Sexist Bacardi ad

[Revy]

http://jezebel.com/5296935/bacardi-ad-uses-misogyny-to-sell-alcohol-to-women

A disgusting new promotional site for Bacardi Breezers says all that women need to be more attractive is to find an more unattractive female friend to stand next to.
Israeli ad agency McCann Digital launched the "Get An Ugly Girlfriend!" site in Hebrew and English along with a Hebrew-only Facebook group to promote the fruit-flavored alcoholic beverages.

The site suggests that like Bacardi Breezers, ugly friends come in several different varieties and women can use them to appear more attractive in social situations, such as at the beach, or at the mall.

While misogyny is rampant in alcohol advertising, usually those campaigns are aimed at men. It's unclear why advertisers thought showing pictures of women they deem hideous along with degrading comments would make ladies line up for Bacardi.

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[revolution inaction]

i'v seen exactly the same joke with men before, i'm not really seeing how its sexist.

[Pogue]

I don't this such crude advertising is reallly something to be suprised about when its done by a company with actively sponsors terrorism in Cuba.

[jake williams]

Advertising is sexist? Particularly alcohol, which I don't at all think of as totally saturating our whole sexual culture. No! Shock AND horror.

[KC]

I don't really think this is sexist at all; it's just in poor taste.

[gorillafuck]

I don't think there's ever been an alcohol ad that wasn't sexist.

[Lyev]

I don't think there's ever been an alcohol ad that wasn't sexist.
Yeah, they're all about 'being one of the lads' and crap like that and women are always portrayed as objects in them, like this-http://www.bigtravelweb.com/images/beer-venezuela-l.jpg
It's just a women and a beer; she actually comes free with the beer.

[KC]

Yeah, they're all about 'being one of the lads' and crap like that and women are always portrayed as objects in them, like this-

I don't see how that ad you posted is sexist at all.

[Lyev]

Didn't really say it was, I said women are portrayed as objects, and she is in that one. It's as if the women is being advertised. Although I guess a big market for lager is men so the adverts are just trying to attract them.

[KC]

Didn't really say it was, I said women are portrayed as objects

How is she portrayed as an object?

[Lyev]

Dunno really, maybe I should of used a different picture. It just caught my eye because there's not even a slogan or anything. Half of the picture is dominated by a semi-naked women, the beer seems overshadowed by her. The phrase 'sex sells' comes to mind. I suppose a picture of a half naked women is very good advertising, in a way.

[Kamerat]

Those fucking batista fan-boys, Havanna Club copying, terrorist supporters, 1 $ a day wage slave owners.

Luckily advertising for alcohol is illegal over here.

[Killfacer]

It's not really very sexist. That "joke" has been around for ages.

[Aeval]

I dunno that it's sexist, it's just harsh.

I suppose you could say that it's encouraging the idea that women have to look a certain way and that for any women that doesn't it's alright for them to be humiliated by being used by another woman to accentuate the fact that the other women is closer to what is commonly regarded at 'attractive'. It's both saying that ok looking women need to make themselves more attractive and that 'ugly' women are beyond help so why not use them - I guess that's kind of sexist. Even if you don't want to call it sexist, it's still pretty shit.

[Magdalen]

What d'you expect from Bacardi (http://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/frfipages/160/FRFI_160_Cuba.htm)?
(http://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/frfipages/160/FRFI_160_Cuba.htm)

[FreeFocus]

It's not a secret that you make yourself look better by standing next to an ugly(ier) person. :laugh:

But seriously, for an ad, it's in poor taste.

[OneNamedNameLess]

Yeah, they're all about 'being one of the lads' and crap like that and women are always portrayed as objects in them, like this-http://www.bigtravelweb.com/images/beer-venezuela-l.jpg
It's just a women and a beer; she actually comes free with the beer.

She comes free with the beer!

But really, you could pick out a thousand ads which use women in a distasteful manner in order to sell products. No groundbreaking changes in advertising here.

