Filed under: Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Corporate Evil, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Sexism, Women
I need to rant.
You see I’m totally fucking over subtle sexism.
Don’t get me wrong, I am over overt sexism as well, but this subtle shit is doing my head in – especially in ads.
On face value, it’s nothing.
It almost feels normal in fact.
But when you stop for a second, you see the little digs.
The references to women loving shoes.
Or the colour pink.
Or some other cliched, sexist bullshit … like doing anything for doughnuts.
Oh they’ll say it’s “all in good fun”.
Or “… it’s not meant to be real, it’s advertising”.
They’ll claim you’re being too sensitive or that you “can’t say anything these days”.
Implying there was absolutely no other way they could approach the task they were given.
As if we’re bloody idiots.
And while some simply don’t get it – having spent their life living in the bubble of another era – deep down they know.
Or at least suspect.
The reality is they just don’t want to admit it.
Even if that’s just to themselves.
So they say this shit. Write this shit. Produce this shit.
And many will let it pass.
Mainly because they’re not paying close attention to the ads.
But it still seeps in.
Leaving it’s message.
Not the one the client wanted, but the one the old, conformist, sexist guys did.
And that’s why I think it’s the most dangerous sexism of all because when it’s done quietly, it affects slowly … creeping into the ears, eyes and minds of those who are exposed to it, while those who are aware of this shit, hear it like a scream.
18 Comments
Thank you Robert.
Comment by Mary Bryant January 26, 2018 @ 6:24 amis this the moment i remind you of your husband and his infamous cake incident?
Comment by andy@cynic January 26, 2018 @ 6:33 amNo Andrew. I’ll have him explain the reasons why at dinner this weekend.
Comment by Mary Bryant January 26, 2018 @ 6:36 amAgain? Really?
Comment by George January 26, 2018 @ 6:43 amthe gift that keeps on giving.
Comment by andy@cynic January 26, 2018 @ 7:15 amThis made me laugh loud.
Comment by DH January 26, 2018 @ 7:49 amboys who are children who think thats what makes them men.
Comment by andy@cynic January 26, 2018 @ 6:33 ami could have become one of those fuckers if it wasnt for the women in my life.
fuck ive become oprah.
Wow.
Comment by DH January 26, 2018 @ 7:50 amWell said. Apart from being morally dubious and illustrating a lack of the insights for which agencies are supposedly paid, it’s commercial idiocy to alienate the majority of your potential customers.
Comment by John January 26, 2018 @ 6:33 amAnd when I write morally dubious, I mean morally indefensible.
Comment by John January 26, 2018 @ 6:35 amWell said Robert. The way men and women are portrayed in advertising, especially by brands who use the opposite sex as some sort of comedic straight man (excuse the reference), is terrible. That said your point about silent sexism is very true. Very dangerous and often unseen unless you are attuned to it. As the father of 3, independent daughters I am very sensitive to how much is quietly pushed on them by people living in a bubble of their own making.
Comment by George January 26, 2018 @ 6:47 amwhen bonnie was born i looked back at all the shit id put into the world and asked if i had helped the world wed brought her into or added to the shit. on reflection i was pretty good and where i wasnt was because of a fucking planner.
Comment by andy@cynic January 26, 2018 @ 7:19 amYes Robert. It should not need to be said but no one else is saying it.
Comment by Katerina January 26, 2018 @ 7:29 am❤️
Comment by Jemma King January 26, 2018 @ 7:55 amthank YOU!
Comment by leigh January 26, 2018 @ 9:38 amI agree with every word on here. Even Billy seems to have got the message because his silence on this post is loud and clear.
Comment by Pete January 26, 2018 @ 11:40 amI’m sorry but I have to ask – what’s wrong with saying that women love shoes????
Comment by All About Life April 27, 2018 @ 7:53 am[…] the fact women deal with this blatant – and subtle – prejudicial shit every single day and don’t want to kill every man they meet, is […]
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