Class, Gender, Race, etc. in Commercials

[stillhere1900]

On 7/21/2016 at 7:22 PM, caci said:

See, I look at it from the female perspective that if a loud mouthed man drove up to me and offered his number, I would be pretty weirded out too.

Me too.

[Kromm]

This is an online ad only (I just made a topic for those), but I'm duping it here, because I'm curious how others read the subtext of this commercial...

I have my own thoughts (and mentioned them already in that other topic) but will hold back here for the time being to see what others think unbiased by anything I say.

[wallysmommy]

I debated about whether or not to post this, but a local commercial drives me crazy with the horrid stereotyping.  "My baby daddy get all his guns from Top Dollar Pawn Shop."  "My baby daddy get all my jew-ery from Top Dollar Pawn Shop."  As she waves her hand around to show her second hand gold.

[Chinspinner]

Nice topic. Adverts seem to be years behind the times when it comes to racial/ gender stereotyping. They are so reductive in their characterisation of different groups of people that they cannot help but be offensive. 

There is one that drives me crazy and is currently shown in the UK. Essentially a woman cleans a bedroom using some carpet cleaner (or something) with an artificial scent, and then says words to the effect of "now it smells clean. Of course he'll hate it!" presumably referring to her husband. 

Why? Why would he hate a clean room? Is the implication that all men choose to live in filth and squalor? Or is the implication that women have little use other than cleaning up behind their husbands and making snarky comments? I don't understand who the target audience is, because it is so reductive as to irritate everyone. It really should bugger off. 

Edited February 25, 2017 by Chinspinner

[Milburn Stone]

39 minutes ago, Chinspinner said:

Adverts seem to be years behind the times when it comes to racial/ gender stereotyping.

The commercial you cite seems to be pretty dumb, but just dealing with this part...Advertising never tries to change society, it tries to stay current with what it perceives to be the prevailing mood of the society. The insights about people that are contained in commercials are ones that the makers hope to get the most heads nodding along with in assent--the most people saying, "Oh yes, that's so true!" The progressive Cheerios spots with the gay couple and the interracial couple only happened when it was perceived that the society was already changing to become more tolerant. True, the spots may have helped push the culture a bit further in that direction, but the intention was not to cause social revolution, rather to harness a revolution already perceived to be happening and put it in the service of Cheerios. The nice byproduct of that function is, sometimes advertising really can do some good. Either by making people feel less alone--the "yes, OMG, that's so true, that's how I feel" part--or codifying, solidifying, and creating consensus for the changes happening in the society.

[Chinspinner]

26 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

The commercial you cite seems to be pretty dumb, but just dealing with this part...Advertising never tries to change society, it tries to stay current with what it perceives to be the prevailing mood of the society. The insights about people that are contained in commercials are ones that the makers hope to get the most heads nodding along with in assent--the most people saying, "Oh yes, that's so true!" The progressive Cheerios spots with the gay couple and the interracial couple only happened when it was perceived that the society was already changing to become more tolerant. True, the spots may have helped push the culture a bit further in that direction, but the intention was not to cause social revolution, rather to harness a revolution already perceived to be happening and put it in the service of Cheerios. The nice byproduct of that function is, sometimes advertising really can do some good. Either by making people feel less alone--the "yes, OMG, that's so true, that's how I feel" part--or codifying, solidifying, and creating consensus for the changes happening in the society.

I've never seen this Cheerios advert, but presumably it is shown in the US? There is an example of a "progressive" series of adverts in the UK, for some chocolate bar or other, and essentially they involve "disabled" people talking with their friends about things "normal" people talk about. It is so hideously patronising. Again, it is reductive in the sense that the only message seems to be "disabled people are normal, just like you and me!"- which is a message years - decades - out of date - we all know this. We certainly don't need to be lectured by some huge corporation who's only motive is profit, it is obnoxious.

And this is my major problem with advertising, it exists only to reflect the zeitgeist, or the tastes and temperaments of their customer base. It is this fundamental insincerity that makes adverts so excruciating.     

