ad-that-lacks-information-on-the-whereabouts-of-the-boys-biological-dad-4092225-Jun2018/


Initially when I read this and some of the earlier comments, I wasn't impressed by the complaints. But then when I read more of the comments, I thought that maybe there were some issues worth highlighting.

professore

A bit OTT. The reality is that there are lots of kids living with a stepdad whose biological dad is either dead or totally uninterested in them.

I can see how it might be triggering for alienated dads, however grow a pair.

How Soon Is Now

This is the last ad I'd be worried about in fairness.

As usual it's just people looking to find something to be offended by.

PlaneSpeeking

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

This is the last ad I'd be worried about in fairness.

As usual it's just people looking to find something to be offended by.

SNIP

H3llR4iser

Meh, the spot means well - people are really looking for things to get "offended" about. It's absolutely ridiculous at this point.

Sure, somebody who's in a situation where his ex is denying him access to his daughter or son, and who's actively trying to push her new partner on the child as their father, might find the ad hitting a soft spot, but so can anything if we want to be honest. Show somebody driving home in a blue car, and sure enough there'll be people watching who lost a loved one to a crash while they were driving home in a blue car...

colm_mcm

You’d have to ask what they were hoping to achieve with the ad. Being a phone/broadband company.

Same idea as the Guinness ad with yer man and the horse, or indeed any Guinness ad from the last 20 years.

PlaneSpeeking

colm_mcm wrote: »

You’d have to ask what they were hoping to achieve with the ad. Being a phone/broadband company.

Same idea as the Guinness ad with yer man and the horse, or indeed any Guinness ad from the last 20 years.

I thought the ad was the mother was widowed. Be nice that to call the stepfather "dad".

seamus

Fncking hell that's as bad as the people who complained about the Meteor ad being mean to Grannies.

"Might incite domestic violence". Yes, if you're a scumbag.

WTF people, get a grip.

Penn

Better than the usual "Men don't know how to do simple tasks" ads.

PlaneSpeeking

Penn wrote: »

Better than the usual "Men don't know how to do simple tasks" ads.

Or the f***ing Quorn one where yer man is working all the hours God sends and has to "make up to Mary for working late" by getting home shattered and making her "favourite Spag Bol"!

Grinds my gears that one!!!!

PlaneSpeeking

seamus wrote: »

Fncking hell that's as bad as the people who complained about the Meteor ad being mean to Grannies.

"Might incite domestic violence". Yes, if you're a scumbag.

WTF people, get a grip.

Remind me ??

seamus

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Remind me ??

Meteor did a Xmas ad where granny turns up with a knitted something rather than a "good" present and gets shown the door. In context it was funny and lighthearted.

There were complaints that the ad was ageist and upsetting to people whose grandmothers were dead.

Mr Bloat

colm_mcm wrote: »

You’d have to ask what they were hoping to achieve with the ad. Being a phone/broadband company.

Same idea as the Guinness ad with yer man and the horse, or indeed any Guinness ad from the last 20 years.

They're trying to build emotion into the ad so that you'll associate that happy/sweet/joyful feeling you might experience while watching the ad with the brand itself.

https://www.marketing91.com/emotional-appeal/

PlaneSpeeking

seamus wrote: »

Meteor did a Xmas ad where granny turns up with a knitted something rather than a "good" present and gets shown the door. In context it was funny and lighthearted.

There were complaints that the ad was ageist and upsetting to people whose grandmothers were dead.

Glad I missed that one - I'd take it as a joke on my nan who once gave me a homemade crocheted throw with a picture of Padre Pio on it!!

Loved the bones of her! "Inciting domestic violence" ???

People be nuts.

colm_mcm

Mr Bloat wrote: »

They're trying to build emotion into the ad so that you'll associate that happy/sweet/joyful feeling you might experience while watching the ad with the brand itself.

https://www.marketing91.com/emotional-appeal/

That’s backfired on them then!

Dravokivich

I'm a single parent and I don't like it. I feel the ad normalised a sense of replacing the other parent. Which is something I'm always very wary of not doing. It's quite disrespectful in that regards.

4068ac1elhodqr

Not as bad as two of the most complained about (ASA-UK) ads of 2017

1. KFC - dancing chickens - 755 Complaints: Disrespectful to chickens (that's what it says).
2. Moneysupermarket - Dancing Builders - 455 Complaints: Sexualisation of menfolk etc.

jimmycrackcorm

Dravokivich wrote:

I'm a single parent and I don't like it. I feel the ad normalised a sense of replacing the other parent. Which is something I'm always very wary of not doing. It's quite disrespectful in that regards.

No kid calls another man dad when he has one already.

Dravokivich

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

No kid calls another man dad when he has one already.

Never really thought this would be the place for stereotypes. The issue I take with the ad is seeking to replace another parent. It doesn't matter which is being replaced and why doesn't come into it, its that it's actively sought after.

kupus

colm_mcm wrote: »

That’s backfired on them then!

Not really, it has got people talking about it.

This is the way marketing has evolved in the social media generation.

I dont have stats to back this up but I would be pretty sure that there is a huge amount of psychologists working in marketing to create more emotional content to appeal to people.

Dravokivich

kupus wrote: »

Not really, it has got people talking about it.

This is the way marketing has evolved in the social media generation.

I dont have stats to back this up but I would be pretty sure that there is a huge amount of psychologists working in marketing to create more emotional content to appeal to people.

