Comments on: Selling to men by insulting women

By: Mack

Mack — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:55:57 +0000

I received a call tonight from a survey company on behalf of Providian Financial. They wanted only to talk to Teh Man of House, not teh wimin folk. Unfortunately for them, my husband is traveling, and Hubby and I have a very nontraditional outlook on finances (in that, though married, we keep separate checking accounts – and, by extension Roth IRAs, etc).

Providian did not want Survey Guy to bother with me, being a woman. Survey Guy apparently felt this was somehow stupid (imagine, right?) and apologized profusely before admitting the name of the asinine company (Providian Financial) funding this ridiculously, unapologetically sexist survey.

Thing is, I’ve had a Roth IRA (on my own, not funded by Teh Man of teh House), for a few years, and it’s not only underperformed abysmally, it’s lost money every year I’ve had it, only I’ve been too damned lazy to move it. This, thank you dumbass marketing folks at Providian, finally convinced me to move the stupid thing to a traditional savings account – which won’t grow by any significant means, but which would at least be FDIC insured and wouldn’t *lose* money.

This Roth was so small, and so old, and such a bugger I hadn’t actively funded in years, I probably wouldn’t have bothered with it, except Providian had to go and have someone call to ask, who had very specific instructions to speak to Teh Man of teh House.

I know, it ain’t no Dockers ad, but – really? If I’m not Teh Man, you don’t want to know what I think, even though it’s *my* money you’re losing, you completely inept wankers?

Oh yeah..um,..hi folks!

By: Gabi

Gabi — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:47:20 +0000

I don’t think they’re trying to say that women have emasculated men with their evil non-fat girlypant conspiracies. I’m pretty sure what they’re trying to say is that men need to stop acting like selfish douchebags and/or eternal adolescents, and start being “manly” in an Art-of-Manliness-type-way by being gentlemen (opening doors, helping the elderly). At least, that’s how I took it. It’s also really sort of campy and over the top, so I don’t think it can be taken too seriously. I thought it was funny.

By: phtext

phtext — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:29:46 +0000

“But somewhere along the way, the world decided it no longer needed men.”
Oh lordy. 100% DEPENDENCE & SUBSERVIENCE OR BUST! Because if women don’t give men their undivided attention, the world no longer needs them. I *love* the insecurity here.

The sad thing is, these ads try to appeal to women, too– if they watch Discovery, then they’re chill, they’re one of the guys, and not like those “other women”.

By: Taybeh Chaser

Taybeh Chaser — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:27:52 +0000

They expect us to giggle at this ad. Either because we secretly, in our little bitty lady hearts of hearts, agree and long for the take-charge and apparently Dockers-sporting Real Men ™ of yore (I wish we could put this kind of smugly knowing assertion about What Women Really Want to bed, but that’s a different story, since this ad is manifestly not concerned with what women might want, or even with what we should want–for once), or because we are so inured to misogyny in far worse forms that the Docker’s ad may be permitted to slide as some kind of cute exaggerating joke. I am sure they’re having a good laugh at our expense either way. The “shop women’s” button cements that impression for me.

As for TV channels insultingly marketed to specific genders, some of the inane shit broadcast on Lifetime, especially their original movies, is pure unintentional comedy gold. I’m not entirely sure anyone ever watches it for any other reason.

By: Unga Bunga! White Sale Gooood! - The Pursuit of Harpyness

Unga Bunga! White Sale Gooood! - The Pursuit of Harpyness — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:52:33 +0000

[...] Their biology. Well, whatever. Let’s go have a beer while they pick over that table of macho pants. Bookmark and share this [...]

By: baraqiel

baraqiel — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:05:19 +0000

But, SarahMC, everyone knows that women never use the internet. That’s why all the commenters on Digg and Reddit and such feel so free to say extremely misogynist things — there are no women around!

By: Ellie

Ellie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:23:09 +0000

On the Dockers ad, I read this differently. Somewhere, when no-one was looking, men stopped becoming adults. I would willingly trade opening my own doors for a man that would manage his own schedule and buy his own pants (and underwear.)

(But I’m still going to fix my own car TYVM.)

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:10:31 +0000

Right MM, and in the unfortunate event that a man is dragged along to the mall with his pants-buying (but not pants-wearing) wife, he can always stream sports. So much contempt for women, everywhere I look.

By: mischiefmanager

mischiefmanager — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:47:05 +0000

Um, Dockers? Who exactly do you think is buying those pants? That’s right, women, since there are tons of men like Mr MM, who never ever set foot in a clothing store.

Mr MM will now be wearing another brand of trousers, thank you.

By: bellacoker

bellacoker — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:23:16 +0000

yvanehtnioj:

Don’t forget, we are also, somehow, making cities crumble.

Dockers thinks we are mad powerful, like erosion or a super villian.