[RedCommieBear]

Yeah, they're all about 'being one of the lads' and crap like that and women are always portrayed as objects in them, like this-http://www.bigtravelweb.com/images/beer-venezuela-l.jpg
It's just a women and a beer; she actually comes free with the beer.

Are you sure you aren't confusing sexy and sexist? (sorry, I watched This is Spinal Tap the other and have been trying to work in the dialogue in the movie into real life)

There are ads using attractive men to sell stuff to people who like attractive men. I don't think it's necessarily sexist.

[KC]

But really, you could pic out a thousand ads which use women in a distasteful manner

How is that woman portrayed in a distasteful manner? Because she's in a bikini?

[OneNamedNameLess]

How is that woman portrayed in a distasteful manner? Because she's in a bikini?

Yes. Women should be covered from head to toe with a burqa type garment.

I was referring to the Bacardi ad and the general employment of sexualising women by advertising companies.

[OneNamedNameLess]

Oh yeah, and the only reason I quoted that post with the picture was to express my excitement at the fact that the lady in the bikini comes free with the beer.

[Lyev]

I don't think it's that she's in a bikini, it's the pose and and how the picture is produced, in my opinion. She's bent over with a kind of seductive look on her face- it's curvaceous and suggestive. Also, the angle from which the picture's taken exaggerates her cleavage the lighting also exaggerates her womanly curves. She's not just a biological creature, a female, the advertisers have transformed her into a sexy women, as Anti-Capitalist said 'she's been sexualized'. Does that make sense?

[Coggeh]

How is that woman portrayed in a distasteful manner? Because she's in a bikini?
In the words of the great bill hicks : 'When those two twins come on in the doublemint gum commercial .........eh.... I'M NOT THINKING OF GUM'

after coke sketch : ' now i don't know the connection here... but im drinking lots of coke'

Just their using women to sell a product in a many in which only her body , her as an object matters I suppose.

[KC]

I don't think it's that she's in a bikini, it's the pose and and how the picture is produced, in my opinion. She's bent over with a kind of seductive look on her face- it's curvaceous and suggestive. Also, the angle from which the picture's taken exaggerates her cleavage the lighting also exaggerates her womanly curves. She's not just a biological creature, a female, the advertisers have transformed her into a sexy women, as Anti-Capitalist said 'she's been sexualized'. Does that make sense?

Is there something wrong with women being sexual or wearing revealing clothing?

[Mujer Libre]

Is there something wrong with women being sexual or wearing revealing clothing?

For me its not that they are sexualised, but they way it is done. That woman is sticking out her breasts and arse. In effect- that's all the viewer is supposed to be interested in. In advertising as a whole, women are so often reduced to those bits- there's no recognition that a whole woman is sexy, or that a woman is sexy for being a person- she's reduced to a bunch of sexualised body parts.

There's also the way women's faces are portrayed. It's actually really creepy. Mouth slightly open, vacant facial expression- basically saying "I am a toy, here for your amusement." At least the woman in the beer ad was making eye contact with the viewer... Gives some sense that she's a human being.

[Revy]

Hmm, the original ad that was linked was telling women to use "ugly" women as objects for their own purposes of self-advancement and comparative good looks.

Yeah, nothing sexist about that at all? Those women are human beings. Unattractive maybe, but they are still people and treating people like that shouldn't be encouraged.

It's telling women the way to get a guy is not through supporting yourself, but by putting another woman down.

[KC]

For me its not that they are sexualised, but they way it is done. That woman is sticking out her breasts and arse. In effect- that's all the viewer is supposed to be interested in. In advertising as a whole, women are so often reduced to those bits- there's no recognition that a whole woman is sexy, or that a woman is sexy for being a person- she's reduced to a bunch of sexualised body parts.

Guys look at girls' breasts and asses all the time, so I don't really see how what you're saying is true (unless of course you think guys checking girls out is sexist).


There's also the way women's faces are portrayed. It's actually really creepy. Mouth slightly open, vacant facial expression- basically saying "I am a toy, here for your amusement."

