That's why mum's gone to Iceland

[KalamityKel]

Oh dear whatever next?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/9661375/Twitter-backlash-over-sexist-Asda-Christmas-ad-is-not-justified.html#

[TheArtfulDogger]

I agree, it is sexist and what about widowers / single fathers raising their kids without mum

Personally I think the mum in the advert is a bit over zealous about Christmas, when we should be celebrating the much publicised "birth of Christ" and being with family rather then spending shed loads of money on food and presents at the supermarket

Besides, it's still weeks till Christmas and every man knows all the shopping and preparation happens at 4pm Christmas Eve ;-). Advertisers always get it so so wrong

[Loz]

Actually, I've long considered Asda and Iceland's advertising sexist, so it's nice to see one of them under pressure to drag itself into the 21st century.

[guringi]

Mum gone by dog poo bags for you Christmas present haha

[Voyageur]

Ridiculous over-reaction.

[RosieH]

Dogger and Loz, you're right of course. It IS frightfully sexist that women still do the lion's share of grocery shopping, housework, cooking and childcare.

I know that, like you, I'd rather see Daniel Craig or maybe Michael Madsen pushing the trolley and rustling up the dinner, but don't worry, I reckon we've not long to wait. According to a study by Oxford University, we should be heading for parity in household chores by about 2050, so we can get the adverts we truly deserve in another 38 years or so.

[guringi]

Who is the haters and who is it the homeless The message is they will never leave ED

Only car boot is for sale XX nobody is interested nothing to

will be prove or sold

[guringi]

Who are the haters and who is it the homeless The message is they will never leave ED

Only car boot is for sale XX nobody is interested nothing to

will be prove

[Loz]

Nice try Rosie... but the ad is offensive to both men and women. Women because it does perpetrate the idea that women only should be responsible for shopping and bringing up children and, in this case, Christmas. For men because it disregards the fact that the most enlightened men in our society do their fair share of these tasks (and in some cases alone) and this leads to the problems seen in family courts denying fathers access to their children.

That the thing about equality, you can't pick and choose the bits you like or - worse - try and keep the bits that actually benefit you. If you can't see the sexism here then 1975 just called and would like its opinions back.

[LondonMix]

Very sexist indeed. Especially the part at the end where the full and contented husband asks his wife just coming to settle in with the rest of the family after clearing up "what's for tea love?" Her glowing satisfaction at seeing everyone else enjoying themselves (and having to sit on cushion for dinner)! Outrageous.

The media lead the way at reshaping attitudes and cultural images. Would have been just as effective showing two parents sharing the burden.

[RosieH]

Ach, don't be churlish, you're asking for an ad to reflect the way things ought to be, rather than how they actually are.

The ad's designed to appeal to harried mum, not to on-his-high-horse offended dad. You want the ads we deserve, then get the 9 out of 10 men who still get 'er indoors to do the grocery shopping to pull their weight, and then we can have a conversation. (NB - this stat was accurate when I was working for a major supermarket two years ago, it's possible the ratio has come down slightly since then, but given that Oxford university predicts parity on housework only by 2050, it's unlikely to have shifted significantly).

Like I say, it IS sexist that this is the way things are, but it IS the way things are. So fellas, you don't want the nasty television people calling you out on it, then pull your fingers out.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/10/housework-gender-equality-women

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_releases_for_journalists/110520.html

http://www.keynote.co.uk/market-intelligence/view/product/10564/men-and-women's-buying-habits

[maxxi]

It is sexist - because it shows a very controlling woman who - in the context of the ad - I assumed did all that stuff because she didn't want/couldn't trust what she considered to be her dim hubby involved.

That's how it came across to me sisters.

Edited for spulling

[Huguenot]

The figures that RosieH has linked to don't merit such sweeping generalisations about men's contribution to household chores, let alone the underlying malice.

They suggest that of the total of 440 minutes performed daily, men perform marginally under 40% of them.

Whilst there is certainly more to be done, this is hardly evidence of a large scale gender based dereliction of responsibility, is it?

Likewise Neilsen research tells us around 40% of grocery trips are made by men - once more, whilst not exactly equal, it's hardly evidence of broad oppression, and certainly don't match RosieH's '9 out of 10 shopping trips are by women' that may just about justify her anger if it was true.

