'Clean balls' Lynx Commercial Sexist?

[Truck]

Ethically contentious, but a funny advertisement... not seeing where the sexism lies?

[Russ]

The point of advertising is to sell a product, and they will push the limits of what they are allowed to do to sell a product, I find that understandable. Thus, it is understandable that they would target specific audiences by the way they advertise. On that note, I don't think this advertising is sexual, it's witty, but it's not outright sexual. What makes you say that?

In what world is this advert not sexually charged and filled with (bad) sexual metaphors. The lack of nudity doesn't mean it's not 'sexual'

I disagree, I think it was just a funny joke - you're taking a serious view towards something which wasn't designed to be taken seriously. What is this sex cells mentality you speak of? And no, if you're looking at smudging television, there are many other things which smudge television just as much if not more, so by your slippery slope, we should ban all violence from television, all graphic scenes, all mentions of rape, all mentions of crime...etc? No, that's not the right thing to do.

Rubbish. We can show sex on TV without objectifying women. We can discuss murder without glorifying it. The only reason this ad exists is because Lynx/Unilever know that men will buy a product based on outdated representations of women and self aggrandizing imagery, which is the whole "sex sells" thing. I'm happy enough to laugh at it, but it's a terrible ad and shouldn't be marketed by a multinational

Although I do agree with JellyDonut that this is actually relatively better than what they've put out before

[paulsterio]

In what world is this advert not sexually charged and filled with (bad) sexual metaphors. The lack of nudity doesn't mean it's not 'sexual'

Rubbish. We can show sex on TV without objectifying women. We can discuss murder without glorifying it. The only reason this ad exists is because Lynx/Unilever know that men will buy a product based on outdated representations of women and self aggrandizing imagery, which is the whole "sex sells" thing. I'm happy enough to laugh at it, but it's a terrible ad and shouldn't be marketed by a multinational

Although I do agree with JellyDonut that this is actually relatively better than what they've put out before

It's sexually charged, and yeah, the metaphors, you're right on that one.

I don't think it objectifies women though, that's a pretty big call. You're right, sex sells, but I don't see how this ad objectifies women. Whether it's a terrible ad or not, sigh, well, the fact that a multinational puts it out, they would have done research and expect it to sell their product.

[thushan]

Playing Devil's Advocate here - it's the effect on people that is important. Does the ad entice men to believe that women are sex objects, or does the ad pay out the stereotype itself to incite humour? I'd say it depends on what men's attitudes are towards women prior to the ad. Do men sincerely or subconsciously see women as sex objects and actually believe the stereotype? If that's the case, then the ad will have the effect of further cementing and perpetuating the stereotype, and that's the negative effect people are worried about. What if men already know that the notion of women's supposed role as sex objects is simply a stereotype and is not true? Then they will see the humour in it, laugh, but they will be aware that the stereotype is not true - they will be laughing at the stereotype, not at the women.

Your thoughts?

[paulsterio]

I agree with thushan, I don't think the ad is enticing men to believe that women are sex objects at all, it's just inciting humour.

But yeah, well said, especially with the relation to what men's attitudes to women were prior to the ad.

When I saw the ad, the knee-jerk reaction was "Oh shit, I gotta get Lynx or else I won't get in with the chicks! :O"- jokingly of course

[yellowsone31]

Nothing wrong with it. People are just good at making a big deal out of nothing these days...

[yellowsone31]

Now the lynx "rules of the game" ad is definitely objectifying women XD

LOL hell yeah they are

[Bhootnike]

I reckon it was obviousl that the ad was intended for men!
And perhaps lynx marketing group thought that this extended metaphor would be a funny and humorous approach for targeting its audience!

just my 2 cents!