Controversial Ads

The Calvin Klein 2010 ad campaign

Sometimes ads can be quite controversial because of the content they display, the demographic or target audience it appeals to, or they might break the rules of Canadian Advertising Foundation (CAF). Most of the controversial ads have to deal with the gender portrayal guidelines. There are a lot of ads that either come close to or completely fail to comply with the gender portrayal guidelines.

Calvin Klein ads in particular.

The problem with these ads is that it seems to completely disregard the gender portrayal guidelines.
There is one ad in particular that I want to focus on.

Gender portrayal guidelines the ad breaks

• Authority: Ads must strive to provide an equal representation of women and men in roles of authority for the models in the ad, but this is not the case. It is clear that in no way or form power and authority is equal between the men and the woman in the ad. The woman is clearly outnumbered and is forced in a sexually submissive pose. One of the men in the ad is pulling on her hair to induce discomfort while another male is trying to “rape” her.
• Gender role stereotyping: Social and sexual interactions must portray woman and men as equals and must not reinforce stereotypes. However it seems that this rule is completely ignored because in the ad, males are the dominant characters because the outnumber the one female three to one and the female is clearly shown as submissive because she is not able to resist the encounter with the three males.
• Irrelevant associations: There is no clear connection between the ad; the actions in the ad and the product being marketed which is Calvin Klein jeans. The ad is sexually exploiting the woman’s sexuality by having her in a sexually submissive pose and the fact that despite her bra, she is completely naked.
• Sexual Harassment and Violence: Ads should avoid representing women as prey or objects of desire. This ad fails to comply with this rule. The cage in the background suggests that the woman is trapped and is being preyed upon by these three males. Violence is portrayed in this ad when the male on the right is exerting dominance over the women by pulling on her hair until she feels discomfort. The male in the middle exerts her dominance on the woman using brute force to get her to submit to his uncontrolled desires.

This ad was not banned from being displayed despite the amount of rules it breaks with the gender portrayal guidelines. Ads like this should be banned in Canada because of the target audience it appeals to (teenagers and young adults). Ads like these set a bad example for the target audience because it reinforces gender stereotypes and male dominance.