Sexist Soda Ad

[Andara Bledin]

I could have put this in Social Woes, but, really, how could I resist putting a thread about a soda ad under Pop Culture?

Anyway, how many of you out there have seen the new Dr Pepper Ten ad campaign? Here's one of the commercials at YouTube.

It starts off with the assumption that women don't like popcorn action flicks, then goes downhill from there. What moron thought this ad was a good idea? "Not for women" is a shitty tag line, and a lousy way to sell your 10-calorie soda.

^-.-^

[Greenday]

First time I've heard of it. Pretty funny to me, but I don't know if that's the greatest of ideas for an ad campaign.

[Sarah Valentine]

Me and my sister think it's pretty funny, but my mom thinks it's not right for the guy to just throw the empty can wherever. But the first time me and Jamie saw it we started laughing. Catchphrase!

[Andara Bledin]

Yeah. I get they were going for humor, but it's so far the other side of the funny/stupid line it's bordering on painful.

^-.-^

[HYHYBT]

Right up there with McDonald's advertising the Arch Deluxe by saying kids would hate it. Only with sexism thrown in on top of stupidity.

You *can* market something to be more appealing to one demographic without insulting another.

[blas87]

I love the assumption girls don't like man movies.

I only watch "chick flicks" at home on weekends, mostly before I got my new DVD player and could rent what I wanted.

Not that there were a lot of girls at the Expendables, or The Mechanic, but I loved those movies.

Though I will admit, I ONLY go to Markie Mark movies in hopes he'll just be shirtless the whole movie.

[Amanita]

I remember reading about this ad campaign, and yes I thought it was sexist and stupid. Really, do you have to trash on one gender in order to appeal to the other?

When that military dude goes into his "enjoying the movie, ladies?" rant, I want to yell back "Shut your trap and get to the action already! This lady wants to see some asses kicked!"

Seriously, not all women wet their pants over sappy chick flicks. Gender stereotyping for the lose.

[blas87]

No kidding.

My favorite sappy movie is Moulin Rouge, but it's far from a cliche idiotic brain cell destroying chick flick. Besides, I know many men who like it, too.

I will admit that like I said, I didn't have a DVD player for a bit and would settle for "He's Just Not That Into You" and those other idiot movies on TV when I'm sitting at home on the weekends, but they aren't what I pay the big bucks to go see or rent.

[Ginger Tea]

YORKIE it's not for girls.

Just like under age drinkers/smokers trying to get a can/packet from a shop, this had women dressing in drag to get a chocolate bar.

Hard hat, big fake tash workers wear woman comes in
Shop keeper "Your not a girl are you?"
fake gruff voice "No."
"Prove it." hands jar, hands back open jar
"Ooh a spider." shows big plastic spider to no reaction.
"you have lovely eyes."
"Oh thank you."
Shop keeper snatches bar off the counter

[Cazzi]

Ginger Tea.. you forgot the bit about the offside rule http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcjlzSod0CE

Is it sexist? Probably, but its deliberately so over the top as to be funny. And it does what its supposed to, bring attention to a product!

This come to you from the female who spent a large portion of time in the 90's & 00's being very frustrated at the generalisation that girls don't play video games

[Ginger Tea]

I was typing what I could remember, could have googled a youtube vid, just like you did.

[AdminAssistant]

What's funny is that I'm the one who likes the blow-'em-up action movies. Fiance has been trying for months to get me to watch The Notebook. I asked for his man card.

[Ree]

Is it sexist? Probably, but its deliberately so over the top as to be funny. And it does what its supposed to, bring attention to a product!

Yeah, I really think it's meant to be tongue in cheek, and poking fun moreso than making a sexist statement.

I see ads everyday that make stereotypical and sexist pokes at men and nobody really bats an eye, yet Dr Pepper had dared to market a product with an ad campaign that's saying, "Sorry ladies, this is guy stuff!" and women get all bent out of shape.

There are ads implying that only women like sappy movies, or that they force their male partners along to the ballet or symphony concerts. Only women know how to properly use everyday household appliances and cleaning products, or cook for the family. Only women care about nutrition content and eating and drinking healthy. Men, left to their own devices will eat anything and drink anything if a woman doesn't take charge and correct that behaviour. Only women know how to keep a household running smoothly, tending to the children while holding down a job and still managing to put a wholesome meal on the table or keep a tidy home while their big lug of a partner struggles with complicated things like changing the toilet paper roll.

These ads have been running for years, and these stereotypes have been the basis of the ad industry from the beginning.

I see this ad as a reverse of all those other ads. It's still playing on the same stereotypes, but introducing it differently. Instead of saying that guys hate "chick flicks" and drink "manly" drinks, it's saying that women hate action flicks and prefer their wussy little fruit coolers and health drinks.

I think it's causing such a stir because it's daring to say women can't do something, even though, as I said, the ad industry has been telling men they can't do stuff for years.

[Amanita]

^For what it's worth, I hate the ads that portray men and fathers as useless and incompetent as well. That ballpark franks ad where the guy has to get supper for his kids and is standing there all helpless until he sees the hot dogs, individually wrapped no less.

Or the JC penney ads, where the kids are wreaking havoc and daddy just moans "Where is your mother?" instead of actually doing anything.

[Andara Bledin]

I get irritated at any sexist ad, no matter who it's aimed at.

The only reason I posted about this one is because it's on heavy rotation on Hulu right now, and it's irritating the crap out of me.

The fact that it's supposed to be over-the-top doesn't change the fact that it's sexist. Coke Zero managed to market their product to guys without making a big deal out of how drinking a low-calorie drink wouldn't emasculate them.

^-.-^