V8 Drink Commercial Demeans Men

Submitted by mens_issues on Sun, 2007-01-07 17:53

This morning I woke up and listened to the news on the radio. After this, the usual annoying commercials came on. I was appalled to hear the latest one for V8 vegetable juice.

This radio commercial starts with a husband and wife apparently in some sort of courtroom. An incident is recalled where the wife couldn't get the husband to eat healthy, or to eat vegetables or drink V8, so the wife bopped the husband on the forehead.

This is accompanied by a comical "bop" sound used in previous V8 commercials - except that in those the person who "could have had a V8" slaps themselves on the forehead. The female judge then asks the husband what vegetables he has had recently, and he replies “Oysters." The judge then asks the man to approach, which is followed by the sound of her bopping the man on the forehead, and the comment "You could have had a V8!"

Ha ha, very funny (not).

The silly thing is that I, for one, already eat healthy foods and have been buying a large size V8 once a week. Unless the commercial is retracted, I will find another brand of vegetable juice to purchase in the future.

You can let V8 know what you think of their commercial here.

Steve

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Ed. note: Anyone who can provide specific time and radio station information for the airing of this ad any time they have heard it, please post. It makes registering the complaint more effective.

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Comments

The radio commercial aired just after 9 AM on 630 KHOW in Denver. Hope this helps.

Also, here is what I wrote to them (unfortunately without the time and station):

I am writing in regard to your latest radio commercial for V8 vegetable juice.

This radio commercial starts with a husband and wife apparently in some sort of courtroom. An incident is recalled where the wife couldn't get the husband to eat healthy, or to eat vegetables or drink V8, so the wife bopped the husband on the forehead. This is accompanied by a comical "bop" sound used in previous V8 commercials - except that in those the person who "could have had a V8" slaps themselves on the forehead. The female judge then asks the husband what vegetables he has had recently, and he replies “Oysters." The judge then asks the man to approach, which is followed by the sound of her bopping the man on the forehead, and the comment "You could have had a V8!"

I'm sure that the ad was meant to be humorous. It wasn't for me. In fact, this commercial is offensive to men in that it gives the impression that violence against men is acceptable and even funny. I doubt that you would have broadcast a similar ad in which a man bopped his wife on the forehead for not drinking V8, followed by a male judge doing the same to her in court.

It should be brought to your attention that anti-male ads such as these are being criticized on several websites (which are viewed by thousands of people each day). Men have become tired of negative portrayals of males in the media, and even some women are starting to speak out against this (it isn't particularly flattering to them either).

It is strongly recommended that you find an alternative approach to selling V8 (which is not insulting to men) before you cause yourself to lose a lot of business. I, for one, already eat healthy foods and have been buying a large size V8 once a week. Unless the commercial is retracted, I will find another brand of vegetable juice to purchase in the future.

Steven G. Van Valkenburg

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Submitted by mens_issues on Sun, 2007-01-07 22:40

Just for fun, this link shows what I think of the person who created the V8 commercial:

http://www.adverbox.com/2007/01/04/freedent-white/

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Submitted by mens_issues on Sun, 2007-01-07 22:57

What I sent:

I am writing to you in regards to a radio commercial endorsing your product that recently aired mon my local radio station. This advertisement features a man who isn't eating healthy, and a woman (presumably the man's wife) who comically "bops" the man on the forehead after declaring he "could have had a V8."

This incident is repeated in a courtroom setting, this time featuring a female judge as the culprit. I'm sure this is meant to be humorous, however it is not. It is quite demeaning to men, and is being criticized on men's activist websites such as www.mensactivism.org.

Would you air an ad with the gender roles reversed, featuring a male striking a female because she wasn't eating healthy and drinking V8? I think not ... that would be viewed as opression and control. Reversing the roles, it is NO more acceptable for the female to commit such actions.

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Submitted by Celarnor on Mon, 2007-01-08 13:43