But it's not.

Regarding Christmas in particular, my experience is that men in general remain proportionally less enamoured with the occasion than women.

It is not reasonable to assume that this is an act of oppression, it may well be a manifestation of a biological imperative regarding family life.

I should also point out that consumer retail TV ads have nothing to do with real life.

They are specifically design to appeal to aspirational fantasies amongst those who INFLUENCE the decisions, and not necessarily the buyer themselves.

Asda have clearly picked up on an aspirational fantasy amongst women to be perceived as martyrs to family happiness - it doesn't mean they actually are, nor that they do all the shopping.

It's not real life.

Finally, given that almost 40% of the chores are done by men on average, I suspect that this varies substantially by demographic.

It is highly likely that liberal and educated male readers of the EDF may do MORE chores than the women in the household.

I certainly do in mine - more a product of the fact that the girlfriend grew up with domestic help.

In that case, RosieH's abuse is unwarranted and inaccurate.

[KalamityKel]

I'm confused... are people annoyed because it dipicts one view they don't agree with, it highlights their own faults/sense of insecurity or just don't like the advert because it's about Christmas?

[Loz]

RosieH Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Ach, don't be churlish, you're asking for an ad to

> reflect the way things ought to be, rather than

> how they actually are.

A bit of both, actually. Media (and I include ads in that) both reflects and guides society. That's why ads such as Proctor and Gambles 'Sponsoring Mums', Iceland's 'Mums go to Iceland' and ASDA latest 1950's effort are so problematic. Whilst they may reflect basic statistical majorities, is that what we really want?

Take IKEA's airbrushing of women from their Saudi catalogue and Ford's airbrushing of black faces from a photo in Poland. Is that sexism and racism at play, or just the reflection of society? It's probably both, but should the companies in question be let off for just showing things 'how they actually are'?

[Huguenot]

I believe the complaints are about it reinforcing negative gender stereotypes.

[LondonMix]

I don't like it because it reinforces the image of mother as happy slave for the family. I think a situation that unbalanced in real life is increasingly rare which is why its so striking.

H- you are not alone. My husband does the majority of the housework as well (in part because he cares more than I do / has a lower tolerance for mess).

[KalamityKel]

I find ads like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB9oLgv8xog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kCdMfP-gQg

incredibly offensive and yet strangely there are many out there that actually (no idea how) find this kind of thing very amusing and completely acceptable *shrugs*

[Loz]

That's a tough one KK. One one level it is, as you see it, sexist. But it is also a bit of a pop on the traditional male Australian as seen by the British. So is it showing sexism, or a racial stereotype?

Or does it have it's tongue in it's cheek so deeply that it is actually OK?

[KalamityKel]

I don't however get upset by those kind of ads and contemplate boycotting the product (not that the product is that good in the first place!) I simply choose to ignore it.

I don't like ads and I find myself hating myself for creating the odd one or two myself... it's so demeaning! ;-)

[LondonMix]

The Fosters ones don't bother me nearly as much. Can't say why though. Perhaps its what Loz says. I think the Malibu ads are terrible though!

[maxxi]

It's no biggie. There are plenty of ads aimed at women/girls/ladettes that portray men/boys/lads in a bad or buffoonish light.

I think it appeals to the infantile "Boo, girls/boys* are rubbish!" pov one sees on hen/stag nights and in all-male/female work environments.

The main aim is to stop the viewer considering the product itself which is invariably pretty crappy.

*delete etc.

[malumbu]

I visted Iceland once, not the country as I made out but three days in Deeside at thier HQ. Whilst I can't ever recall shopping there and hate the brash colours, they are one of the few chains who are intenet on keeping the high street going. They had the mum's gone to Iceland campaign then (mid 90s) as opposed to say mum and dad have got in their Volvo and driven to Waitrose at Beckeham (or now, gone on line, with ). The advertising is a bit naff, but they know their target audience (a minority who don;t necessarily drive). They were also quite a progressive company, even if this may not readily come across.

Will you lot now get back into your box.

[ruffers]

I'm getting increasingly sick of "twitter backlashes" and facebook campaigns being presented as news.