Even Adrants Thinks This Campaign is Gratuitous

Huh? Did we just write that headline? Are we now going to launch into how the use of sexual imagery is gratuitous, after having defended it (sort of) for years? Yes we are. Why? Not becasue sexual imagery is a bad thing. No. Not at all. But because this particular campaign leaves one with a giant, "You're selling what to who?" disconnect.

Copyranter found a New Zealand-based campaign for Widex hearing aids which employs "a naked hussy and a tattooed, tasseled tranny (I think)." Yea. Seriously.

While we suppose those who are losing their hearing - largely known to be those in older age categories - like to look at hotties as much as the rest of us do, the subjects in these two ads are clearly not old and are clearly referred to as the ones with hearing difficulties.

Giant disconnect? We think so. Then again, we're not going to complain too much about how hot a trench-coated, stocking-clad beauty sitting in a wicker chair is. But we are going to inform the marketer the approach to this campaign is really quite stupid.