I think you're reading into it what you want to see, because this is an entirely subjective opinion which I don't agree with at all. In fact, I think the same response I gave above pretty much covers this as well.


At least the woman in the beer ad was making eye contact with the viewer... Gives some sense that she's a human being.

Because if she's not then us eeevil men look at her as a literal object.

:rolleyes:

Actually, this seems to contradict what you said earlier, and shows that you're being entirely subjective about this.

[*Viva La Revolucion*]

I wouldn't call it sexist, but even so, it's a crap advert that has almost nothing to do with the product its trying to sell. Basically its message is 'Bacardi drinkers: putting image above friendship since 1862'

[RotStern]

Yeah as many said its not sexist just a shit ad.

[Mujer Libre]

Guys look at girls' breasts and asses all the time, so I don't really see how what you're saying is true (unless of course you think guys checking girls out is sexist).
Um, that's not what I said at all. I was saying that reducing women to those body parts is sexist.

Please don't try to put words in my mouth and make me out to be some kind of man-hating "feminazi."


I think you're reading into it what you want to see, because this is an entirely subjective opinion which I don't agree with at all. In fact, I think the same response I gave above pretty much covers this as well.
The study of cultural symbolism is always going to be subjective to a degree, but there is a large body of literature that covers this kind of stuff and comes to the same conclusions I came to above. It's not subjective in the sense that I'm pulling this out of my arse. It's not just me being a crazy irrational woman.


http://www.revleft.com/vb/../revleft/smilies/001_rolleyes.gif[/IMG]
Don't you dare belittle me.


Actually, this seems to contradict what you said earlier, and shows that you're being entirely subjective about this.
Not so much contradict as demonstrate that one piece of advertising doesn't need to embody every sexist stereotype. Not so difficult to understand, is it?

:rolleyes:

[black magick hustla]

sexualized images are not sexist. sexism arises from assymetrical power dynamics, and sexualization does not necessarily entails it. the only thing i can see in this picture is some hot gal being sexually suggestive and offering some beer. when girls tighten their butts and their boobs are they doing anything wrong?

[KC]

Um, that's not what I said at all. I was saying that reducing women to those body parts is sexist.

My point - that you missed - is that that ad did not "reduce women to those body parts". I understood your point perfectly.


It's not just me being a crazy irrational woman.

I think it has more to do with your politics than the fact that you're a woman.


Not so much contradict as demonstrate that one piece of advertising doesn't need to embody every sexist stereotype.

I said that it contradicted what you said because you could go the completely opposite way and claim that looking at the camera gives her a more provocative and sexual appearance, thus further emphasizing your earlier statement that "I am a toy, here for your amusement."

[Yehuda Stern]

Israeli ad agency McCann Digital launched the "Get An Ugly Girlfriend!" site in Hebrew and English along with a Hebrew-only Facebook group to promote the fruit-flavored alcoholic beverages.

Israelis. Why am I not surprised?

[fiddlesticks]

I don't think the ad is sexist..it is mostly a horrible ad.

There are so many ads objectifying women these days but its because sex sells things, apparantly better than information about said products. It's hard for me to feel sorry for the women in these ads because they are doing it for themselves, no one is forcing them to get in a bikini and sell things.

[Lyev]

Guys look at girls' breasts and asses all the time, so I don't really see how what you're saying is true (unless of course you think guys checking girls out is sexist).

I think you're reading into it what you want to see, because this is an entirely subjective opinion which I don't agree with at all. In fact, I think the same response I gave above pretty much covers this as well.

Because if she's not then us eeevil men look at her as a literal object.
:rolleyes:
Actually, this seems to contradict what you said earlier, and shows that you're being entirely subjective about this.

Why should it be seen as sexist simply to look at a women bodies? I don't think it's sexist simply because a women has little or no clothes on. I have no problem with that as long as that's all there is to it. I don't like it that the women is basically just turned into a pair of breasts and buttocks, like Mujer Libre said. This women may as well not have a face. It's almost as if she not's a person.

