No, this isn’t about about Paris Hilton’s Carl Jr.’s commercial or about Janet Jackson having a “wardrobe malfunction.” Instead, it is about PETA’s new commercial promoting vegetarianism, because, get this, it leads to better sex. NBC has effectively denied the commercial the right to appear during the high-stakes Super Bowl. I found out about it on CNN’s Headline News, which gave the commercial lots of free publicity, and maybe, that was the whole point.
I am not sure where to start on this one. First of all, NBC’s shows are full of sexual innuendo and actual sex talk, so I am not sure where NBC thinks it is drawing the line. But then, there is the commercial itself, which shows women flouncing around in skimpy underwear holding (and caressing) vegetables. I get it. The Super Bowl is seen by a bunch of men who love to see attractive women in various states of undress. GoDaddy certainly ran a fairly racy commercial showing some nearly-naked woman. But then, I don’t get how showing women as sexual objects furthers PETAs cause. I am not sure that beer-drinking, nacho-devouring men watching the Super Bowl are suddenly going to give up the tailgate burgers and steaks because being veggie is sexy.
I am not sure which irritates me most: NBC’s false sense of “morality,” especially in light of its programming, or PETA’s decision to use sex, and sexist visions of women to sell their message.
See the commercial and commentary here.
Thoughts?
About Deborah Brody
Deborah Brody writes and edits anything related to marketing communications. Most blog posts are written under the influence of caffeine.