Edited February 25, 2017 by Chinspinner

[Neurochick]

On February 25, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Milburn Stone said:

The commercial you cite seems to be pretty dumb, but just dealing with this part...Advertising never tries to change society, it tries to stay current with what it perceives to be the prevailing mood of the society. The insights about people that are contained in commercials are ones that the makers hope to get the most heads nodding along with in assent--the most people saying, "Oh yes, that's so true!" The progressive Cheerios spots with the gay couple and the interracial couple only happened when it was perceived that the society was already changing to become more tolerant. True, the spots may have helped push the culture a bit further in that direction, but the intention was not to cause social revolution, rather to harness a revolution already perceived to be happening and put it in the service of Cheerios. The nice byproduct of that function is, sometimes advertising really can do some good. Either by making people feel less alone--the "yes, OMG, that's so true, that's how I feel" part--or codifying, solidifying, and creating consensus for the changes happening in the society.

A lot of advertising is about ten years behind the times.  When I saw that Cheerios commercial with the interracial couple, I thought, "shit, people have been marrying interracially for decades already.  Nice of Cheerios to finally realize that."

[Silver Raven]

This Coke ad is TOO funny.

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, Neurochick said:

A lot of advertising is about ten years behind the times.  When I saw that Cheerios commercial with the interracial couple, I thought, "shit, people have been marrying interracially for decades already.  Nice of Cheerios to finally realize that."

Yet it was still considered controversial.  smh

[janie jones]

16 hours ago, Haleth said:

Yet it was still considered controversial.  smh

But it's not controversial because it's perceived as new.  It's controversial because the company is saying that they condone the horrific turn society has taken. 

[BabyVegas]

Okay, this commercial is an oldie but I saw either this one or a similar one on TV the other day. The basic concept is that they take a random DJ guy, cut his hair and throw him in a suit and now people would never guess that he's a DJ and not a financial planner. The message of the ad is supposed to be that your financial planner could be anyone and you'd never know it if this person isn't certified by their board. Perhaps I'm overreacting, but it seems like what they're saying is "hey, as long as you look like a stuffy white dude, people will believe anything!" and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see.

[LoneHaranguer]

On 3/3/2017 at 3:18 PM, Neurochick said:

A lot of advertising is about ten years behind the times.  When I saw that Cheerios commercial with the interracial couple, I thought, "shit, people have been marrying interracially for decades already.  Nice of Cheerios to finally realize that."

In acting, minorities are underrepresented, so anyone who doesn't specifically tell the casting company "we need an African-American for this spot", is unlikely to wind up with one in their ad. It's cereal; why would anyone care unless somebody looking for attention started busting them for it?

[theatremouse]

13 hours ago, BabyVegas said:

The message of the ad is supposed to be that your financial planner could be anyone and you'd never know it if this person isn't certified by their board. Perhaps I'm overreacting, but it seems like what they're saying is "hey, as long as you look like a stuffy white dude, people will believe anything!" and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see.

I think their point is exactly that: they're not saying it's a good thing, but that it is a true thing that if you put a well-groomed adult white dude in a suit, way too many people will believe anything he says, so check a person's credentials before you hire him to handle your finances.

[Silver Raven]

Johnnie Walker stands up for immigrants.

[Bastet]

I just can't with, as they say, blended Scotch whisky (single malt, please), but I do keep a bottle on hand for guests who want to ruin Scotch with several other ingredients; it has long been Johnnie Walker, and, after this commercial, it will probably long continue to be.

[xaxat]

On 3/6/2017 at 1:17 AM, BabyVegas said:

Okay, this commercial is an oldie but I saw either this one or a similar one on TV the other day. The basic concept is that they take a random DJ guy, cut his hair and throw him in a suit and now people would never guess that he's a DJ and not a financial planner. The message of the ad is supposed to be that your financial planner could be anyone and you'd never know it if this person isn't certified by their board. Perhaps I'm overreacting, but it seems like what they're saying is "hey, as long as you look like a stuffy white dude, people will believe anything!" and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 2:50 PM, theatremouse said:

I think their point is exactly that: they're not saying it's a good thing, but that it is a true thing that if you put a well-groomed adult white dude in a suit, way too many people will believe anything he says, so check a person's credentials before you hire him to handle your finances.

Yeah, even though I'm a fan of their music, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to Wu Tang Financial.

[LoneHaranguer]

1 hour ago, xaxat said:

Yeah, even though I'm a fan of their music, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to Wu Tang Financial.

