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Don't touch my MOMMA was my favorite commercial. Doritos had the best chain of spots in my eyes!

Man!!!!!! The only ad I laughed out loud was the Doritos ads....esp. the kid slapping the guy in the face! Didn't really look at ads from a woman's view until reading the post but I can see what you're saying now. I wouldn't go as far as hate....but def. sexist!!!

Owen, I've gotta tell you, the Charger spot was one of my all time favorites. Maybe it's because I've been married for ten years and know, firsthand, the trade-offs that you make along the journey. And some of it is little tiny crap, like putting the seat down or putting up with my mother - just as there is tiny crap that I do for him and is equally as annoying. But my point is that I laughed out loud at that spot and it was one of my top 5 favorites.

Women I know were shaking their heads at the Charger spot and recognizing that, in many ways that's husbands need - the car (or the boat, or the Harley or the ginormous TV or whatever other "toy" it is) that makes all the other trade-offs involved in being married and raising a family seem like not such a big deal. Men like toys. We women get that. And, for the most part, we support that.

On the other hand, I hated the GoDaddy spots that, to me, were the ones that were sexist and over the top. I use GoDaddy all the time - or at least I used to, but that was enough to alienate me. And made me realize that there are surely no women working for the agency who handles the GoDaddy account. That, my friend, was a massive #adfail.

Always nice to hear your opinions and even nicer to see you writing. Finally.

Mwah.


@shellykramer

I like to think that the trade-off my husband gets from being a decent human being is having a family that loves and supports him. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones that I don't have to buy his respect with man-toys.
I sound awful. I'm sorry, this ad really got under my skin and I can't understand why people think it's okay to assume that men are so base that they require coddling in order to behave. Worse yet, that I am such a harpy that he needs a pay-off in order to put up with me. Again, sorry if I'm stepping on toes.

You are one of the guys. It's the first thing I say about you when I begin to explain how awesome you are. I'm going to update this post with 3 of the commercials Dodge put out before that one. ALL geared directly towards MANLY MEN and they did it with out making women look like cry babies.

Rolling. I almost began my comment with the statement "We both know I shoulda been born a guy ...." but then I knew I didn't need to tell you that. I stand by my comments - I really liked that ad and did not feel at all like it made women look like cry babies. Get back to me when you've been married as long as I have, sweets. Oh wait, we ARE married!!! xo

Everyone knows the only ad I had a problem with this year...who's going to start the argument that the ads were offensive to sock monkeys and babies?

I wish someone would bring me a highball of milk pre-takeoff.

Each morning when I go out to the garage now, I'm going to look at my car and wonder if it's in the same place I left it the night before. Ads like the ones we saw yesterday encourage distrust in inanimate objects like stuffed animals and that's not the kind of society I want my kids growing up in. If you can't trust a sock monkey, I mean...who CAN you trust with your car keys?!?

End note: Danica Patrick needs a new agent.
</snark>
@RedheadWriting

Vehemently agree re Danica Patrick - WTF was she thinking? And the sock monkey ads were just gross. Found myself shaking my head wondering "and they paid how much for that spot?"

In addition to what @TheCoolestCool said, I would also like to add something else:

What makes this kind of topic so galling and telling - apart from the weakness of the argument - is also what it says about the OP and the state of where we are culturally when it comes to men & women.

I am all for the uplifting and respect of women; I am not for the effeminization of men.

It's as if Owen Stone is seemingly apologizing on behalf of all men everywhere for the embarrassment of being a man.

In his newfound view - the result of being the father of a little girl - any depiction of men that isn't completely castrated or neutered is suddenly an affront to women.

In addition, his argument rests solely on a selective view of the ads in question. Are the ads that depict men as buffoons and child-like misandrist? Of course not, but they are there but they aren't taken into consideration because they don't fit his conclusion.

Were the shoe on the other foot we'd surely be hearing about these ads hated women as well.

Again, before anyone misrepresents my position, I believe in the uplifting and mutual respect of women, but let us not forget that it's okay to laugh at ourselves. Owen Stone's commentary is political correctness gone mad, a run away apology tour for being ourselves. Let's not take ourselves too seriously.

If you honestly find these ads to be offensive may I suggest you stop watching professional football and instead switch to something more your demographic - for as long as there are 15-40 year old men there will always be ads that will be tailored to their tastes and interests. You will NEVER change this, nor should there be a desire to.

I find it telling that you (#1 Jets Fan) buy into the idea that slovenly behavior, complaining about women and fast cars are masculine traits that are necessary for a man to feel like a man. These are social constructs of gender. The fact that you believe that women would want to "castrate" a man shows that you have bought the imaginary war, hook, line and sinker. This ad creates a gender war where none need exist and generates the stereotype that women are out to get men. It's disgusting. It's okay to laugh at ourselves, it's not okay to perpetuate ideas that lead to harm. Women are still not considered equal to men and as long as people hold onto this notion that they are harpies, trying to castrate men, they will not be equal and they will not be safe.

i live in an area of the country where women are very much into sports. I watched the game tonight with a lot of women in the room. If you didn't see the undertones in the commercials then I can't help you.

