This blog has been quiet over the past week because I have been busy filming and taking photos of ads for an upcoming Kickstarter campaign for The Illusionists – a fundraising drive with the aim of financing the filming of interviews in four different countries. But more on that some other time…
Look what I found yesterday in my neighborhood: an impossibly sexist ad from the soft drinks company Orangina that goes straight into my Badvertising Hall of Fame (or shall I rather call it Hall of Shame?)
The giant ad is displayed on two walls of a building, so that is impossible to miss it, if you are driving in either direction. The worst part? The building in question is a junior high school. Yes, a giant cartoonish picture of a semi-naked giraffe deer sitting on the lap of an older man who’s gawking at her breasts is plastered on the outer walls of a Parisian junior high school. Hey, let’s normalize the objectification of women for kids! It’s fun! Mon Dieu. I’m almost tempted to send a letter to Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoë…
I have already written about other examples of badvertising from Orangina, especially their bizarre series showing hypersexualized animals. If you want to revisit my previous post, see: “Badvertising in Paris: The Grades Are In.”
Have you seen this campaign in any other cities/countries?
Actually, I think that’s a semi-naked deer. A young deer, too, since I’m pretty sure the adults don’t have spots. This just keeps getting weirder.
Thank you for clarifying that it’s a deer 🙂
Eeew! I just don’t get their campaigns, they are too disturbing. I do like their product, grrr 🙁
But let’s ban head coverings because those oppress women. Good work, France.
Great point!
That is a fetish of some sort.
I think it’s called bestiality. And my dictionary defines it as
“savagely cruel or depraved behavior.” Unless the marketing guy wants
to keep things platonic, and in that case it’s zoophilia. Which is
still pretty bizarre in my humble opinion 😉
at first, it seemed odd, and not all that bad – but then the line “hey lets normalize the objectification of women, kids! It’s fun!” really anchored with me. You’re right, and now the ad just seems creepy.
Thank you for your comment, Parissa. That’s the exact reason why I
think this marketing campaign is so insidious. By portraying the
objectification of females as “fun,” I fear that kids and young adults
will internalize it as normal.
That’s the whole idea. To get attention & obviously it has worked. Most of us Europeans are pretty cool about the whole thing. It’s meant to be fun. It’s meant to make everyone sit up & say ‘Hey, did you see that Orangina ad?’ & guess what? It’s worked. That’s what it’s all about. I’m quite sure the French kids didn’t bat an eye lid when they saw it. Our children a far more open & comfortable with sexuality. The fact that this woman might put in a complaint to the Mayor of Paris would bring much laughter. I know I’d rather have my children see a little sex & love rather than guns & violence. Take it as it is. A blooming good ad that is lots of fun & has done an excellent job in advertising Orangina! I should know. My husband is the hard working & highly professional actor in this ad.