Apparently, I care a lot about commercials ♥4 February 8, 2010
I didn’t think I cared so much! I wasn’t going to blog about how smitten I am with Google’s ad, but a Folgers coffee commercial has put in perspective how great Google’s ad is. I must share it.
HOLY CRAP. CUTE, RIGHT? ADORABLE. SIMPLE. POWERFUL.
Now, the Folgers commercial I saw ten minutes ago.
What the fuck?
The woman gets home late, and when her dad points it out, she reminds him that she’s not 16. Because a good teenage girl must answer to daddy.
But he’s not gonna have to worry about her living her own life anymore! A man is gonna straighten her out.
She flashes a wedding ring at her dad. She is getting married to Todd! And Todd’s a lucky guy. Yep, lucky, lucky Todd. He gets the girl. Marriage being an equal partnership between two people who love each other? No, Todd is lucky.
And it turns out that before he even proposed to her, he talked to her dad about it. I don’t know about you, but if I’m getting married to someone, I’d prefer they ask me for my permission to marry me, not my father for his permission. My father does not own me. No one owns me. No one can hand me over.
Also, drink coffee.
In addition to being disgusted at Folgers sexist commercial, I’m thinking I’m gonna try to appreciate it when people do or say something progressive. Because obviously, the concept doesn’t even enter some minds.
Filed under Feminist, Random, Thoughts, Web / Tagged with commercials, folger's, google, media, sexism
I’m SO sad I missed those on TV! I love the Google one!!!! And that Folgers one is cute too. Teehee I love great commercials. Thanks for posting!
Kristin said this on February 9, 2010
That Google commercial was SO CUTE.
It actually made me smile.
The Folger’s one was, although I can see how it’s sexist, not all that bad really. I didn’t see the father as a man who is oppressing his grown daughter because she’s a female; I saw it as a father who worries about his child. Most people get asked about it when they get home late. And as for asking a father’s permission to marry someone – I see that as more of a tradition than anything. And the way I view it (although it IS the original context) isn’t property exchange; I see it as respect for the family. I’d ask a person’s mother and father.
I think the Folger’s commercial would have been a LOT better if it was a mother and daughter, though, because that could avoid any of the subtle sexism.
Josh said this on February 9, 2010
I’ve been hearing that side of it too. It *is* really subtle, and the father clearly cares about his daughter. I can see that aspect. I’m still uncomfortable with it, though. I think it’s the part where Todd talks to the father before he talks to his presumed girlfriend. It reminds me of the idea of fairy tale weddings, of which the extreme is purity balls. But then again, maybe it was just Todd talking about being nervous to a friend who happened to be her father. It’s tricky. A mother as the concerned parent would have been better, I agree.
Diana said this on February 9, 2010
I liked the Google ad, too. I hadn’t seen the Folger’s commercial but yeah it really is not “with the times.” I agree with Josh it would have been so much better with mother and daughter.
Caity said this on February 10, 2010