The Milk Campaign That’s Got Some Ladies In A Tizzy
July 19, 2011 3 Comments
Last week, I wrote a post where I talked about the Got Milk? campaign, one which I hadn’t really thought about in years. It was coincidental that the very next day, news broke of a new California Milk Processor Board campaign created by the same advertising agency, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. The advertisements focus on milk’s purported benefits of reducing PMS symptoms, albeit in an interesting fashion. It’s quickly become one of the year’s most buzzed-about and stupidly controversial campaigns. You can visit the official site here. My reactions? Cheeky and amusing, but not really sexist.
Soon after, one of my former college classmates wrote a few op-eds about the subject on Ms. Magazine’s official blog. The columns attacked these advertisements for portraying women as irrationally angry shrews, and men as oafish idiots. She also addressed the (more valid, in my opinion) question of whether milk actually does help the symptoms of PMS. At the bottom, there’s also a petition to end the evil milkmen from using this ghastly campaign.
OK. I could write a lengthy entry about the follies of political correctness or gender roles in advertising. Instead, I’ll craft a response that’s short, direct, and stereotypically male. Calm the FUCK down, and have a SENSE OF HUMOR! And yes, I realize the irony of using a capitalized F-bomb in a “relax” message. Think about if we removed all media that any segment of the population found offensive. Wouldn’t be a whole lot left, would there? So in summary, I repeat: Calm the FUCK down, and have a SENSE OF HUMOR! Seriously. Try it. You’ll find that the world is infinitely more enjoyable if you do.
7/21 update: The campaign has been pulled. Score this one for the irrationally angry. Weak.
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Interesting. I’m a girl and think these ads are semi-funny and definitely not offensive. PMS does happen, it makes me pretty crazy and I really don’t see the harm in a light-hearted ad poking fun at it. Some people need to lighten up.
Exactly. It’s fine if some don’t like these ads or don’t think they’re funny. But those people should recognize that plenty of others do like them and think they’re funny. And to demand the campaign is pulled purely out of personal dislike represents a completely unenlightened attitude.
I’m sure the majority of women would see the humour in this, much the same as “having a man look” for things and “the man flu”, which I as a male find halarious. Come on people, we all love each, let’s have a light hearted poke at each other occasionally.