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What’s with the sexist ‘Got milk?’ spot?
—Posted by Celeste Ward |
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May 20, 2005 | Permalink |
Comments
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Dude, that's way too over the top reading into it. It's a funny commercial and it makes you thirsty for milk so it gets the correct message across.
Posted by: Carrie | May 20, 2005 1:54:54 PM
Celeste,
Here's a site for you. It's written by an angry woman who reads way too much in to ads too. Please go post there--not here. Enjoy.
Posted by: Voice of reason | May 20, 2005 2:12:37 PM
Is this any less sexist than every commercial (including the one you are complaining about) portraying every man, single married, young and old, as incompetent and incapable of accomplishing anything without the patronizing guidance of a woman? My favorites are the ones where the dad has to get his daughter to help him figure out how to sign up for online financing. Please give it a rest. The AD landscape is LITTERED with the bodies of incompetent or imbecilic men.
Posted by: Dwilliamsamh | May 20, 2005 3:23:28 PM
Frankly, I don't think it's any worse than the endless stream of commercials that portray men as stupid and helpless. See http://www.kimdutoit.com/ee/index.php/weblog/single/the_pussification_of_the_western_male/
Posted by: Jason | May 20, 2005 3:30:17 PM
women get bitchy.
men get bitchy.
we all get bitchy.
lighten up.
Posted by: b | May 20, 2005 4:59:42 PM
what's up with jeff goodby being the only creative on this spot? sprinkle a little of that on the young guys, jeff.
Posted by: cherrypicka | May 20, 2005 5:02:17 PM
Um...and even in this "enlightened age" isn't it women who usually end up buying groceries. So aren't they missing their target audience?
Posted by: | May 20, 2005 5:43:11 PM
I'd be shocked if this ad actually moved milk off the shelves. It's just in poor taste. The only people it might appeal to are Beavis and Butthead types, who aren't the ones doing the grocery shopping anyway.
Posted by: jcy | May 20, 2005 9:06:38 PM
Eh, I think it's funny. Sure, maybe it's a little sexy, but it's really not that big of a deal given there are so many worse ads out there. What bugs me about it is, I doubt the PMS angle is even true-- I've always been told to avoid dairy that time of month...
Posted by: jobetta | May 21, 2005 12:46:14 PM
Let me get this straight: THOSE comments are supposed to convince me that women don't get defensive and cranky at certain times? Back to the keyboard!
Posted by: Rick | May 21, 2005 3:04:36 PM
The spot IS sexist. No getting away from that and I'm kind of amazed Goodby would have gone there. Goodby, the agency. And especially Goodby the urbane, great guy that I know he is. But as others have pointed out, sexism still rears its dumbass head all over the place. Women get screwed. Men get screwed. But, hey. It's funny. That's all that matters, right?
Posted by: ernie schenck | May 22, 2005 10:31:36 AM
Sexist? That's so Eighties. We all know the world can be sexist. And we all like to joke with easy and non-offensive stereotypes. Get over it. There are a lot more important things in life than getting your undies in a bunch of over an ad.
Posted by: Len | May 22, 2005 2:32:04 PM
So Eighties? What, so sexism wasn't okay then. But now it is. Dude, it's not. Get over it.
Posted by: evan | May 22, 2005 5:32:40 PM
You need a cup of warm milk.
Posted by: mike | May 24, 2005 12:47:03 PM
I hate this ad too. Not only because it makes women out to be crazy PMSing bitches, but it's also wrong - the one study they cite shows that calcium relieves PMS, but most women will confirm that dairy products actually make it worse. I am so sick of all the bad info about women's health in the media.
I didn't think it was funny after I heard the punchline. And pointing out how other ads are sexist towards men doesn't change the shittiness of this one.
Posted by: enzee | May 25, 2005 1:04:37 AM
does anyone know who the artist is of that song?! it's a cool old skool disco tune.
Posted by: | May 30, 2005 10:55:57 PM
I found the milk ad to be sexist also. Nobody seems to care about insulting women and making jokes about their health problems.
I dont think that prostate and erectile disfunction are fodder for jokes either, but here we go making jokes about womens health isssues. But of course all women are bitches and men are so easy going and wonderful.
Posted by: S adams | May 31, 2005 10:35:37 PM
if men had a biological excuse to be assholes,
then no-one would be complaining. Celeste, let
go of the tree, and realize that nobody reads
into commercials. it's a laugh for a moment,
then it's over. i've met many patronizing bitches in my time, and trust me, milk doesn't help.
