Adrants is deeply saddened to hear the fine, upstanding advertising organization Advertising Women of New York saw fit to bestow its Ugly awards upon three of this site’s most favorite ads. AWNY, for which we have fond memories since introducing us to advertising through a seminar attended while in college and which included a day’s visit to the now defunct NW Ayer, awarded its Grand Ugly award to Troeg Beer’s “Burp” commercial and its Ugly Print award to Guess for its Paris Hilton ads and Skechers for its Christina Aguilera ads. OK, so we really didn’t like the Paris ads but Christina was HOT in her ads.
Explaining the point behind the organization’s awards, AWNY President Carol Evans said, “This event has always looked at advertising with a sense of humor and honesty. We know many of the beer ads that continue to be losers are directed at men, but nonetheless, they reinforce images and stereotypes that continue to show women in demeaning roles. It’s important that marketers understand that using women as props just for a laugh is not acceptable.” Fair enough.
