Castle - Blog 3

~Alisa Castle~
Sexist Ad
http://justelite.net/2006/11/08/sexy-ads-in-it/633?page=2
This is a series of photos that were taken at an IT tradeshow wherein Kodak was advertising. It is not a print-ad per say, it is more of an advertising stunt. I know that sex is supposed to sell but this exploit is certainly not going to win over this IT professional. Instead, this ad has prompted my protest in which I will not purchase Kodak products. The offensive advertisement takes advantage of every stereotype and cliché. They take a young, blonde, fit, nubile, woman and have the logo placed on her (censored) to be viewed when she “accidently” bends over to retrieve her pen.
In the male-dominated IT field Kodak might have gained some customers; however, from a feminist point of view, it is demeaning. The female is shown without any power (she cannot even seem to hold onto her pen! Does she even know how to use one?).
Another thing that is particularly offensive about this “display” is the clothing the model is wearing: she is clad in a very short school-girl skirt. This promotes a pedophile mentality: saying young girls are supposed to be used as sex objects. To add to this sickness, she is wearing stiletto shoes with straps up her legs as some sort of semi-bondage image. The very design of stilettos themselves add to the imagery as they make the wearer weak and unbalanced, thereby forcing the wearer to depend on others. To add to the sexist depiction, they have her bending down as if to say: get on the ground, get in the right position so I can use you.
The logo itself is placed on the core of femininity. I am really not sure what Kodak and the female reproductive system have in common (unless we take into account Pamela Anderson’s sex videos, providing they used Kodak equipment).
This ad is offensive because they are showing her as nothing more than a piece of meat! The ad says nothing about the product they are trying to sell. It is just eye-candy (for some). It is so blatantly offensive it is iconically anti-feminist. I am wondering if they did not use this approach for shock value in addition to drawing the attention of the stereotypical male geek that never gets any.
What is the dividing line between sexist and sexy? This ad has obviously crossed that line. Sexy is about an attitude, a confidence, a health, both emotional and physical. Sexy is a comfort with oneself. Sexist on the other hand is about power and lack of power. It’s about dominance. Sexist is about putting someone down in order to build someone else up. This ad is so sexist and antifeminist I cannot even describe…. It is the epitome of male-domination throughout the generations. The model in this ad is another example of the perpetual “woman as sex toys” mentality. Advertisers should promote healthy body images for both men and women. The ads should be about the products, not about using, demeaning, or putting anyone down.
~Alisa Castle~