Television Ads

[Apposite]

Do you think that a lot of the ads on TV send a mean spirited message? Are the ads also becoming more uninhibitedly blatant in their portrayal of sexuality?

 

Example 1 - There is an ad where two male friends are on a chair lift and one start asking if he can show how his friend's ex really likes him and taunts his buddy with her e-mails until the buddy asks for his I-phone and hurls it off below them. (This ad seems cruel)

Example 2 - Another phone ad where the phone user is at a restaurant and makes the waitress wait until he is done taunting his friend over a bet he made with him. The waitress is standing there suffering this boor while he texts and then finally orders.

Sexuality - We are seeing ad where the bikini bottoms might as well not be covering the shapely derrieres of the various female actors. There are several like that. I am no prude and I can appreciate sexuality for what it is. It seems however that imagery is much much stronger in the last two or three months. I am not complaining:) so much as commenting at the unabashed in your face nature of this.

 

What do you think? Has you seen or felt these two trends in advertising?

[Quinn]

I am familiar with all the ads you mention.
I didn't perceive any meanness in either of the first two. The first annoys me since it's repeated countless times in an evening. I thought the phone commercial was funny.
The third was surprising to me...I thought it was a little too much. But, I guess commercials are just following the trend of television sitcoms.

A trend in television that does bother me, and has for a number of years now, is the dumbing down of the American male. Yes, Dear, According to Jim, and most notably---Everybody Loves Raymond. These shows tend to portray the Father as a dolt who is a whipping post for his o so intelligent and capable wife. I don't like it...

[Bob Stepp]

Thank you for that, Miss Q.

[d's girl]

I second that.

[Apposite]

I thought the first ad was cruel in taunting a friend about a former gf, baiting a response, the second was just plain rude. Yes the male is a rug nowadays; seems convenient and funny for people to wipe their feet on him, and then criticize loudly as well. I've just gotten used to such though as far as it being a societal trend.

[funesthememorious]

A trend in television that does bother me, and has for a number of years now, is the dumbing down of the American male.

 

Maybe the ideal man would embody the Forrest Gump syndrome - mouthing banalities and carrying chocolates.

[Apposite]

funesthememorious:  Maybe the ideal man would embody the Forrest Gump syndrome - mouthing banalities and carrying chocolates.

 

Do ya think so???? Who do you say would embrace such an embodiement? What are are you speaking to here with such a caricature?

[Apposite]

I really was curious how and why you said that. I didn't know whether you were making light of men today or sympathizing. Personally I don't think it's very funny as I think men have been marginalized and are less appreciated for who/what they are at base level.

[Quinn]

O, good god! Forrest Gump-like???

No way jose!

Someone in the middle of a pansy-ass ninny and a control freak macho man would be ideal.

[funesthememorious]

LOL...Yes, we need that sort of balance in our lives. In the center of the arc between Tiny Tim and Tony Soprano.

[Apposite]

funesthememorious

I have a feeling you are ignoring my questions above for whatever reason but I want to make sure that isn't the case so what is was the meaning of your apparently disparaging remark as per the post you reacted to?

 

[caseyjo]

I have  known several men a lot like Raymond only not as intellegent. I like the show. It's the reverse of the dumb blond scenario & is ok by me...If they can dish it out, I hope they can take it too....It's nice to be able to vote huh ladies?...I vote Raymond stays..:)

[Apposite]

Societal tradition was different then as the male vote was representational of both spouses. Voying was done as a unit; it was not like the female voice was unrepresented and men traditionally listened to the advice/voice of their wives; the stress of such things was spared women. Society was just emerging into the industrial age as well. Males were seen as leaders protectors and determiners of directional success. It was a very stressful and difficult position, no walk in the proverbial park. Women were equally respected for their domestic roles and were not marginalized to the degree that today's revision would infer. After we came off the farms and rural environments traditions changed. Today men seem to be adrift, trying to accommodate but unsure of what is really being asked of them. Most couples have one spouse or another that is stronger anyway but the laws and burdens are definitely leaned against them. It is also endemic to much of what we see in the problems with boys today as Christina Hoff Summers points out "The War Against Boys".