But, they do have a point about the surroundings carrying some weight. In the right setting, the well-groomed person in the right attire doesn't have to be a white dude.

[Neurochick]

I put this on the "Commercials that Annoy" thread, and apparently, people were upset that I put it there, so I will put it here.

IKEA Shades Black Women in New Commercial.

[Bastet]

I remember that link from when the commercial first started airing.

This is the sort of thing where it's incredibly frustrating to me that, among the many people an ad campaign passes through, no one considered the issue (or did and dismissed it).  I think it's fantastic to show someone sleeping alone when you're showing a montage of people loving the bed you're pitching, and I imagine the reason we didn't see only couples was that it wouldn't be an accurate slice of life montage that way and could be offensive to those who are perfectly content (or, even prefer, as in my and others' cases) not to share their nice, comfy bed with another human being yet are frequently ignored or presented as sad and lonely because of that.  Similarly, the racist stereotypes about black woman enumerated in that video/article aren't any big secret, either, so whatever the initial intention (conscious or subconscious) in casting, how did it not occur to any one of those numerous people that having the one singleton be a black woman - especially one with her skin tone and hair - was potentially perpetuating a horrible, ongoing stereotype and thus, hey, we don't want to be part of that?

[callie lee 29]

On 9/3/2017 at 2:26 PM, Neurochick said:

I put this on the "Commercials that Annoy" thread, and apparently, people were upset that I put it there, so I will put it here.

IKEA Shades Black Women in New Commercial.

Heh, I saw that on the other thread; comments got rather... interesting. I have seen the commercial quite a bit, but not ever read it in that frame, which is why having threads like these are good. Looking through another's viewpoint is a good thing. {Personally, I was just excited to see an single, adult woman (seemingly childless) who is happy and content with that status.  As a childless, single (asexual) woman in the states, that concept is so rare, I kinda find comfort and comradery where I can find it!  Also, I've never been in a ikea, so the designs were interesting. }

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[peacheslatour]

Quote

Personally, I was just excited to see an single, adult woman (seemingly childless) who is happy and content with that status

That's how I felt about it. If it were a black couple, a hispanic couple and a single white woman I'd feel the same way. In fact I don't think I'd even notice.

[Ohwell]

Besides the fact that the single person in the Ikea ad was a black female, what struck me was her sitting at the foot of the bed, staring ahead.  I couldn't figure out if she was sad or just contemplative, but it was...strange.   However, the couples looked happy.  If it had been a Hispanic or White or Asian female sitting on the bed like that, I would have had the same reaction. 

[peacheslatour]

To me she seemed like she was calming her mind, like a meditative pose before retiring. Maybe her SO is out of town. It's kind of a weird commercial and I'm a feminist who can be a bit touchy about how women are portrayed.

[LoneHaranguer]

18 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Besides the fact that the single person in the Ikea ad was a black female, what struck me was her sitting at the foot of the bed, staring ahead.  I couldn't figure out if she was sad or just contemplative, but it was...strange.

She seemed happy to me, but why would she have so many pillows on the bed that she'd be crowded out like that? If the Producer wanted to show off the merchandise, better to have had no actors in that shot to draw viewer attention. There's a lot to pick apart in this ad.  Why so much of the ad in dim lighting? Why is the Hispanic guy sitting up looking concerned, like he just heard a strange noise, while his partner is all smiles. Why no Asians? They could have had a mixed-race couple. I suspect the folks who wrote this ad know absolutely nothing about racial politics in the U.S. beyond somebody saying "you need to have diversity".

[Neurochick]

On 9/5/2017 at 6:42 PM, peacheslatour said:

That's how I felt about it. If it were a black couple, a hispanic couple and a single white woman I'd feel the same way. In fact I don't think I'd even notice.

The problem with the commercial has to do with racism and the stereotype that black women are not desirable, or seen, by the media as less desirable than non black women.  That was stated on the YouTube video.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

45 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

The problem with the commercial has to do with racism and the stereotype that black women are not desirable, or seen, by the media as less desirable than non black women.  That was stated on the YouTube video.

