LostLadyLen

Misleading Ads

Posted on 06/25/08, 02:09 pm

Tried to pick a boring title... Would prefer this to be an Adult Discussion as this topic deals with Advertisers misuse of sexuality in order to appeal to a young audience.

I am not a prude - although I have personal boundaries in place. I am (for the most part) a live and let live person. However, it is my personal belief that when it comes to young people (even & especially those in their late teens) society needs to have proactive boundaries in place to ensure their well-being.

That's why I think this particular ad went too far.

JCPenney's "teen sex" ad [updated] - ParentDish

http://www.parentdish.com/2008/06/...


Following are excerpts from the above article.

"The commercial clearly pokes fun at the trusting mom who sits upstairs reading her magazine while the kids "go downstairs to watch TV." At the same time, it's sending a message to teen customers that today is the day to have sex with your boyfriend, right under your mom's nose."

"Edited to add: As it turns out, everyone, JCPenney did not authorize this ad. (Let's let out a collective whew.) There's a lot of finger pointing going on right now; JCPenney is blaming its ad company Saatchi & Saatchi, who in turn is blaming the production company Epoch films.

According to Gawker, the commercial won an award at the Cannes Lions Awards this past weekend. Penney's chief marketing officer has been quoted as saying, "It's obviously inappropriate and nothing we would ever condone."

* * *

It is all very well & good that the AD is obviously NOT going to be run on TV - but, apparently it is available for viewing on YouTube - and, as you can see - it was put out there by AOL in their news format.

Do you think this should or should not be available for viewing?
Should something be done about its availability?

• Reply #11 07/25/08  4:04pm
  
  scarlett5202
  Schmanek, I am with you! You said, "The only real way to protect kids is to teach them the truth."
  
  However, that truth can be somewhat elusive when we ask them to believe in Santa Claus (when we also tell them not to trust strangers) and we tell them about the tooth fairy and so on. Most children are resilient enough to cope with our 'fairy tales' but there are other sensitive souls who are totally confused by our deception and who can blame them? One of my sons was like that and, once he realised these deceptions, he found it difficult to distinguish fantasy from reality :( What could he trust?
  
  It take a strong parent to take a stance against commercialism and the pressures of advertising on TV, etc. Even if you do manage to protect your children, once they are at school amongst their peers, you can bet they will soon cotton on to the 'must have' mentality and we, as parents, end up weakly succumbing rather than worry that our children will be ostracised by the 'mainstream'. Doesn't every parent want their child to be 'popular' and well liked rather than 'different'?
  
  This is just a rant but, hopefully, someone will pick up on some of my points and elaborate or disagree
• Reply #12 07/25/08  7:10pm
  
  Schmanek
  Scarlett, you are right. It is very hard. But I think picking the easy and fast way is part of what lead us into the mess we have today. I think we really have to start looking at this faster is better attitude. That easier is automatically better. It does come down to when you have a rule like faster is better, it tends to obscure the whole truth of anything. Hard rules tend to close out all other options. without even examining other options, how can we say that we have full awareness?
  
  These things from childhood, the fantasies, the candy, the toys, are they really what our kids need? Or are they ways in which we make it easier on ourselves, the parents? I am not saying that these things are bad by themselves, but they have become so associated with childhood and yet, maybe there is much more to it then that. I need to really ponder all of that........
• Reply #13 07/26/08  3:50am
  
  scarlett5202
  Schmanek, you have hit the nail on the head - it is about the quality TIME we spend with our children: playing with them, talking and listening to them, walking with them outside and teaching them about their environment, etc.
  
  However, it is a fact of human nature that we like to fit in and be liked so, when children go to school, a lot of how their future outlook on life will be shaped will be influenced by their peer group.
  
  I regret that this is probably one of those situations that we have to accept what is rather than what should be. But then the optimist will tell me that change CAN happen.
• Reply #14 07/26/08  7:34am
  
  Schmanek
  Well I can accept that it is this way, but then work to change things. It is just all about awareness. People talk about awareness when it comes to specific situations, but I am speaking about overall awareness. Looking deeply at everything. no more gloss over. Less and less belief, more and more knowing. Practicing mindfulness. Becoming awake.

Respectful, open discussion of philosophy, religion,spirituality, and other topics with the purpose of opening our minds and broadening our horizons. Differences of opinion are welcomed but intolerance will not be tolerated, so please show respect at all times.