Posted by: mitch | Jun 1, 2005 12:56:49 PM
To those who have been wondering what the song is on the latest "Got Milk?" commercial "Milk to the Rescue", here's the 411:
After much Googling, I found out that the song is called "Love's Theme" by Barry White and The Love Unlimited Orchestra. It's from the album called "The Best of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra." I just bought the song on iTunes for 99 cents.
And btw ... sexist schmexist. I'm a chick, and a feminist, and I didn't take offense. It's fair game, considering most commercials on the air these days depict men as ordinary-looking hapless incompetents who would starve were it not for their supermodel-looking, clever, witty wives/girlfriends who always seem to pull one over them in every negotiation. Lighten up, people! If you don't like it, don't buy the product. :)
Posted by: Mari | Jun 2, 2005 1:24:41 AM
I was offended by this ad.
Posted by: | Jun 3, 2005 1:44:14 AM
Mari,
Thanks so much for the info on the song...I was googling for it and that's how I ended up here. Awesome!
Posted by: Rich | Jun 3, 2005 11:20:56 PM
Great, so now we all agree that commercials are sexist (against men and women), and since everybody gets maligned in the end, it's all okay, right? Just good fun. C'mon, people, is it so wrong to ask for media (YES, even stupid stupid ads) that aren't sexist or, for that matter, racist, homophobic...or just plain dumb? And it's not like it's just one ad out there--as we all agree--but the multitude that makes this "yet another example" just one more banal display of hate and insecurity. So wny complain...?!
Posted by: Chris | Jun 4, 2005 12:34:38 AM
Great, so now we all agree that commercials are sexist (against men and women), and since everybody gets maligned in the end, it's all okay, right? Just good fun. C'mon, people, is it so wrong to ask for media (YES, even stupid stupid ads) that aren't sexist or, for that matter, racist, homophobic...or just plain dumb? And it's not like it's just one ad out there--as we all agree--but the multitude that makes this "yet another example" just one more banal display of hate and insecurity. So wny complain...?!
Posted by: Chris | Jun 4, 2005 12:35:11 AM
Maybe I'm a reverse sexist against men, I don't know, but when I see the commercials with the doltish-looking men looking doltish, I think they're funny. I never think that men are that way, though; not most of them.
However, being a true PMS sufferer and knowing that others are out there suffering as well, it's hurtful to see my problem being made light of and fun of to sell ads. It really tells people (men and women) that it's ok to make fun of serious emotional disorders, which I believe PMS is...therefore, let's have a little compassion and remember the victims here. Thanks, all.
Cloe
Posted by: Cloe Archer | Jun 7, 2005 5:47:52 PM
HELLO PEOPLE, go to http://www.gotmilk.com and you'll see all the SCIENTIFIC STUDIES and PRESS RELEASES backing up the milk-PMS claim.
the ad does a great job of communicating a new benefit of the product in a creative way. i got a huge kick out of it...and as the target audience, i have to say it was effective. some of us do feel shitty about what PMS does to us and therefore the men we love.
props to GSP for taking on a touchy but beneficial subject for their client. how else would you communicate the new PMS findings without boring the hell out of us?
Posted by: angela | Jun 17, 2005 2:05:36 AM
I found it offensive, too.
Posted by: Polly | Jun 17, 2005 9:24:29 PM
hell, I love it just because jeff did it. i knew him and worked with him before he was famous. I loved him them, I love him now. He broke my heart, the brillant bastard. and I still have the raincheck.
Posted by: | Aug 12, 2005 12:48:22 PM
You all don't get it. Not at all.
The fact is, it is permissable to put down men in any way whatsoever, including depictions, implications or direct threats of harm and death.
It is NOT OK to snub women even slightly in any manner whatsoever. You can argue all the Should and Shouldn't and Oughta you like but it makes no difference.
The fact is that this imbalance is what society accepts and will continue to. Women are sacrosanct. Men are expendable. Get with the program.
Posted by: Jerk Wad | Sep 14, 2005 12:26:29 AM
I don't CARE what people/scientists, etc. say about milk helping PMS. It hasn't done a darned thing for me so far, so as far as my opinion and reactions are concerned, milk does NOT do a body good.
It actually has been known to create sticky mucus around stools, it can constipate and it has a lot of crap in it to boot. I can imagine what's in it, considering these cows (most of them) are forced to produce up to 40 more times than their usual milk output, and so their stress must be passed on into their milk. Oh yum, what a thought..to drink adrenalyne and cow stress stuff in the milk. Yuck.
Posted by: cloe archer | Sep 15, 2005 6:21:30 PM
You've clearly stated that you've closed your mind to what people and scientists say about milk. So why should we take your opinion seriously?
