Alex Leo over at HuffPo wrote a post on five sexist trends the ad world just can’t shake. The following tropes “use stereotypes and violence to prey on our most vile desires” — and probably aren’t going anywhere, despite “cultural outrage” and “personal boredom.”
The list (in far less detail than Leo provides):
o Bondage. One awesome example is the ad at left, for Remy Martin’s “Things Are Getting Interesting” campaign. Experience has taught us naughty domina girls sell more than liquor, however; they also push PSPs with whip-cracking finesse.
o Rape. Illustrated by this ad by Dolce & Gabbana — which I think had more of a “gang-bang” in mind than a “rape,” per se. It’s a feathery-fine distinction.
o Sluts. Lovin’ the shameless BMW ad used in this example. It’s so Gossip Girl! And we can definitely attest to the prevalence of sluts in ad culture. Whatever Lola wants…
o Girl-on-Girl Action. Yeah, baby, yeah!
o Cum Shots. No, baby, no.
Cool list, highly recommended idle reading. But Leo forgets a handful of our favourites: the voyeur, the coquette, the perpetual innocent, and the girl gone bad. (See graduates of Disney.)
As a culture, we’ve also come a long way in terms of building effective stereotypes for men. So come on, creatives, broaden your horizons to an increasingly-self-conscious XY populace. Ammo in? Then take aim — and three cheers for gender parity!
