We have watched the newest round of Crest Toothpaste commercials with horror. First, there was the on-air ad where a woman, sexily clad, is pushed way back in her chair, against her will, as one leg flies way up in the air. Then that same woman smiles afterwards. It's one of the worst portrayals of sexual abuse, paired with the stereotype of rape fantasy (that rape is what women really want), that we've seen in decades. No doubt due to numerous complaints by viewers, that version of the commercial has been taken off the air, and replaced with a similar Crest commercial featuring a different woman
being pushed back in her chair and against her will. In this alternative version, the woman is dressed in more covered-up fashin, and is a bit more plain. She also is darker, which lends the ad a racist as well as sexist overtone. In her case, as with the prior commercial, a loud sound, as if the woman has hit her head, is made when the chair goes all the way back. The message remains, in this ad as well, that women are to be treated violently.
It is clear that those who have made these commercials, and those who have approved them, are misogynists
who believe that women deserve
to be subjected to violent
treatment to make them compliant. It is also clear that Procter & Gamble
deserves to have its products boycotted. We are happy to oblige, and are having our university students do the same.
After we showed them the two Crest commercials, they, too, felt strongly about doing their part in this boycott. We all are done with any item produced, from this point forward, by this needs-proctoring-but-not-ever-worth-the-gamble company.
Desired outcome: Decency. But it doesn't look promising.