I never really took much notice of who did the add. The story within it had my attention.

eviltwin

I thought the ad was sweet. It's a reflection of the world we live in, single mums with new partners, I imagine a lot of single parents identified with it. I wouldn't read too much into it, it's an ad.

drunkmonkey

Mr Bloat wrote: »

They're trying to build emotion into the ad so that you'll associate that happy/sweet/joyful feeling you might experience while watching the ad with the brand itself.

https://www.marketing91.com/emotional-appeal/

Broken home, dead dad, same sex couples, who were they trying to appeal to here?
More virtual signalling, anyone can be a dad. You have to be careful with advertising and putting your paws in the family unit to signal diversity is a risky business.

Dravokivich

eviltwin wrote: »

I thought the ad was sweet. It's a reflection of the world we live in, single mums with new partners, I imagine a lot of single parents identified with it. I wouldn't read too much into it, it's an ad.

I don't think it's fair to say it's a reflection of the world we are in. The number of complaints pales compared to the others referenced earlier is because we're more likely to keep our discontent within our circle for the most part unlike in the UK where they take it quite seriously (sometimes to a rather humorous level).

It's quite unfair to put upon a child that it's normal to replace/substitute a parent. And somehow they've done that to sell internet?

eviltwin

Dravokivich wrote: »

I don't think it's fair to say it's a reflection of the world we are in. The number of complaints pales compared to the others referenced earlier is because we're more likely to keep our discontent within our circle for the most part unlike in the UK where they take it quite seriously (sometimes to a rather humorous level).

It's quite unfair to put upon a child that it's normal to replace/substitute a parent. And somehow they've done that to sell internet?

That's a scenario that's being played out in homes across the country right now. Lots of single parents involved in relationships with someone. What's the big deal here?

FourFourRED

“The advertisement has the potential to incite domestic violence when a biological dad sees his son calling another man ‘Dad’.”

That’s a bit extreme. Stopped reading after that.

Dravokivich

eviltwin wrote: »

That's a scenario that's being played out in homes across the country right now. Lots of single parents involved in relationships with someone. What's the big deal here?

A single parent, bringing in a partner and looking for the child to put them in place of the other parent.

That's sweet? That's... *shudder* normal?

NinetyTwoTeam

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Glad I missed that one - I'd take it as a joke on my nan who once gave me a homemade crocheted throw with a picture of Padre Pio on it!!

Loved the bones of her! "Inciting domestic violence" ???

People be nuts.

That throw sounds pretty sweet man.

Vodafone - get the new iPhone X free when you switch over your father, sorry, number.
See in store for details. Terms & Conditions apply. Maximum 2 fathers/numbers per household.

Rory28

Dravokivich wrote: »

A single parent, bringing in a partner and looking for the child to put them in place of the other parent.

That's sweet? That's... *shudder* normal?

If the single parent marries the new partner and he is the kids the stepfather then I would expect this to be the desired outcome. My sisters ex husband is a piece of sh1t that wants nothing to do with his kids. If she remarries and her kids start calling the new guy dad then I'd be delighted.

Wombatman

I guess it would be very upsetting to biological fathers who have been shut out through no falut of their own.

WarpAsylum

I think the ad is sweet, and the vast majority of people would pick it up that way too.

However, if I had to stretch and find something wrond with it, I'd say it reinforces the disposibility/replaceability of men.

silverharp

I'd take the p1ss out of the advert but wouldn't consider being offended by it or complain about it officially. they could do a follow up advert with his real dad using his phone to contact the kid from his damp bedsit

Mr Bloat

silverharp wrote: »

I'd take the p1ss out of the advert but wouldn't consider being offended by it or complain about it officially. they could do a follow up advert with his real dad using his phone to contact the kid from his damp bedsit

Or from BEYOND THE GRAVE!!! :eek:

silverharp

Mr Bloat wrote: »

Or from BEYOND THE GRAVE!!! :eek:

that would be a Carlsberg advert

H3llR4iser

silverharp wrote: »

I'd take the p1ss out of the advert but wouldn't consider being offended by it or complain about it officially. they could do a follow up advert with his real dad using his phone to contact the kid from his damp bedsit

That would be interesting


Or, they could make a second ad with the biological father calling him from a penthouse apartment, with his new partner happening to be featured at some point (even just passing by or sitting next to him). Now that, it's something I'd be curious to see how it'd go down...or with the child calling dad's new girlfriend "mom".

Rory28

H3llR4iser wrote: »

That would be interesting


Or, they could make a second ad with the biological father calling him from a penthouse apartment, with his new partner happening to be featured at some point (even just passing by or sitting next to him). Now that, it's something I'd be curious to see how it'd go down...or with the child calling dad's new girlfriend "mom".

Or they could visit the deceased fathers grave and take a selfie. It is just an ad people. One I found nice as well.

PlaneSpeeking

H3llR4iser wrote: »

That would be interesting


Or, they could make a second ad with the biological father calling him from a penthouse apartment, with his new partner happening to be featured at some point (even just passing by or sitting next to him). Now that, it's something I'd be curious to see how it'd go down...or with the child calling dad's new girlfriend "mom".

True story - I actually know a woman who INSISTED her kid call three different fiances "dad" - when he didn't want to.

The kid ended up seriously falling out with the mother and years later, calling the step mother "mum" at the wedding.

She did not take it well!