The woman who is reviewing the ad also says that she understands that not every woman has to have a husband and children, that some women opt out of being a wife and mother by choice. I'm not trying to undercut your personal feelings about the original commercial, but there seems to be more than one interpretation. Would it bother you less if the single woman was white or Hispanic, with the understanding that being single means that people find you unattractive or not desirable? And keeping it related to commercials in general, given how utterly stupid most men in ads are portrayed as being, I can see why the particular woman in the IKEA commercial would actively choose to remain single.

[Neurochick]

The issue with the commercial is that, there is a stereotype that black women are seen as undesirable, that's the stereotype, so if the single woman was white or Hispanic, it wouldn't have the sane effect.

There is nothing wrong or bad with being single.  The problem is the stereotype, and I feel the commercial contributes to it.

[LoneHaranguer]

On 9/9/2017 at 6:41 AM, Neurochick said:

The issue with the commercial is that, there is a stereotype that black women are seen as undesirable, that's the stereotype, so if the single woman was white or Hispanic, it wouldn't have the sane effect.

I don't think I've heard this stereotype, and it seems like it would conflict with that of black women having kids by multiple partners.

[Neurochick]

7 minutes ago, LoneHaranguer said:

I don't think I've heard this stereotype, and it seems like it would conflict with that of black women having kids by multiple partners.

The Economics of marriage often don't work for Black Women.

 

And another article.

[LoneHaranguer]

There's a difference between unmarried and single.

[Neurochick]

I like this commercial, even though it's for "Eternity"

[CoderLady]

2 hours ago, Neurochick said:

I like this commercial, even though it's for "Eternity"

Oh, that's really nice. I'm not a perfume person but as a people person I really like this one, too.

[Tunia]

I get her point, but isn't this just a wee bit tacky?

https://nypost.com/2017/11/30/attorney-general-candidate-vote-for-me-because-i-dont-have-a-penis/

[AuntiePam]

The iPad Pro commercial -- the kid is a bit too smug -- "What's a computer?" -- but I like that we don't know if we're looking at a boy or a girl -- or somewhere in between.  Fingernail polish -- different colors even -- androgynous clothes, naturally wavy hair (to die for!), and some attitude. 

What I don't like is that the kid missed an opportunity to engage with his curious neighbor when she asked what he was doing on his computer.  (Or she.)

[Tunia]

^^^ispot.tv says Scout is a she, but you had me questioning it enough that I had to look it up.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wMCu/apple-ipad-pro-whats-a-computer-song-by-louis-the-child

[Broken Ox]

8 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

The iPad Pro commercial -- the kid is a bit too smug -- "What's a computer?" --

That one was on repeatedly last weekend while my daughter was over.  After about the third time: "I get it, Mom. You hate the commercial. You don't need to yell how stupid that comment is every. single. time."

Me; "Yes, I do."

Edited December 1, 2017 by Broken Ox

[LoneHaranguer]

11 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

I like that we don't know if we're looking at a boy or a girl -- or somewhere in between.

I didn't think there was any ambiguity, but on rewatch, her bike may have an issue. There's one scene where it looks like the top bar connects just a few inches below the seat, indicating a boy's bike, but in other scenes it swoops down low, clearly a girl's bike.

[peacheslatour]

I've never understood why boys bikes and girls bikes are different.

[frenchtoast]

13 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I've never understood why boys bikes and girls bikes are different.

This may sound weird, but I think it has something to do with what women were wearing when bicycles really hit the scene--lots of dresses and skirts. A bar across the top would be very difficult with a dress. Lower down like that, the skirt can fall better. And, it's easier to get on and off the bike without showing some bloomers (as it were) if the bar is lower. Well, that's my theory. We don't necessarily need that now, but it just stayed. I would also point out that I would think it would be easier if every bike had the lower bar just for getting off and on for everyone.

FTR, this is completely my hare-brained, wacky, not very bright, theory. Please shoot holes in it. (In Small Talk though. Bring the convo to Small Talk.)

[proserpina65]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I've never understood why boys bikes and girls bikes are different.

I have trouble getting my leg over the bar on a boy's/men's bike, so I'm glad they are different.

That "what's a computer?" makes me want to smack that kid every single time I see the commercial.  You know dang well what a computer is, brat.  Up until that point, the ad is interesting.