Did you see the question mark in the title. It wasn't a statment of fact. It was a broad question. The women I had the pleasure to sit with didn't find many of the commercial amusing.

I am sorry that you need me to explain why GoDaddy's commercials are pointless and degrading to women. Honestly its even said that it plays on dumb men that run to GoDaddy.com to click and see the rest of a video with a girl in a tank top.

In the end we all see what we want to see. I haven't apologized for men. I don't feel the need to I didn't make the commercials. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

These Ads aren't hating women. They are targeting a type of man who doesn't have the same worldview as you. They are targeting the guys who somewhere along the way, fell into the traditional relationship without actually wanting to be there. The guy who is questioning his role in a relationship and often finds himself reminiscing about the single life.

The Tire Ads weren't targeting women because women don't generally make the purchasing decision on tires. The Dove Ad however, recognized the fact that generally speaking men don't care what they washed their bodies with while women, see this as an important decision.

Like you said,
"Target audience and niche groups are the number one buzz words around marketing. The problem is the groups are getting smaller everyday"

The Dodge Ad doesn't hate women it just isn't targeting them or you.

I see your point in general. I was in the company of women during the game and hearing them get mad or complain that the advertising world "just doesn't get it" made me ask the question in a open forum.

I know football is geared towards men. At the same time the NFL's goal is to make it a family event. Which is why we have "safe" old-school bands playing during half time. The commercials, however, were off point in my opinion. Let's take the Dodge spot as an example, which used a negative image of women to support a pitch to men. There was no need to included lines like "I put the toilet seat down" and "I will carry your lip balm." This are direct hits at females - as if to say, it's your fault ladies that I feel so lame that I need a fast car to make me feel more manly.

The NFL wants women to love the game. They want more family's to watch and participate. And CBS wants female viewers. I think brands should be female-friendly, too. You can have a pro-male, cool spot without bashing females.

Thanks for the comment and taking the time to read the post and share your views.

I agree that there are some Ads, specifically the GoDaddy one. That could have been more effective without the sex aspect. However, I think the Dodge advertisement hit exactly who their company was targeting. I think they used a negative image of women just as much as they used a negative image of men. They express that women like Vampire shows and that men like to be slobs...Seems like a fair shot for shot to me.

This ad was targeted towards a specific type of guy who is in a specific type of relationship. When you make an advertisement, the great marketers don't make it to hit a mass market (Go Daddy). They develop an Ad to target a specific niche who they can create an emotional connection with. While I'm not 100% sure, and this is a pure assumption - I'd guess that you thought the Dove Advertisement was fine? If so, that's because your perspective is more aligned with the whole "Family Man" outlook rather than the perspective Dodge tried to go after. I actually wrote about it on my blog...

The NFL wants women to love the game Yes. But telling advertisers not to target men would be ridiculous. Yes, Go Daddy may want to be a bit more female-friendly. But when it comes to advertisements like Dodge, maybe women or anyone else who watched the ad and was offended just needs to lighten up.

Thanks for replying to my comment. Agree or Disagree thats fine, glad to share my views and read yours!

Part of the problem is that in "targeting men" the ads play to their basest of gender stereotypes. I don't know a lot of men who actually need a car to feel manly, they feel manly spending their money wisely. I also don't know any women who have so emasculated their SO that he then feels the need to lash out in this way. The Dodge ad is hard on women, yes, but it's also an ugly picture of what men are supposed to be.

LMAO the Dove spot was fine because I just started using it. And I didn't feel like a punk after that spot! Have a good one dude! Thanks again for the great convo.

I agree with you. I was really shocked at the ads this year. GoDaddy needs to give it up - and the Dodge Charger and FloTV ads were rude. Period. I laughed - but it was the kind of laugh you do when it's so insane.

I need to know the number of sales those commercial actually generate. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave your thoughts!

Mate, learn to spell.

I know dude I know

This topic and its subsequent argument are complete and utter fail. You make the assertion that the ads "hate women" but don't offer up a SCINTILLA of evidence to back up your claim beyond an ad for a Dodge Charger that is actually a celebration of masculinity in the guise of a car commercial.

There's nothing in that ad that says "women suck" beyond your own desire to REACH for a controversial conclusion in order to get some hits on your blog / youtube channel.

You're going to have to try harder!

and oh yeah sorry about the Jets.. I think Mark would agree with this post he loves the ladies!

I am glad you stopped by to share your thoughts. Two sides to ever coin right? You just happen to be on the other side. Have a good one thanks for commenting!