[Colonello Buendia]

I don't really think this is sexist at all; it's just in poor taste.

This one wasn't particularly sexist relative to most but it remains primarily bad taste

[PRC-UTE]

moving away from the rather pedantic debate about whether or not this is sexism, it's quite obviously encouraging a form of discrimination. the message in the first group of ads is to treat "ugly" and overweight women like they're not even human. pick them up to be accessories, the ad suggests.

the second ad bothers me a bit, too, because female servers are treated so poorly just about everywhere.

[LeninBalls]

Is there something wrong with women being sexual or wearing revealing clothing?

No, but what fucking point is there having her holding a beer bottle trying to sell beer?

I mean, why not have a bear in a builder's outfit with a fireman's hat bending over, looking at you with that seducing look, holding a beer bottle?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

No, but what fucking point is there having her holding a beer bottle trying to sell beer?

I mean, why not have a bear in a builder's outfit with a fireman's hat bending over, looking at you with that seducing look, holding a beer bottle?

Because most men are heterosexual. What's so damn hard to realise about that? It's not some conspiracy, they're just going for the largest market.

[LeninBalls]

Because most men are heterosexual. What's so damn hard to realise about that? It's not some conspiracy, they're just going for the largest market.

They are, but I'm just saying it's somewhat sexist to have a random attractive female with large tits showing, holding a beer bottle, trying to sell it.

There's a million other ways to try and sell an ad.

Why don't they make ads trying to sell paint buckets with half naked large breasted women holding the paint cans?

[pastradamus]

There is definetly a worringly sexist element in advertising campagins today. The reason being - Sex Sells. Women are being groomed from a very young age to have to look and appear a certain way which is being dictated by Main stream media. Now, I dont find women who wear revealing clothing of their own accord to be anything debateable (its a freedom of choice issue) but rather its the fashion in which the main stream media promotes sex as both a means to sell a product and in this instance calling a woman "ugly" simply to market something is indeed sickening.

Something which has been at the back of my mind for sometime has been the age of a lot of woman displayed to sell products. Some wearing revealing clothing to promote Products as young as 11 or 12 I feel is something that is very wrong with the coporate world of Advertising.

[Misanthrope]

Yeah guys, I'm sure female models will eventually discover they are exploited members of the proletariat.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

They are, but I'm just saying it's somewhat sexist to have a random attractive female with large tits showing, holding a beer bottle, trying to sell it.

How is it sexist? You might not like the fact that advertisers use attractive women to flog their products, but just because you find it distasteful doesn't mean it's sexist.


There's a million other ways to try and sell an ad.Sure. Instead of appealing to your sex drive, they could appeal to your sense of self-worth, your desire to fit in socially, or any of the dozens of other irrational appeals and motivations that drive us human beings.

Advertisements rarely, if ever, make their appeals on a reasoned basis. They insinuate that buying/consuming the product will make you popular, sexy, or smart, or they imply that competitors' products are worse (when in actual fact most of the time there is little difference - for example, I cannot taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi).

99% of the time I completely ignore advertisements. I find that they are almost always annoying, crass, and/or intellectually insulting. Thankfully the most irritating advertisements are easily avoided because I hardly ever watch TV or listen to commercial radio. It's much easier to block out and ignore banner advertisements on the internet.

[Luís Henrique]

Because most men are heterosexual.

And so are most women.


What's so damn hard to realise about that? It's not some conspiracy, they're just going for the largest market.

Because, of course, drinking alcohol is a macho thing.

Luís Henrique

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

And so are most women.

Heterosexual women generally aren't the target market for beer, in my experience. I'm sure they're devastated that they've been left out in such a manner. :lol:


Because, of course, drinking alcohol is a macho thing.

Well, that's the image that advertisers seem to want to portray. Of course, that doesn't mean it's true.

[Luís Henrique]

Curiously, I don't see many seminaked young men in ads of lipsticks or fashion, commodities about which one can fairly assume women generally are the target market for.

Luís Henrique