If you’re like me–an avid watcher of AMC’s Mad Men–after one episode you’ll think of yourself as quite the advertisement specialist. And really–what’s to know about advertising? Sex. Women. Materialism. The formula for successful advertisements is a simple one.
That’s why I have been so pleasantly surprised by new and innovative commercials. The first is for a Bounty Select-A-Size paper towel. Usually, Bounty commercials or any advertisement of a domestic product will show the housewife, or soccer mom cleaning up after their bratty, inconsiderate kids who make a ridiculous mess. But she always has a super happy face on because she knows with the cleaning product she bought that–all will be fine. (Off camera she takes 3 Xanax and downs a fifth of Vodka). Cleaning products have always been geared to the female demographic until now: The commerical below shows a father–yes, that’s right!–cooking a breakfast, minding his children, and cleaning up when messes are made. The message here: Men can do domestic work like cooking and cleaning. AND they can have fun doing it. Who woulda thunk?
The next commercial goes along with the same motif as Bounty: Men are empowered by doing housework! But the Tide with Downy commercial takes it a step further. This commercial shows a loving father as “Mr. Mom”. He has the cleaning skills to use phrases like, “I use Tide to get out the stains and Downy to get it soft” & “I let her play cowboy once a week so I can wash [her princess outfit]”. Men everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief as they exclaim in unison, “Thank you for giving us some freaking credit! Just because I’m a guy doesn’t mean I am helpless and sloppy.” The world in television and movies show us that men are hopeless and helpless when it comes to cleaning. (Ever see the “Man puts too much suds into the laundry” gag?). Bounty, Downy and Tide won’t stand for that idiocy any longer.
Go advertising! Making the world a little less misogynistic, one paper towel use, laundry cycle and chip gorge at a time.
Rambling Navajo Girl 