It hasn’t even aired yet but the new Club Orange ad is already causing controversy. If you haven’t seen it, the ad features women in bikinis selecting and juicing oranges for Club Orange. The presenter in the ad tells us they only choose the ones that are ‘juicy and natural’ and ends with her saying ‘we know you men can’t wait to get your hands on your bits’. You can see the ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCKuzuE695c
The women of Ireland are up in arms about this ‘tacky’ and sexist’ ad which is laden with double meanings. However they had no problem with this earlier ad from Club Orange: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3lbvP6H-V0&feature=related which saw the character in the ad relaying a story about how he approached a woman and asked her if he should leave his bits in or out and she slapped him so he left them in. So he isn’t dressed in speedo but the sexual innuendo is just as obvious as in the new ad.
Maybe that isn’t the best example though. How about this one from Diet Coke which saw women in an office dropping everything to watch a man take off his top and drink Diet Coke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdrE1VMxzoE. They also appear to be turned on by the shirtless man. And here’s another one from Diet Coke! In this one 3 women press the emergency alarm in a lift so they can get the pretty man to come and save them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grZONQkdef8&feature=related
There’s also this one from Levi’s which sees a good looking guy coming into a laundrette and stripping to his boxers so he can wash his clothes as they girls behind him nudge and giggle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u06rDf-kUt0&feature=related. That actually reminds me of the ad from Kinder Bueno which sees two women stealing the clothes of another man in a spa so they can see him run past naked.
In all these ads the men are quite attractive and their only use in the 30 second adverts is to give the women something nice to look at. Oh, and sell what ever product they’re advertising, but that seems like an after thought. In fact the Levi’s ad is advertising men’s jeans but the attractive man is still present so the women have something to look at.
So what am I getting at? I’m simply saying that no woman has a right to complain about the new Club Orange ad when so many ads throughout the years have shown men as nothing but a sex object. It is hypocritical to say it is ok to have ads with men stripping off for the amusement of women but it’s not ok to have an ad with women in bikinis for the amusement of men. It makes you a hypocrite.
If you have an issue with the new Club Orange ad you must also have an issue with the ads above as, not only could you say they objectify men, you could also say they are sexist as they imply women are only interested in attractive men and are therefore shallow. But women have no issues with these ads do they? No, but the minute you have a women in a bikini it’s sexist.
