Sexist Volvo advert

[TorringtonDean]

There’s a radio ad for Volvos at the moment which I find completely nauseating. It features a small girl having a conversation with “daddy” about how great the new Volvo is and some sort of finance offer. He says “did mummy put you up to this”. Then he goes on to ask what she wants for her birthday and she says “a new Volvo” in a tone of voice exactly like Verruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate factory.

The whole thing is completely sexist with the implication that only men can actually afford to shell out for a new Volvo while their manipulative wives and daughters will be pushing them to put their hands in their wallets. Hugely insulting, I think.

For the record, I drive a Volvo myself, I’m a woman, I pay all the bills and I’ve always admired their reliability and safety. But what with this sexist ad and scrapping estate cars, I don’t think this ad is encouraging me to get another one.

Is Volvo being unreasonable?

I really want to see the advert now.

It’s on the radio. You have to listen out for it. Tune in to Times Radio while driving your HGV.

Oh ok. I was looking for a video.

Tbf a lot of adverts are a bit sexist, like all the 'clueless husband' ones. There's often a fine line between humour and sexism IMO. I'll have to listen to it myself. It's a well known statistic that men earn most of the money but the majority of spending is done by women so maybe this influences the advertising.

I agree with you. Hate the advert.

I can’t believe I am the only woman who buys her own car and doesn’t have a partner! So for starters it’s just crap advertising.

I once walked out a BMW as they served a man ahead of me

I then walked into the fabulous Volvo dealer, spoke to him for a while and when he said do you want to buy one- I said no- his face fell and I said I want 2.

Never had any misogyny from Volvo in 25 years of being a Volvo owner.

(and when a shitty land rover evoque crashes into you the car calls Volvo Assistance after calling the police and they prioritise you as a woman alone which was pretty welcome!)

I was wondering whether they were catering to a primarily male customer base and was surprised to read that in the US 54% of buyers are female.

Also, they apparently do equal safety testing for men/women which is IMO a very good thing even if this advert misses the mark.

I heard this just the other day and I was gobsmacked!

I will admit that my first thought was "Oh nice one Volvo......COL crisis, record people needing foodbanks and apparently mummy wanting a brand new Volvo is realistic!" but then, yes I did also cop on to the whole "Daddy has to buy Mummy's new car".

I had an XC90 a few years ago. Owned, insured, taxed MOT'd and driven by me. Ex couldnt drive. Took three goes to buy one as despite him saying straight up "I cant drive mate and its her money" the sales MEN all spoke to him. Got one second hand in the end from an independent place.

Now have a Kia that took similar farting about to get. Its not Volvo, its car sales in general.

Oh and to the PP who mentioned women cant change a tyre etc.....ex BF when I was 18 had a flat and hadnt a clue. Was going to call his dad to call the AA etc and I changed the tyre for him. I wasnt happy when his dad went out to check I had done a decent job, he came back and said it was bang on and well done me. For years I thought "I bet its because I am a girl!" but then I realised that actually, he was checking his sons car was safe and he wasnt being deliberately patronising.

@WandaWonder i don't know any women like that

I wonder if they've maxed out the Volvo Vulva pound and this new sexist ad is to attract more male buyers?

My experience is most men can't and get breakdown cover/garage to do it.

I check/top up coolant and oil and check tyre pressure. It's my car. DH checks his own (I hope).

For the past 20 years approx my cars haven't had spare wheels but foam injector things.

Or have partners but still buy their own cars!

And do exactly the same amount of "car care" as DH/DPs.

Back in the 90s, me and my sister used to play 'sexist ads'. We'd watch the ads and say what was sexist about it.
We could just as easily play it these days.

I leave the car stuff to him because I can't be arsed with it, in the same way that I leave the lawn mowing to him because I can't be arsed with it.
It doesn't mean I can't change a tyre, do an oil change, top the necessary liquids up or operate the mower, I just can't be arsed.
Buying a car, I tell him what I want and leave him to sort it because, yes, you've guessed it, I can't be arsed

You’re overreacting. It’s just an ad working to their target audience.

I haven't heard the ad but from your description I can't get worked up about it.

Dad is trying to decide whether to buy himself a Volvo.

Daughter likes it and wants one too.

Dad asks if mum has 'put her up to' persuading him to buy it.

Maybe mum drives something much smarter and more expensive but thinks dad should stop debating and just buy the really great car he obviously wants.

Lots of car ads aimed at women now. But men are allowed to want cars too aren't they.

Could be worse

”Used, but not what you’re used to”

”You know you’re not the first”

Or it's decision warfare like in my home when mum wanted Toyota, dad wanted Ford

When I heard the ad it wound me up.

brcause.. she's a petulant nightmare, it's annoying to listen to a child whining at the best of times and thirdly the lazy trope that mummy gets the kids to help lobby for purchases.

This is the second advert in a series. In the first the mum talks through the finance etc for buying a Volvo several times with her “dim” husband. Then the little girl tries to explain it to him (it’s such a good offer even a child can understand it), but the dad is all “darling, the grown ups are talking”. 🤮

More fool you tho in a way for running yourself into the ground to pay all the bills.

I’d rather be the lower earner and have more time being a mum; less stress and my DH can contribute to the majority of the car. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@TorqueWrench I don’t know anything about the inner workings of a washing machine. I only ever use one setting and I’m still not certain which section of the drawer the powder is meant to go in. Many of my female friends are the same as me, yet no one has ever questioned our ability to choose a washing machine and pay for one. The man who came to fix mine happily chatted to me about it and didn’t expect my dh to answer his questions. Why isn’t it the same with cars?

I heard the ad yesterday for the first time and thought the same OP! Maybe in Volvo world this is what happens though?
🤢

Who changes car tyres anyway? Cars haven't been manufactured with a spare for years they have the repair kits.

@Siameasy how will you cope when your DH exists the picture? I am free of the leech formerly known as DH. I earn my own living and make my own decisions. There are millions of women like me.

Get back through your 1950s wormhole.