Um…
Jean Kilbourne, in the video “Killing Us Softly 3,” argues that women are often encouraged to substitute food for romantic relationships with men; this ad plays on the same ideas. See this post for a humorous video about how women are also encouraged to think of cleaning products as their “special friends.”
You might also compare this ad to some in this post about ejaculation imagery in ads.
Comments 7
eallen — October 21, 2008
To add to the connection between soap and romantic satisfaction, the woman in the ad could be interpreted by her expression as having an orgasm. I know using soap makes me do that ALLLLLL the time. :p
mk — October 21, 2008
Another note - the tv commercials that go with this print ad I am pretty sure are a spinoff on 'Requiem for a Dream', ala the drug-taking sequences with the choppy images. One version even ends with the same dilating pupil.
Sooo...soap as narcotic?
Also I found Requiem... disturbing enough that these commercials make me not want to buy the soap.
mk — October 21, 2008
Relevant clips:
http://videogum.com/archives/commercials/whats-up-with-that-requiem-for-a-dream-dove_009760.html
http://www.mypartypost.com/watchflashbig/6041/Requiem_For_A_Dream
David — October 21, 2008
The choice of "girl" instead of woman is also a bit creepy(at least to me).
Mike — October 21, 2008
"Girl" would have disturbed me, if they hadn't also used "guy" in the same sentence. The use of guy along with girl turns it from "young female" to "casual term for female". At least, it does for me.
Vidya — October 24, 2008
Also, the upright, firm, tapered Dove bottle and the flesh pink half-grapefruit beside it? Maybe my mind's particularly dirty, but...how Freudian.
Just a Scared Little Girl — June 15, 2011
[...] marriageable, and clean), the company also promotes an underlying message of heteronormativity here and racism in honor of ‘white beauty’ [...]