Photo: http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/6-got-milk-ads-even-more-sexist-pms-ones-133555

It is common knowledge that consumers today are spending more time online than ever before. As a result, online advertising is becoming an increasingly popular method used by companies to promote their products. While it provides an easy and relatively cheap marketing channel, online advertising means that anyone can access and modify the advertisement. The displayed original poster for “got milk?” provides a perfect example of this. The “got milk?” campaign is a popular marketing campaign promoting the benefits of drinking cows milk. However, the website funnyordie.com decided to parody the campaign by creating numerous meme-like advertisements. While the intent is to be “funny,” myself and I assume other women, take the advertisements seriously and find them to be extremely sexist.

This particular advertisement showcases that we are still living in a male dominated world and that gender equality remains out of reach for today’s society. It is obvious that it was directed towards a male target audience with no consideration as to how it would be received by the female population. Overall, the advertisement is absurd because it is strongly recommended against giving babies cows milk until they are at least twelve months. The words “BECAUSE HER BOOBS ARE FOR YOU – NOT YOUR BABY” imply that breasts exist for male entertainment only; not their reason for biological existence, which is to provide food and nourishment to babies. On the bottom of the ad, it says “MILK HELPS YOU TAKE BACK WHAT’S YOURS”. This is the most male chauvinistic and degrading part of the poster as the statement indicates that a woman’s body is owned by her male counterpart. It takes us back to the traditional view of gender roles which was that men were in control. While there has been progress towards gender equality, “humorous” advertisements like this one can still have a high impact on consumers. The information can be subconsciously registered into consumer minds and if seen frequently enough it could be perceived as normal behavior. This kind of influence can be dangerous and stimulate a backtracking of the progression that gender equality has made thus far.