[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaPcBwmCtiM[/youtube]
Sexism in commercials is sadly just so, well, typical. But every once in a while a commercial comes along that goes above and beyond, like this one from Hungry Man. Take note of the ending where the Hungry Man meal crushes the feminized fruit drinks.
This commercial has multiple layers of sexism. One is obviously gendering food choices. Why are healthy foods (fruit and yogurt) feminized and unhealthy meat and potatoes in large quantities (sans green vegetables) associated with masculinity and being tough? And what kind of prescriptions about class and work are made as well? Why are these blue collar “working men” when drinking fruit shakes and health drinks are typically associated with white collar, upper class women (and men)?
As the commercial says… you are what you eat.
I wonder why a recent study found that “the gender divide starts over dinner.”
Comments 10
Umlud — March 20, 2008
The first thing that struck me was stereotyping of women going to the bathroom together - before I even realized that it was a "Hungry Man" ad.
That seemed to be the most obvious thing that I picked up on.
Lisa — March 20, 2008
Regarding the study that Wendy linked to:
It's a great example of how obsessed we are with gender difference and the tendency for difference to be a "finding" but similarity to be counted as "no result."
The difference between 18 and 21, or 35 and 29, or 37 and 32 percent may indeed be statistically significant in a study of 15,000 people (almost anything would be)... but I take serious issue with the idea that this is a substantively interesting finding that proves a fundamental difference in how men and women eat and is worthy of an article in the Washington Post.
Further, the study is justified on public health grounds... that is, that men need to be targeted in programs that encourage eating more carrots and less ham... but I bet that there is a more effective way to divvy up those that eat healthy and those that do not (geographic area, married versus single, and rich versus poor come to mind)... it's not primarily a gender issue, so why do we have to make it one?
Christine — March 23, 2008
Buger king had an ad that parodied the women hear me roar song and that royally pissed me off. This ad is just plain stupid because eating like a man is not healthy. The fruit shake and yogurt, so called female food, is much healthier than greasy fried chicken.
I could be wrong, but these types of gender stereotyping ads are becoming more prevalent in mainstream advertising.
Anonymous — April 2, 2008
My favorite part of this add is that the meal is Chicken. So, if you are what you eat...
Far from the stereotypical male image they were trying to send.
R V — March 5, 2009
wow... relax, its a commercial for fat americans, ur over thinking...
ok, to realize why this ad is this way you have to look at where in the market Hungry Man is trying to place themselves. lets look at frozen foods. Hungry man found a niche, they decided, to put a lot of food, no matter how crappy it really is and freeze it. why would i buy this unhealthy junk when i can buy Lean Cuisine? ill tell u, because lean cuisine does not fill me .... its frozen food, take it or leave it. its bad enough as it is. Now, i can give my girlfriend lean cuisine and she would be fine (unlike me who would be hungry) so why does this matter?
take a look at these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5UBeJe2VU4 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-T2cssEFSc
what do those ads say? eat lean cuisine and be thin, be thin men will want to f**k you thats one of the worst messages we can send out id say. But yet we see it everywhere.
Hungry man is made for men who are not health conscious, and work in a 9-5 job where they need frozen food. i think this ad is perfect for its demographic, i wouldn't advertise this to woman because i know they would like those lean cuisine ads much more. yes its sexist, but thats just what works for them.
The fact that america is overweight, men need to eat healthier and blah blah is no laughing matter, and i think it should seriously be assessed, but this ad is doing nothing wrong, i can show you much much worse ads out there
it might just be me, but i think this ad is pretty good, it REALLY speaks to its target...
R V — March 5, 2009
forgot to mention, you wouldn't say those ads i linked re sexist, but they are :)
carlos — June 4, 2009
oivery good
Kami — March 16, 2010
Would we ever see fat women eating enough calories to stay full? A pound of food? I think not. Overweight women will only be seen in "before" pictures for Jenny Craig.
Zak Dwyer — March 7, 2014
You feminist whiners sure do work hard looking all over the world for things to be offended by.
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