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  • TUESDAY JUNE 28 2005 11:00 AM

Men Are More Complex Than Advertisements Suggest

Submitted by HyenaHell

Edited by dem_z

When pondering the portrayal of men in commercials, the image that comes to mind is of a beer-swilling, sports-watching, car-fixing kind of guy that would rather leave important consumer decisions like which toilet bowl cleaner to purchase or which cold medication to take up to his wife.

But a recent study shows that men are more complex than advertisements would have us believe. The Leo Burnett advertising agency, which created the iconic macho cowboy, recently conducted a survey of 2000 men in 13 countries. Not surprisingly, two thirds of the men polled think images of men in advertising are out of touch with reality.

Most ads have lumped men into one of two groups -- the soft, caring type known as "metrosexuals," who are comfortable with facial peels and pink shirts, or the stereotypical "retrosexuals," who remain oafishly addicted to beer and sports.

"As the world is drifting toward a more feminine perspective, many of the social constructs men have taken for granted are undergoing significant shifts or being outright dismantled," said Tom Bernardin, chairman and chief executive of Leo Burnett Worldwide.


Executives from Leo Burnett cite companies like Bud, Levi's, and Axe body spray as currently making commercials that appeal to the way men think about themselves in the twenty-first century. But according to Bernardin, there need to be more.

"The last thing we want is to look back in 10 years and find that we have unwittingly created the same cliches that female advertising is riddled with," Bernardin said.

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Comments
HyenaHell

hyenahell

I'm lost
April 2003

JUN 28, 2005 11:01 AM

maybe i was the only one who thought this was interesting. confused

Bleeder

Bleeder

USA
August 2003

JUN 28, 2005 11:04 AM

surreal

RandomNerd

RandomNerd

I'm lost
January 2005

JUN 28, 2005 11:14 AM

Just in case you forgot, advertising is STILL bullshit.

Idjit

Idjit

HOPEFUL

I'm lost

JUN 28, 2005 11:15 AM

I've tempted to applaud these findings, but I'm afraid all the guys here might call me a fag and/or give me a wedgie.

dem_z

dem_z

United Kingdom
June 2004

JUN 28, 2005 11:16 AM

I fucking hate the diet coke commercials. If they were made (with sex reversed) people would be up in arms about them.

iamjacksusername

iamjacksusername

Los Angeles, CA
April 2005

JUN 28, 2005 11:17 AM

"By the way, if anyone here is in marketing or advertising...kill yourself. Thank you. Just planting seeds, planting seeds is all I'm doing. No joke here, really. Seriously, kill yourself, you have no rationalisation for what you do, you are Satan's little helpers. Kill yourself, kill yourself, kill yourself now. Now, back to the show. Seriously, I know the marketing people: 'There's gonna be a joke comin' up.' There's no fuckin' joke. Suck a tail pipe, hang yourself...borrow a pistol from an NRA buddy, do something...rid the world of your evil fuckin' presence."
Bill Hicks

ginawa

ginawa

Newport, PA
May 2004

JUN 28, 2005 11:34 AM

this is a wedgie free enviroment.

and i agree the ideas of manliness are changing.

corsair

corsair

Greer, SC
July 2004

JUN 28, 2005 11:34 AM

Advertising imposes bad taste on those who have none!

robosagogo

robosagogo

State College, PA
September 2004

JUN 28, 2005 11:40 AM


Executives from Leo Burnett cite companies like Bud, Levi's, and Axe body spray as currently making commercials that appeal to the way men think about themselves in the twenty-first century. But according to Bernardin, there need to be more.



The Axe body spray commercials have men being molested by women at the most inconvenient times. shocked

Idjit

Idjit

HOPEFUL

I'm lost

JUN 28, 2005 11:43 AM

robosagogo said:


Executives from Leo Burnett cite companies like Bud, Levi's, and Axe body spray as currently making commercials that appeal to the way men think about themselves in the twenty-first century. But according to Bernardin, there need to be more.



The Axe body spray commercials have men being molested by women at the most inconvenient times. shocked



It's the fucking story of my life, lemme tell ya.

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

JUN 28, 2005 11:43 AM

Mmm. Beer.

Doghouse_Reilly

doghouse_reilly

I'm lost
February 2004

JUN 28, 2005 11:56 AM

Wow, really? Men are more complex than the halfway retarded simian stereotype portrayed in advertising? Does this mean that there is also more to women than just the jiggling tits and ass shown in commercials? That's incredible, who would have guessed. Truly, these are fascinating studies.

ICY

ICY

Ireland
March 2005

JUN 28, 2005 11:57 AM

Is it just me, though, or do ad's for products aimed at women have to have a man humiliated, hurt or made to look stupid in order to be shown?

Honestly think about it, think about the last five ad's you've seen aimed at women, most will have a little plug for the product, then a dig at a man.

If the situation was reversed, people would be up in arms. If a lynx ad had a guy 'accidently' kicking a women in the groin, they'd be hawled off the air. But Veet get away with it.
That Dell ad where the guy walks in, see his gf/wife on the phone, gets suspicious and hits redial, only to find it's Dell (while a stupid ad I agree), there was a tirade against that and it was pulled.
But the Domino's pizza ad where a guy's ordering a pizza and his wife is hiding behind the curtains spying on him till he leaves, then redials the number....that's fine.

I dunno, seems like equality has swung around completely. Now when a guy complains it's a case of "it's just an ad"...usually followed by "you pussy".

*sigh*

Though I agree with Bill Hicks and iamjacksusername, marketing and advertisers should do us all a favour.

mydogfarted

mydogfarted

Oakland, NJ
June 2003

JUN 28, 2005 12:01 PM

ginawa said:
this is a wedgie free enviroment.



No it's not!

*gives Idjit wedgie*

TheJuanupsman

TheJuanupsman

Hopkins, MN
April 2004

JUN 28, 2005 12:02 PM

mydogfarted said:

ginawa said:
this is a wedgie free enviroment.



No it's not!

*gives Idjit wedgie*



I was gonna post that same thing. Then I decided maybe I don't know Idjit well enough.
tongue

Edited because the accidental omission of a d made me look like a moron. confused

[Edited on Jun 29, 2005 3:04AM]

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