what do you think about this offensive (?) window display.

[stottiecake]

sorry no pic so will have to describe.

in white stuff window.

2 female manikins dressed in shops clothes with cows heads. Big sign next to them says 'breasts are best' and pink washing up gloves blown up to look like udders all around the window frame.

I'm not a confrontational sort but this made me go so I popped in and asked a member of staff what their thinking behind the window display was and she said ooh just a bit of spring fun and I left it at that but she said they'd had complaints.

It does kind of seem a bit twisted doesn't it - or am I being over sensitive?

What's offensive about it?

Unnecessary from that particular store, but offensive? I don't think so.

what offends you? breasts? udders? cow's heads....?

Yuck -, sounds like they are trying to shock like some of the Beneton (sp?) campaigns.
Misognistic - Comparing women to cows yet saying breasts are best doesn't even make sense

I think it's meant to be their spring theme, all the branches I have seen have it. Ours has male manikins with cows heads too.

dressing women up as cows, breasts are best, udders. that kind of thing.

the milk connection as suggested by cows/ udders/ word 'breast'

perhaps over thinking.

just a bit of spring time fun.

Lol, can you believe I only just clicked onto the 'white stuff' = milk thing! headdesk

I had noticed it in the white stuff in my town. In fact, the 'breast is best' placards have now gone and been replaced by some other slogan. It wasn't offensive, but I was surprised that they were using something that can be quite emotive in their marketing. It worked though I guess, as we're talking about it! I assumed the thinking behind it was the cows are trying to convince us not to pinch their milk. Like if a turkey was holding up a sign saying "chickens taste delicious".

OP, a few weeks ago the WS spring catalogue turned up on my door step. As i was flicking through it trying not to pay attention to all the cow references, I came across the "cowmasutra"!! Check it out on their website.. Absolutely out of place in a clothes magazine IMO. I find the whole campaign really stupid and distasteful and had really put me off WS!

it took that to put you off? the clothes were enough for me!

But breast is best!

Shame it's not a breastfeeding campaign ;)

Actually, flippancy aside, I'm not keen on the cow reference. There's something a bit odd and slightly offensive about it.

I quite like the idea, it kinda makes breastfeeding seem normal (and silly) which is a nice change from the highly charged views that it often provokes. That said, it is a shame it's just to sell (expensive) blouses.

As someone who is recovering from breast cancer I found these shop windows particularly insensitive and I've been in touch with White Stuff about their advertising campaign which has gone on for 4 months now (it was only taken down for a few weeks during a sale and then went back up). Their excuse that this is just light hearted banter is a poor one and their PR head even said that "it is no way a reference to women, and definitely not meant to offend anybody." I responded by pointing out that the mannequins have women's bodies and are wearing women's clothes, so who are they trying to kid? I'm never shopping at White Stuff again and hope others will may follow suit. The windows will change in a few weeks to an Olympics theme--not soon enough.

Sounds a bit school-boy humour to me. Sniggering about breast feeding doesn't really help boost confidence in breastfeeding in public etc. Don't we want to feel comfortable getting them out in public not like its a joke?

Afraid that these windows have nothing to do with breastfeeding! They aren't say that breast is best but "Breasts are best" and it's sexist, childish and crude. I wonder why a store would think it a good idea to alienate some of its prospective customers?

Just sounds a bit yuk. Why compare women to cows? Odd.

I cringe every time I walk past the window. Nice one White Stuff

You really have to wander what goes through these marketing peoples minds, yes ok, I can see the idea getting thrown out there at a brain storming session but to actually run with it?
Firstly it is comparing women to cows (an insult that does not get applied to men, you stupid cow as an example).
Then the references to breasts is just sexist and crude. And the final straw is to tie it all back to breastfeeding, which taken to the extreme is, in a very underhand way, implying that all women are good for is to be pleasing to the eyes of men and for producing babies.
It is a horrific campaign and I think this should be reposted to feminism.