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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think the new ASDA advert is the biggest pile of sexist crap in a long time

999 replies

MaureenLove · 05/11/2012 11:52

to think its trying to APPEAL to women? dur!

OP posts:
ashesgirl · 08/11/2012 13:42

'Kate Stanners, executive creative partner at Saatchi & Saatchi, said the creative was designed to acknowledge how mums "always put everything and everyone before themselves, expecting nothing back other than a contented silence on Christmas afternoon".'

Kate Stanners, who created it, says it all really. We are meant or we want to be sacrificial creatures at xmas.

Wordsmith · 08/11/2012 13:43

What planet do you lot live on? Most mums do most of the preparation for Christmas and on the day itself. Adsa knows that. I work in advertising (sort of) as a creative myself and if I'd written that ad (I didn't), I would know it was unlikely to win me many awards but would boost the Asda brand and sell more stuff. Which is kind of what it's supposed to do. It might be sexist and reactionary, but so's Christmas.

badtasteflump · 08/11/2012 13:53

What planet do you lot live on?

Well Planet Mumsnet of course - where no women do more than 50% of the housework or childcare and husbands know how to whip up a turkey dinner whilst washing up with their feet - and never leave the loo seat up Grin

Wordsmith · 08/11/2012 14:00

Mmm I'd like to live there.

MrsJamin · 08/11/2012 14:01

Wordsmith - I think you'll find that most mums on here do not recognise the mum in the advert as themselves, nor is it something they aspire to be. The message in the advert is "You work hard so other people enjoy their Christmas, but it doesn't matter to you, as long as others have a lovely time". When will people in advertising realise that you are not reflecting society, but influencing it?

JugglingWithPossibilities · 08/11/2012 14:06

But if we just thought about our own happiness at Christmas we'd probably all spend much less money than when we're trying to keep everyone else and the dog happy. The advertisers know this so they're trying to influence us along that path ...

LaQueen · 08/11/2012 14:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Woozley · 08/11/2012 14:08

I think most of it isn't objectionable, the bits that are is that the husband does not lift a finger AT ALL, in the cooking or housework, and she seems to be doing it all alone. In our house MrW is set to work peeling spuds, the girls set the table, FIL carves the turkey. But many men actually DO do bugger all, as you often read on these boards, so many it is realistic. It won't make them appeal to a new demographic though, so I don't know why they bother, it will only appeal to people who already shop at ASDA.

Chubfuddler · 08/11/2012 14:09

She does look kind of spacey now you mention it.

LaQueen · 08/11/2012 14:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

roselover · 08/11/2012 14:24

Well I love this advert - it made me cry in the way that the John Lewis ad made me cry last year - give me the guy with the Christmas tree - anyone who wants to come round to my house who looks like that - give him my address - lets be honest Christmas just is like that....not enough places to sit - anticipation - hassle - last min rush to a superstore - I dont care what people think - its lovely! Yes my mum died 21 years ago - so I see where that post is coming from saying it made her miss her mum - and yes I am a very single parent...but it says something to me - so there!

dizzyday07 · 08/11/2012 14:26

I think HE cooks lunch. We see her preparing the veg, and bringing the bird to the table, but he can be seen wafting a tea towel at the smoke alarm behind her which is what happens every time my DH cooks Grin

Wordsmith · 08/11/2012 14:26

Mrs Jamin Where does it say she's northern and lives in a council house? I must have missed that bit.

No, advertising isn't supposed to reflect or influence society, it's supposed to promote and sell products and services, I'm afraid. Sometimes it does that by trying to change hard-held opinions and show society a mirror on a part of itself that isn't so nice. But most of the time it does it by knowing its target demographic audience and pushing the buttons that will encourage it to part with its hard earned cash.

SpringHeeledJack · 08/11/2012 14:27

tbh I do do most of Christmas

DP does very little

I usually have a specTACular meltdown on around 23rd- not to mention constant repetitions of "ffs" for weeks before

I don't recognise myself here at all. Even tho I prob do most of what she does (or it Wouldn't Get Done), I do it like a fucking furious donkey

Wordsmith · 08/11/2012 14:27

SORRY!!! I meant to address that last comment to La Queen.

dizzyday07 · 08/11/2012 14:28

And she can't be supermum as she has to detangle the lights before they can go on the tree. Everybody knows you should fold them up properly as you pack them!

Wordsmith · 08/11/2012 14:29

although I do think if they'd left the camera rolling we would have seen her going over to the husband and punching him Grin

SpringHeeledJack · 08/11/2012 14:37

as a SAHM by choice (mostly) I find all ads that celebrate 'mums' (bleeee) as being long suffering, hard working, sacrificing their own well being for Others- I'm looking at YOU, BootsIcelandProcterandfuckingGambleetcetc- make me want to run down the pub, neck 5 pints of cider and do a couple of lines in the bogs.

Then hit a policeman

IS THIS WHAT YOU PEOPLE WANT??

oh, and you're all on my shit list. I won't step through your doors

LaQueen · 08/11/2012 14:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JulesJules · 08/11/2012 14:47

God this thread is utterly depressing.

Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves - I've never read such a load of loathsome snobbish drivel.

Equating class with regional accent, boasting about income, boasting about not being "Asda's demographic" ... ugh.

limitedperiodonly · 08/11/2012 14:52

The only thing wrong with it is that her family aren't ready to kill her.

My mum behaves like this at Christmas. It's just a bloody roast. The easiest thing in the world. But the smell of burning martyr ruins it for everyone.

Her crimes are:wasting hours in the run up in a series of hot shops dithering over the perfect cards, making a big fuss over getting pickles that she imagines people will eat when they politely lied about liking them in 1985, making a big fuss over the precise quantities of food - and leg or breast, carving everything then shoving the plates back in the oven so everything is dry and the plates are red hot, sulking when people don't want to eat as soon as they've arrived or want to chat or watch the telly or are a bit hungover from the night before, imagining my family of habitual latecomers will arrive on time and timing everything for that imaginary time and then seething, loading the table with jars of pickles, three types of potato, extra pork, bacon, sausages and crackers so there's no room, individually serving vegetables instead of putting them on the table (no room because of the pickles) for everyone to help themselves, expecting help dishing up then instantly refusing it and literally shoving us out of the way, refusing to sit down with anyone because she's busy being the hostess and the sulking over perceived slights - she doesn't like people putting salt and pepper on her food because it should be perfect and disapproves of anything other than tea, therefore you bring your own wine and glasses and get frowned on like an alcoholic. Dishing up mince pies and pudding and cream the instant people have finished eating their lunch.

She's lovely all year round but turns into a monster every Christmas. Just over a month to go...

limitedperiodonly · 08/11/2012 14:54

Oh, missed the class bit. Not nice or accurate.

IME martyrs buy their Christmasses anywhere.

SpringHeeledJack · 08/11/2012 14:55

limited

are you my ds?

limitedperiodonly · 08/11/2012 15:25

Don't think so spring but I could be your poor son or grandson. My dad sensibly opted out of the misery years ago by dying just before Christmas. Good timing, I always thought Grin

ashesgirl · 08/11/2012 15:43

Yes the main purpose of advertising is to sell products.

However, at the same time, the ASA say they must take care not to perpetuate offensive negative stereotypes in the process.

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