Vauxhall 'pajama mamas' ad

[cakeandcustard]

I'm speechless, 'mamas' in pajamas all day, (because that's obviously what we all do) primarily needing their vehicle for space in the back.

So utterly offensive, what am I supposed to do with the vauxhall I have parked in the drive now?

[Scotlass]

I absolutely HATE that advert. Bizarrely I thought it was Renault so their advertising obviously didn't work on me.
Wrong on so many levels

[cakeandcustard]

www.thedrum.com/creative-works/project/mother-vauxhall-pyjama-mamas

[Longdistance]

There is a Fred about this already.

[Longdistance]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2977645-What-the-hell-is-that-Vauxhall-advert-Pyjama-Mamas

[cakeandcustard]

Ta, I'm still speechless...

[M0stlyBowlingHedgehog]

Utterly offensive ad. Just grim and demeaning to women.

But even taken on its own terms (i.e. allowing for the anti-feminist world view of the average ad agency) it strikes me as also being a spectacular own goal as a piece of advertising - the type of demographic who could afford to drive their car (presumably as the second family car what's more) is exactly the sort of demographic who would despise women who took their kids to school while wearing pyjamas.

[Miffer]

I am quite confused by why people are particularly bothered by this.

All adverts with women in them are terrible, this one doesn't seem any more terrible than most and less terrible than a lot of others.

Can anybody enlighten me? I have read the other posts but am still not getting it.

[Datun]

Miffer

People feel like it's a bit of own goal. They are promoting women who wear their pyjamas all day as being edgy and rebellious. And well off, because the car isn't cheap.

When most people seem to take rather a dim view of that practise (many threads on mumsnet debating this point).

[Datun]

It's making wearing your pyjamas all day an aspiration.

It's only featuring women. No men in pyjamas.

[Miffer]

When most people seem to take rather a dim view of that practise

That's not really a feminist issue though.

It's only featuring women. No men in pyjamas

Well that's the kind of criticism that can be levelled at most adverts featuring women.

It's probably because I wear jamas all the time and don't see it as a negative.

[Jijhebtseksmetezels]

I think it's quite funny. Subverting the idea that there's anything wrong with wearing pjs in public.

And considering the "pj mum" criticism is exclusively levelled at women, in this case SAHMs who have more pressing things to worry about than how they look then I think it's almost kind of feminist.

[Miffer]

It's such an odd thing for people to get angry about but it does make people furious.

Telling people I did the school run in a onesie makes people (mainly women) visibly angry. Much more so than telling people I smoked when pregnant. I have never considered it from a feminist PoV before I always just assumed it was some weird class thing.

[Datun]

I always just assumed it was some weird class thing.

That's exactly what it is.

Wearing pyjamas, in and of itself, isn't intrinsically a problem. They are just clothes. Which is one side of the debate.

The other side of the debate is people observe those who wear PJs and make a judgement based on their perceived class.

The class debate always descends into a bunfight, whether it involves pyjamas or not.

[Datun]

And that is why it is pissing people off because wearing pyjamas to the supermarket and on the school run does carry a perception (whether one agrees with it or not).

I suppose the feminist issue is that if you're going to promote something as aspirational, it's better to make your target market feel like aspiring to something more than not getting dressed.

[Miffer]

That's exactly what it is

That's certainly part of it but it overlaps. Reflecting on it now I wonder if part of the reason it makes women angry is that they see it as playing into the whole "womens work not real work" bullshit. Nobody has ever articulated that to me but I wonder if that is what is at the root of it.

[Datun]

They would've done better to promote a car based on what SAHMs really want.

A bit of market research would've turned up something like modelling a car on a shorter person, have enough room for children/dogs/shopping. Don't assume we'll want to drive at a snail's pace. Or whatever.

But this ad is buying into the perceived low status of women, because they can wear their pyjamas all day. And then tries to subvert it by having a bunch of old people tutting because they don't understand the empowerment of sporting a floral onesie.

[Miffer]

And that is why it is pissing people off because wearing pyjamas to the supermarket and on the school run does carry a perception (whether one agrees with it or not)

I know why it pisses people off in that regard. I didn't mean to be obtuse. I would expect it in AIBU, more surprised at it turning up over here.

I suppose the feminist issue is that if you're going to promote something as aspirational, it's better to make your target market feel like aspiring to something more than not getting dressed

That isn't what it is putting across though (also they are dressed), its message seems to be "stop caring what people think". All those women are out doing stuff, that's the whole point. I am loathe to defend an advert, they are all bullshit and this one is bullshit too. That said I don't watch much TV and the ad's I watch tend to be ones that come on on the sports channels. Have other adverts all got so much better that this one is notably promoting sexist cliches?

[Datun]

Nope! I think most advertisers still promote sexist cliches.

But this one has committed the unforgivable sin of being both sexist and classist. And although it's tried to subvert both the sexism and the classism, no one is buying it.

Or the car now, I should imagine.

[sticklebrix]

I don't care what people wear. But this ad is completely cynical IMO and an own goal for VH.

I dislike the idea that women can be subdivided into groups based on what they wear. 'PJ mums' are just women who sometimes wear PJs outdoors, surely? I'd be surprised if they had much else in common with each other. Really, really hate the categorisation of women from outside.

[RhubardGin]

Oh for goodness sake lighten up!

It's just a tongue in cheek advert in relation to the recent stories in the paper/on the news about mums taking their kids to school in they jammies.

I find it quite funny

[Datun]

To be honest, I didn't immediately mind the advert.

But, let's be fair, most of the women who are observed going to the supermarket in their pyjamas, do not look like the supermodels in their designer silk robes from that advert.

If anything, it's the cynicism and feeling of slight manipulation that I don't like.

But then I find that with most adverts, anyway.

I know advertising works. But creative teams tend to disappear up their own fundaments these days, in terms of actually trying to sell something.

I appreciate the artistry of the ad, though.

[cakeandcustard]

The pajama thing has always been connected to a lack of effort, not being bothered to get dressed in the morning, both male and female. This is the first time I've seen it linked to being female, specifically a mother. They're painting a picture of female specific laziness, sahms revelling in a lack of work completely foreign to my experience both as a sahm and a working mum to 3DCS. I find it totally offensive as it belittles the day to day reality of most women with children.

Show me the ad featuring a high status well dressed woman taking pleasure driving a powerful car round some mountain bends, oh no, those ones just feature men

[Datun]

I do wonder what their market research would have told them. For stay-at-home mothers specifically.

I like a flash, high performance car, as much as the next person. But I also need space and I'm never going to clean it.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

And considering the "pj mum" criticism is exclusively levelled at women, in this case SAHMs who have more pressing things to worry about than how they look then I think it's almost kind of feminist

There is a huge difference between worrying about what how you look and being incapable of dressing yourself.

Show me the ad featuring a high status well dressed woman taking pleasure driving a powerful car round some mountain bends, oh no, those ones just feature men

Of the top of my head I can't think of specific brands or ads but I do think there have been ads which featured women just enjoying driving- certainly ads emphasising the feeling of freedom being able to drive gives you.

It is a stupid and annoying advert.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

But, let's be fair, most of the women who are observed going to the supermarket in their pyjamas, do not look like the supermodels in their designer silk robes from that advert

Never seen this in real life. I would judge men or women who did it.