Posted by: morgan | Dec 29, 2005 2:27:52 AM
Jerk Wad is right. Stop your whining & stop buying milk.
When someone in a TV commercial is the butt of the joke, dances like Al Gore, didn't realize they don't have a cell phone, can't choose the right cable company, gets electrocuted / beaten / scalded for saying "Yes" once, too stupid to fill his dirt bike with gas, gets burned with the BBQ, can't roll up their living room blinds, etc., etc., etc., 99% of the time it's -- a man. Oh, and 99% of time, he's white. Now complain about that, too.
But look, creating great advertising that doesn't have to rely on insulting & alienating men or has to use sex to sell burgers is really difficult. If it weren't, there'd be a lot more commercials we'd be willing to sit through.
As it is, I always videotape TV so I can fast-forward through the crap that the overrated, self-important advertising community comes up with -- except for the United Airlines "light bulb" & "rose" ones. That's talent.
But hey, what do I know? I'm just a man -- with lots of money to spend where I'm not insulted.
-- RH
Posted by: Ren Hoek | Jan 1, 2006 4:08:17 PM
I think that this commercial COULD be viewed as sexist, but that it wasn't created with that intent. It was meant to communicate the research findings that PMS symptoms are reduced by calcium. I don't know what PMS feels like, or if milk reduces it, but I can say that this commercial was a lot better than most out there, that it was funny, and that if you are taking offense to it, you need to calm down. Lower your stress levels. THAT is good for you. Guranteed. I really never take offense to commercials, even the ones that always depict the man of the household as the one that has fincial problems, and can't get out of it. Yeah, the target audience is the largest one. Thats the way advertising works.
Posted by: Rich | Jan 17, 2006 9:06:13 PM
They just don't know
Posted by: Jesus | Feb 13, 2006 12:07:40 AM
I can admit that the commercial is funny. I don't think it's cool to make light of something that is very unpleasent for some people. We wouldn't accept a commercial making light of alzeimer's would we? The commercial can be viewed as insulting to anyone. And to the people who think that men get the butt of the joke, you're right. Although when a company decides to put a commercial on the air they pick the best time to put the commercial on for the audience they want to target. The most important question here is: Who is the target audience?
Posted by: Morgaine | Feb 21, 2006 11:50:52 AM
Does anyone know where I can download this commerical in quicktime or wms file
Posted by: | Mar 26, 2006 1:45:44 PM
wow.....the only reason i've gone through all of these comments is because i'm writing a paper about it for a class. I'm thinking very deeply about this commercial and all of the dialogue it's generated.
If i had to form an opinion i think that i would have to say that although this ad may seem sexist i'm not exactly sure it's the "insulting type" of sexism that it's being taken as by some people. Yes it is poking fun at PMS which, i've come to learn (through experience), is not a joking matter. However, it's not nearly as vulgar as some of sexist ads on television....namely commercials that depict women as greased up objects whose only purpose is to magnetize those whom are easily duped by a greasy bum. I would have to say that ads such as that are more sexually degrading towards both sexes. Not only do they objectify women but they stereotype their male audience as being easily lured and driven by their sexual appetite. But, of course, i'm thinking about beer ads not milk ads...i suppose those are completely different....either way, after all of this i would like a glass of milk.....
i'm going to fail my paper
Posted by: robin | Apr 10, 2006 3:51:30 PM
I think the commercial has nothing wrong with it besides women's magazines are always telling women that drinking milk regularly can reduce cramps. If anything it's saying that men don't understand anything about women and they are doing the best they think they can do to try and help us out.
Posted by: | Jan 23, 2007 10:31:32 PM
No doubt that many of you will not understand the connection I am attempting to make but I make it none the less. In 40 years from now when all of us are standing around wondering how our world has become so restrictive and heavily governed in which all that is still legal is a narrow and android like status quo, know that it was those of us who’s self-righteous inability to accept that alternative views and diversity are the key to our happiness have created such a lifeless and unbearable environment. So those of you, who would find this offensive, think of what would result if we all put as much effort into finding ways to be offended as you do. How unbearable you make the world. Glad not to know many such people. Interesting how we can validate stereotypes by taking offense to them. Can any of you say that nothing that discomforts someone should ever be allowed to be humorous? Guaranteed, you have laughed.
Posted by: nelson | Feb 4, 2007 12:57:30 AM
I never even found the ad funny, it seemed ridiculous from the start. But the sexist side of it, yes. I wish we didn't have commercials, this being one of the billion reasons.
Posted by: | Oct 26, 2008 9:14:13 PM
