Sexism in commercials is sadly just so, well, typical. But every once in a while a commercial comes along that goes above and beyond, like this one from Hungry Man. Take note of the ending where the Hungry Man meal crushes the feminized fruit drinks.
This commercial has multiple layers of sexism. One is obviously gendering food choices. Why are healthy foods (fruit and yogurt) feminized and unhealthy meat and potatoes in large quantities (sans green vegetables) associated with masculinity and being tough? And what kind of prescriptions about class and work are made as well? Why are these blue collar "working men" when drinking fruit shakes and health drinks are typically associated with white collar, upper class women (and men)?
As the commercial says... you are what you eat.
I wonder why a recent study found that "the gender divide starts over dinner."
4 comments:
March 20, 2008 at 9:50 AM
The first thing that struck me was stereotyping of women going to the bathroom together - before I even realized that it was a "Hungry Man" ad.
That seemed to be the most obvious thing that I picked up on.
March 20, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Regarding the study that Wendy linked to:
It's a great example of how obsessed we are with gender difference and the tendency for difference to be a "finding" but similarity to be counted as "no result."
The difference between 18 and 21, or 35 and 29, or 37 and 32 percent may indeed be statistically significant in a study of 15,000 people (almost anything would be)... but I take serious issue with the idea that this is a substantively interesting finding that proves a fundamental difference in how men and women eat and is worthy of an article in the Washington Post.
Further, the study is justified on public health grounds... that is, that men need to be targeted in programs that encourage eating more carrots and less ham... but I bet that there is a more effective way to divvy up those that eat healthy and those that do not (geographic area, married versus single, and rich versus poor come to mind)... it's not primarily a gender issue, so why do we have to make it one?
March 23, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Buger king had an ad that parodied the women hear me roar song and that royally pissed me off. This ad is just plain stupid because eating like a man is not healthy. The fruit shake and yogurt, so called female food, is much healthier than greasy fried chicken.
I could be wrong, but these types of gender stereotyping ads are becoming more prevalent in mainstream advertising.
April 2, 2008 at 5:20 PM
My favorite part of this add is that the meal is Chicken. So, if you are what you eat...
Far from the stereotypical male image they were trying to send.
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