Edited December 1, 2017 by proserpina65

[peacheslatour]

5 hours ago, frenchtoast said:

This may sound weird, but I think it has something to do with what women were wearing when bicycles really hit the scene--lots of dresses and skirts. A bar across the top would be very difficult with a dress. Lower down like that, the skirt can fall better. And, it's easier to get on and off the bike without showing some bloomers (as it were) if the bar is lower. Well, that's my theory. We don't necessarily need that now, but it just stayed. I would also point out that I would think it would be easier if every bike had the lower bar just for getting off and on for everyone.

FTR, this is completely my hare-brained, wacky, not very bright, theory. Please shoot holes in it. (In Small Talk though. Bring the convo to Small Talk.)

I think that makes a lot of sense.

[Haleth]

22 hours ago, Broken Ox said:

That one was on repeatedly last weekend while my daughter was over.  After about the third time: "I get it, Mom. You hate the commercial. You don't need to yell how stupid that comment is every. single. time."

Me; "Yes, I do."

BTW, I love your user name!  Ah, memories!

[Prevailing Wind]

20 hours ago, frenchtoast said:

I would also point out that I would think it would be easier if every bike had the lower bar just for getting off and on for everyone.

 

Not to mention the lack of a bar might protect "family jewels" during a mishap. Once I learned how fragile they are, I wondered why the heck that bar was there, just begging to hurt the boys' junk if they happen to hit a bump or something and fall off the seat. If the stupid bar is there to make the bike more stable, why are girls in skirts considered more expendable with no stability bar?

[janie jones]

23 hours ago, LoneHaranguer said:

I didn't think there was any ambiguity, but on rewatch, her bike may have an issue. There's one scene where it looks like the top bar connects just a few inches below the seat, indicating a boy's bike, but in other scenes it swoops down low, clearly a girl's bike.

I didn't think there was any ambiguity either, and when I saw it, I liked that she wasn't a girly-girl.  For some reason the thing I liked the best was that she and the neighbor seem quite friendly.

[LoneHaranguer]

9 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

If the stupid bar is there to make the bike more stable, why are girls in skirts considered more expendable with no stability bar?

There's still a bar, but it slopes down more, so it wouldn't strengthen the frame as much. How much is enough? Maybe they figure boys will abuse their bikes more?

[stillhere1900]

Lately I've been noticing more commercials that feature White men with Black women.

I'm a Black women, married to a White man, so I was glad to see this type of relationship is finally recognized and not always just Black men with White women.

[Kromm]

I sat down watching the news and noticed 3 commercials in a row with this, although to be accurate one commercial didn't feature a wife at all and had a white guy with a mixed race daughter.

Even though it was during a national newscast, the commercials are often sold locally even on those, so I found myself wondering if Alabama was getting the same sequence of commercials I was in one of the "liberal elite media markets", as the opponents of these kinds of commercials would consider and label where I live.

[akg]

2 hours ago, stillhere1900 said:

Lately I've been noticing more commercials that feature White men with Black women.

 

1 hour ago, Kromm said:

I found myself wondering if Alabama was getting the same sequence of commercials I was in one of the "liberal elite media markets"

We're getting them in SW Michigan. I've been meaning to post how much I'm enjoying the diversity.

[Gurkel]

I saw a commercial this morning for Hasbro toys based on the upcoming Black Panther movie, which is great. And there are children of color in the commercial, which is also great (one black girl, one black boy, and another boy who could be Latino--I'm not 100% sure). But the fact that there are only children of color in the commercial concerns me. Even though this is a huge Marvel movie, most of the cast is black, and its trailers and marketing might make it seem like a "black" movie to the casual viewer. I can't argue much with that because every black person I know is excited to see it, and most of us (me included) are not comic book-movie fans. And I'm sure (I hope) that more than just black people will see Black Panther. But this Hasbro commercial seems to be sending the message that the toys themselves are just for black children. Which, no, they aren't. I just hope there are other versions of the commercial that are more universal. 

I know I might sound hypocritical. I applaud diversity in advertising. But I hate it when any kind of marketing or advertising pigeonholes a product or service into being just for a certain kind of people, which might limit its overall appeal and success

[Prevailing Wind]

Wouldn't it be great if we didn't even *notice* the mixed race families?  That they're just families.  I notice them, too, but think if, perhaps, we were more evolved, we wouldn't notice.  <sigh> The human race still has so far to go...