This blog post is a response to John’s post on Toula Drimonis’ reaction to the Jack Astor’s ad shown above.
Toula Drimonis’ View
In Drimonis’ blog post she touches upon the fact that the following advertisement is not only “tacky and sexist” but also demeaning for women as they use the derogatory term ‘cougar'(Drimonis). She claims that doing so they are promoting the idea that older women who date younger men are “overly sexualized predator(s) on the hunt for helpless animals”(Drimonis). She also mentions the double standards regarding the reaction of when men date women younger than them and when women do.
John Whaley’s View
John believes that although “Drimonis has a valid point in terms of the phrasing of the sign” and he understands why some individuals would be offended by the ad, the ad may still be deemed as affective. John mentions that the brand is known for “gaudy advertisements, attractive waitresses and their appeal to dry humor” and affectively brands themselves for their target market.
My View
I agree with John to an extent, in which Jack Astors is simply effectively targeting their market. Although the advertisement is effective, is it necessary? I believe that their advertisement was completely unnecessary. In retrospect, ads today are becoming less and less sexist in their views (compared to the 50’s) as the ideologies of society have changing. More people have been supportive of basic human rights which includes equality. However, the ad that they have portrayed defames and distorts women, albeit not the the extent Nine West has with its new line of shoes. Therefore, by supporting such ads there will be people that would be offended, like Drimonis, which would create a negative views associated to the restaurant. I believe that Jack Astors should think of redefining their values and goals into a way that adheres to the mindset of society today.
Sources
Drimonis, Toula. “Jack Astor’s New Sexist Ad Proves They Really Are Asses.” The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/toula-foscolos/jack-astors-sexist-ad_b_5555943.html>.
Newman, Andrew Adam. “A Suggestion for the Right Shoe for Unusual Moments.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 July 2014. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/01/business/media/a-suggestion-for- the-right-shoe-for-unusual-moments.html?ref=media&_r=2>.
Whaley, John. “John Whaley’s Blog.” John Whaleys Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. <https://blogs.ubc.ca/jwhaley/2014/11/07/jack-astors-new-sexist-ad-proves-they-really-are-asses/>.