mi⋅sog⋅y⋅ny
[mi-soj-uh-nee]
-noun
hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.
Do commercials systematically use misogyny to sell their products? As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding, so let’s take a look at some sexist commercials.
In this age old stereotype, Volvo explicitly depicts the wife as a terrible driver.
Here Nando’s depicts a typical stereotype, that all blonds have long hair, big boobs, and are scatterbrained. Then they poke fun at this stereotype by exaggerating all the aforementioned attributes.
Next, an awareness campaign seeking to educate the public about the wage disparity between the sexes seems to have a negative impact on viewers.
From the videos, one thing is clear. The earlier commercials explicitly depicted misogynist behaviours and stereotypes in detail, using them as reasons for consumers to consume their product or brand. But modern advertising uses depictions of misogyny and stereotypes in a more humorous manner. It is portrayed from the point of view that believes that “everybody knows that females are…”. This transgression of misogynist advertising is interesting to note, but why is misogynist advertising more socially acceptable than say for example racially abusive advertising?
Kate Millett, Ph.D. describes the plight women faced in 1968. Strangely, their plight has not changed in today’s ‘liberal’ world.
The actual facts of the situation of woman in America today are sufficient evidence that, white or black, women are at the bottom unless they sleep with the top. On their own they are nobody and taught every day they are nobody. They have been taught so well they have come to internalize that destructive notion and even believe it.
-Millett, Kate, Ph.D., female writer best known for her book Sexual Politics (1970)
The misogynist nature of advertisements back in the 1900′s that continues up until this very day is a testament to the bold statements made by Millett back in the mid 90′s.
The point is not that it is misogynistic to be attracted to large breasts or long legs. The point is that advertisements systematically reduce women to flesh, reducing their significance to a commercially-convenient account of some particular body parts’ sexuality. This depicts women in a way that is disrespectful to them as persons, no? It’s degrading. If so, this promotes misogyny, no?
So, do commercials systematically use misogyny to sell their products? You be the judge.
-Not only looking up there, but thinking up there
